Hormonal Control of Sexual Differentiation and Reproduction in Crustacea

Abstract

SYNOPSIS. Sexual differentiation in malacostracan Crustacea is controlled by the androgenic gland hormone (AGH). In males, the primordial androgenic glands (AG) develop and AGH induces male morphogenesis. In females, the primordial AG does not develop and the ovaries differentiate spontaneously. Implantation of the AG into females yields various results, showing that the sensitivity to AGH differs with the species and the receptive organs. Purified AGH of the isopod Armadillidium vulgare consists of at least two molecular forms, which exist as monomeric proteins with molecular weights of 17,000 ± 800 and 18,300 ± 1,000 Da and with isoelectric points of about 4.5 and 4.3, respectively. The antiserum raised against purified AGH makes it possible to measure AGH activity by immunoassay.