Comparative Ultrastructures of the Fertilized Egg Envelopes in Golden severum, Convic cichlid and Discus, Cichlidae, Teleost

Abstract

The structures of the fertilized egg envelope in three species of cichlidae, golden severum (Cichlasoma severum var.), convic cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) and discus (Symphysodon aequifasciatus) were investigated by routine light and electron microscopies. The fertilized eggs of all three species were of the non-transparent, ellipsoidal, adhesive and non-floted type. The egg envelopes have a single micropyle, which is thought to the pathway of sperm in the area of the animal pole. In golden severum, an outer surface of egg envelope was covered by a reticular layer, that of convic cichlid was covered by an amorphous reticular layer and that of discus was covered by a branched reticular layer. The fertilized egg envelopes consisted of two distinct layers, an adhesive outer layer and an inner layer, consisted of lamellae alternating with interlamellae of lower electron density, in all three species; an inner layer of golden severum was layers, that of convic cichlid was layers, and that of discus was layers.