Abstract

A description of the reproductive system of Sinum cymba, gastropod Naticidae is revealed by optical and electronic microscopy. The anatomy of the females and males reproductive system agrees with descriptions for other members of this family. The female reproductive system is formed by a gonopore, the oviduct, a bursa copulatrix, a seminal receptacle, the capsule gland, the albumen gland and the ovary. The female can store sperm in the seminal receptacle. Sexual dimorphism the foot was determined. In opposition of what was expected, no signals of imposex were observed. The male reproductive system is formed by the penis which contains the vas deferens and a gland, the seminal vesicle and the testicle. The organization of germinal cells in males of S. cymba differs from the pattern described for most of the marine gastropod species and it is characterized by the occurrence of cells closely adhered to the walls of the seminiferous tubules in some of the stages of the spermatogenesis. This intratubular distribution is homogenous in all tubules of the gonad and constant through the year. This pattern of intratubular distribution would be an indicator of a continuous gametogenic cycle type for this group of gastropod.