Abstract
Mysella tumida has a seasonal reproductive cycle at Patricia Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada. The onset of brooding in the population is preceded by a period of exogonadal sperm storage, which persists for 1—4 months. Sperm storage is achieved by the mass attachment of spermatozoa to the abfrontal unciliated surface of gill filaments in the ascending lamellae, by means of fine microvilli which radiate from the acrosomal end of the sperm heads and interdigitate with the gill epithelial cell microvilli. Eggs are spawned into the gill chamber and are fertilized by the stored spermatozoa. Sperm transfer between individuals involves the production, release, and uptake of spermatophores. Spermatophores are released from and gain re-entry to the suprabranchial chamber through the exhalent opening. This method of sperm transfer and storage results in a high fertilization efficiency; e.g., 99.9% of 39,660 eggs spawned by 50 individuals examined were fertilized. Available data indicate that M. tumida normally outcrosses, but the possibility of facultative selfing is not excluded.
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