Morphology and development of the female reproductive system of Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) (Decapoda, Astacidae)

Abstract

In this study, the morphology and development of the female reproductive system in Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) were investigated. The trilobed ovary with 2 anterior lobules and only 1 posterior lobule lie dorsally to the gut on the large hepatopancreas. The oviduct extends laterally from the middle part of the ovary and its innermost layer produces 2 different types of secretion. The outermost layer of the ovary consists of a single layer of thin epithelium and a connective tissue under it. Longitudinally and annularly located collagen fibers are present in the connective tissue, and just under it lies a single layer of follicle cells, which surround the oocytes. The germarium containing oogonia is concentrated in the center of the ovarian lobe as a central germinal cluster.