Ultrastructural study of vitellogenesis and oogenesis of Crepidostomum metoecus (Digenea, Allocreadiidae), intestinal parasite of Salmo trutta (Pisces, Teleostei)

We describe the vitellogenesis and oogenesis of Crepidostomum metoecus from Salmo trutta collected in Corsica. This is the first study conducted in the Allocreadiidae family. The maturation of C. metoecus vitellocytes comprises four different stages depending on organelle content. The follicular vitellarium is surrounded by a basal lamina. Vitellocytes are randomly distributed into the vitellarium, although fully mature vitellocytes are found in the center of the follicle. During maturation, the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio decreases, whereas synthetic activity increases. Fully mature vitellocytes are filled with β-glycogen particles and shell globule clusters. Compared to other trematodes studied, C. metoecus possesses a large amount of nutritive reserves for the developing embryo and high quantities of material for the developing shell. Oocyte maturation takes place in four stages: oogonia, primary oocytes, developing oocytes, and mature oocytes. Developing oocytes enter the zygotene-pachytene stage of the first meiotic division recognizable by the presence of synaptonemal complexes in the nucleoplasm. The low protein composition of mature oocytes associated with the large nutrient content of vitellocytes of C. metoecus enables us to consider that oocytes do not take part of the nutrition of the future embryo of the miracidium. A cytochemical test (Thiéry method) allowed us to detect the presence of polysaccharides and glycogen during maturation of these two cell types.