GONADAL COMPARISON OF MASCULINIZED FEMALES AND ANDROGYNOUS MALES TO NORMAL MALES AND FEMALES IN STROMBUS (MESOGASTROPODA, STROMBIDAE)

Gonad and other reproductive tissues were taken from masculinized fema les and sexually undeveloped individuals of the West Indian fighting c onch, Strombus pugilis, and from two masculinized female queen conch, S. gigas, for comparison to normal males and females of their respecti ve species. Masculinized females were indistinguishable from normal fe males, except for the presence of a small, deformed verge which resemb led, microscopically, that of a normal male. Sexually undeveloped spec imens did not possess a verge or an egg groove. Microscopic examinatio n of the gonad tissue revealed some undeveloped, inactive spermatogeni c tissue, showing that these individuals were androgynous males.