K. Tojo et R. Machida, EARLY EMBRYONIC-DEVELOPMENT OF THE MAYFLY EPHEMERA-JAPONICA MCLACHLAN(INSECTA, EPHEMEROPTERA, EPHEMERIDAE), Journal of morphology, 238(3), 1998, pp. 327-335
In the newly laid egg of the mayfly Ephemera japonica, an egg nucleus
(oocyte nucleus) at metaphase of the first maturation division is in t
he polar plasm at the mid-ventral side of the egg, and a male pronucle
us lies in the periplasm beneath a micropyle situated just opposite th
e polar plasm or at the mid-dorsal side of egg. The maturation divisio
ns are typical. An extensive and circuitous migration of the male pron
ucleus is involved in the fertilization process: it first moves anteri
ad in the periplasm from beneath the micropyle to the anterior pole of
the egg and then turns posteriad in the yolk along the egg's long axi
s to the site of syngamy, near the center of the egg. Cleavage is supe
rficial. The successive eight cleavages, of which the first five are s
ynchronized, result in the formation of the blastoderm, and about ten
primary yolk cells remain behind in the yolk. Even in the newly formed
blastoderm, the thick embryonic posterior half and the thin extraembr
yonic anterior half areas are distinguished: the former cells are conc
entrated at the posterior pole of the egg to form the germ disc, and t
he latter cells become more flattened, forming serosa. Time-lapse VTR
observations reveal a yolk stream that is in accord with the migration
of the male pronucleus in time and direction. The yolk stream is also
generated in activated unfertilized eggs, and it is probable that the
migration of the male pronucleus in association with the fertilizatio
n may be directed by the yolk stream. J. Morphol. 238:327-335, 1998. (
C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.