Aspectos histológicos das gônadas hermafroditas de Biomphalaria glabrata e Bradybaena similaris (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Pulmonata)

Abstract

Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) is a freshwater pulmonate gastropod that represents great medical importance. Bradybaena similaris (Férussac, 1821) is a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod and an important plague to the different plant cultures with economic interest. Both species are intermediate hosts of helminths. These molluscs have hermaphrodites gonads producing eggs and sperm. Here, we examined histoformological aspects of hermaphrodites gonads of both B. glabrata and B. similaris. The gonad of B. similaris is subdivided into lobes and presence of glands in its interior, which was not observed in B. glabrata. Moreover, in B. similaris the germ cells are accumulated in some areas, and has one oocyte in each follicle in the gonad; however, in B. glabrata the germ cells are juxtaposed and more than one oocyte in each follicle.