Bride J, Gomot L
URA CNRS 687, faculté des sciences, laboratoire de zoologie et embryologie, Besançon, France.
Reprod Nutr Dev. 1991;31(1):81-96.
During the growth of laboratory-raised Helix aspersa, the development of the albumen gland and spermoviduct was studied in relation to age, weight and different stages of reproduction such as mating and egg-laying. The results showed that the population can be divided into 2 categories because of different growth rates and asynchronous development of the genital tract. The fast-growing snails are larger and reach sexual maturity (female type maturity) in a shorter period than slow growing snails (male type maturity). During growth, the maturation of the genital tract was not directly proportional to the weight of the animal. Within each class of similar weight and age of population, 2 groups were identified; in one group, the genital tract was significantly less developed than in the other. This asynchrony of genital tract development could still be found between mating partners of the same weight, the genital tract could be 3 times smaller in one than in the other partner. However, this difference disappeared between mating and egg-laying. These observations suggest: that asynchronous development of the genital tract could be a strategy for the developing population of Helix aspersa; and that (a) mating factor(s) is (are) involved in the regulation of the growth and function of the genital tract.
在实验室饲养的法国蜗牛生长过程中，研究了蛋白腺和输卵管的发育与年龄、体重以及交配和产卵等不同生殖阶段的关系。结果表明，由于生长速度不同和生殖道发育不同步，该种群可分为两类。生长快的蜗牛体型较大，比生长慢的蜗牛（雄性型成熟）在更短的时间内达到性成熟（雌性型成熟）。在生长过程中，生殖道的成熟与动物体重并非直接成正比。在体重和年龄相似的种群类别中，可分为两组；在一组中，生殖道的发育明显比另一组差。在相同体重的交配伙伴之间仍可发现生殖道发育的这种不同步性，一方的生殖道可能比另一方小三倍。然而，这种差异在交配和产卵之间消失了。这些观察结果表明：生殖道发育不同步可能是法国蜗牛发育种群的一种策略；并且交配因子参与了生殖道生长和功能的调节。
