Spermatogenesis in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).

An ultrastructural study of spermatogenesis has been carried out on 18 species of mosquitoes of the Anophelinae, Culicinae and Toxorhynchitinae sub-families. In this spermatogenesis, which follows a classical way, primordial cells, primary and secondary spermatogonia, as well as primary and secondary spermatocysts are considered. We have identified 9 stages of development all along the spermiogenesis. This process ends up with the formation of a needle-like spermatozoon showing head and tail regions. After a treatment with tannic acid, the protofilaments of the axoneme of Culex tigripes are counted. For the first time we have carried out a complete study of spermatogenesis in mosquitoes.