We describe an intersex specimen of the Marmorkrebs, the only obligate parthenogenetic freshwater crayfish with an all-female population. The individual was a fully functional female which possessed male-like first pleopods. Nevertheless, it reproduced successfully and the offspring were normally developed parthenogenetic females, lacking any trace of male traits. The general rarity of aberrant sexual traits in freshwater crayfishes, in particular in Procambarus, is discussed. We suggest that a dysfunction of the sex determining system, which controls the anlagen of the androgenic glands during development, caused the partial male-like phenotype of this Marmorkrebs specimen. The application of this organism for investigations of sex determination and differentiation is recommended.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 June 2012
A Case of Intersexuality in the Parthenogenetic Marmorkrebs (Decapoda: Astacida: Cambaridae)
Peer Martin,
Gerhard Scholtz
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
Journal of Crustacean Biology
Vol. 32 • No. 3
June 2012
Vol. 32 • No. 3
June 2012
aberrant secondary sexual characteristics
androgenic gland
gonochorism
gynandromorphy
hermaphroditism