A female of Xiphinema vuittenezi with two vulvae

Authors

  • M. I. Coiro
  • F. Lamberti

Abstract

In a population of Xiphinema vuittenezi Luc, Lima, Weischer et Flegg collected from the rhizophere of grapevine at Trambileno, in the province of Trento, North-East of Italy, a female specimen with two vulvae (Fig. 1) was found. To the best of our knowledge, such a case has never been reported and therefore the phenomenon is described briefly. The first vagina, slightly oblique and backward oriented, is preceded by the anterior gonad normally developed and functioning; there are oocytes in the ovary. The posterior gonad is missing and only a short uterine sac is present. The second vagina, 300 um posteriad to the first one, is also oblique but forward oriented. Its anterior gonad is rudimentary, having uterus, sperrnatheca, oviduct and an aborted small ovary with no oocytes differentiated. The posterior gonad consists only of the uterus.

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Published

1980-06-15

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Section

Articles