Study of ovary and oogenesis in ghost crab Ocypode rotundata from Qeshm Island, Persian Gulf

In this study, gonad structure and oogenesis of ghost crab were studied based on macroscopic and microscopic analyses from January 2016 to February 2017. Female crabs were collected from sandy beach of Salahk port, Qeshm Island, monthly. In the laboratory, the crabs’ ovaries were dissected and prepared for histology. Based on external and morphological features, gonad developmental stages were investigated and afterwards each stage was microscopically described. According to the results, six ovarian developmental stages were recognized including: stage I: immature, stage II: rudimentary, stage III: developing, stage IV: intermediate, stage V: advanced, stage VI: spent. During oogenesis, the number of oocytes in secondary growth increased in the ovaries which was associated with a change in coloration and increase in the gonad volume. Oocytes growth process was classified in six stages: early primary growth, late primary growth, early secondary growth, mid-secondary growth, late secondary growth, and full-growth. According to results, shaping of perinuclear yolk complex observed just in late primary growth stage. Furthermore, starting of second growth was simultaneous to appearing of yolk globules in ooplasm. Also, most of oocytes were visible as light pink in full-Grown stage.