메기 정자는 그 길이가 약 62.5 \mu m이며 구형의 핵, 짧은 중편 및 꼬리를 ㄱ진 일반적인 메기류 정자의 미세구조적 특징을 나타내었다. 정자는 대부분의 경골어류의 정자에서와 같이 첨체를 가지고 있지 않았으며 염색질은 완전치 농축되어 있었다. 핵와(nuclear fossa)는 약 0.6 \mu m 함입되어 있었고 그 속에 기부 중심립과 말단 중심립의 일부가 포함되어 있었다. 두 중심립은 140 \circ C의 각도로 배열되어 있었으며 말단 중심립에

The spermatozoa of Silurus asotus are appoximately 62.5 \mu m in length and relatively simple cells composed of spherical head, a short midpiece and a tail as in most Siluriformes. The ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of S. asotus is characterized by the following features. The nucleus measuring about 1.5 \mu m in length is depressed with a deep nuclear fossa of about 0.6 \mu m in length, two fifth of the nuclear diameter. The fossa contains the proximal centriole and the half of the distal centriole. Two centrioles form an angle of approximately 140 \circ to each other. the nine satellite rays radiate from the outer surface of the distal centriole. the mitochondrea surround the basal nucleus and the axoneme, and are arranged in two or three layers in the postnuclear cytoplasm. The lateral fins are lost in the sperm tail. The most significant feature is manifested in the midpiece. The midpece comprises two parts, the mitochondria and the tubular structure unlike other teleost fishes containing only the mitochondria. The tubular structure was reported only in the spermatozoa of Citharinus belonging to the characiformes of teleost fishes. Thus it is considered to be a good characteristics for the study of phylogenetic link between Siluriformes and Characiformes.

• 권애숙