Relationship of Homolidae and Dromiidae : evidence from spermatozoal ultrastructure (Crustacea, Decapoda)

The homolid spermatozoon, as exemplified by #Homola$ sp., #Paromola$ sp. and #Paromola petterdi$, differs markedly from spermatozoa of crabs of the #Heterotremata$ - #Thoracotremata$ assemblage but agrees with the sperm of dromiids, in the strongly anteroposteriorly depressed acrosome (apomorphy?) and the capitate form of the perforatorium (a major synapomorphy seen nowhere else in the #Crustacea$). These similarities support inclusion of the #Dromiidae$ and #Homolidae$ in a single grouping, the #Podotremata$. The homolid perforatorium differs from that of dromiids in the autapomorphic spiked-wheel form the anterior expansion. (D'après résumé d'auteur