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Fig. 1 | BMC Genomics

Fig. 1

From: De novo transcriptome assembly from the gonads of a scleractinian coral, Euphyllia ancora: molecular mechanisms underlying scleractinian gametogenesis

Fig. 1

Euphyllia ancora and its germ cells observed histologically in isolated gonads at different sampling times. a External appearance of an E. ancora colony. b External appearance of tentacles of an E. ancora colony. Anchor-like tentacles and the flabello-meandroid skeleton typify E. ancora. The pictures were taken at Nanwan Bay, Kenting National Park, in southern Taiwan in October 2016. c A top view of an E. ancora skeleton. The picture was taken after removal of polyp tissue in the laboratory. d Periods of oogenesis (pink arrow) and spermatogenesis (blue arrow) and predicated spawning timing (*). Letters (e-l) on the arrows correspond to Figure 1 (e-l) below, and indicate the timing (month) of sampling for ovaries and testes. e-h The external appearance of isolated ovaries in October and December 2016 and February and April 2017. e’-h’ Histological observation of the isolated ovaries. e, e’ The early phase of ovaries. f, f’ The middle phase of an ovary. g, g’ The late phase of an ovary. h, h’ The premature/mature phase of an ovary. i-l The external appearance of isolated testes in February, March, April, and June 2017. i’-l’ Histological observation of isolated testes. i, i’ The early phase of a testis with spermatogonia. j, j’ The middle phase of a testis having spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. k, k’ The late phase of a testis with secondary spermatocytes and spermatids. l, l’ The mature phase of a testis with mature sperm. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Scale bars = 1 cm (c); 500 μm (e-l); 50 μm (e’-h’); 10 μm (i’-l’)

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