Morphological structures for potential sperm storage in poeciliid fishes. Does superfetation matter?
| Autor: | J. Jaime Zúñiga-Vega, Maricela Villagrán-Santa Cruz, Norma Moreno-Mendoza, Claudia Olivera-Tlahuel |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine Poeciliidae endocrine system biology urogenital system Ovary (botany) Zoology Embryo Anatomy biology.organism_classification 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Sperm 03 medical and health sciences 030104 developmental biology Spermatheca Animal Science and Zoology Superfetation Cyprinodontiformes reproductive and urinary physiology Developmental Biology Invertebrate |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Morphology. 278:907-918 |
| ISSN: | 0362-2525 |
| DOI: | 10.1002/jmor.20684 |
| Popis: | Sperm storage within the female reproductive tract has been reported as a reproductive strategy in several species of vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the morphological structures that allow for sperm to be stored and kept viable for long periods are relatively unknown in osteichthyes. We use histological and stereological tools to identify and quantify sperm storage structures (spermathecae) in 12 species of viviparous Poeciliidae. We found spermathecae in nine species, six of which exhibit superfetation (the ability of females to simultaneously carry within the ovary two or more broods of embryos at different stages of development). These spermathecae are folds of ovarian tissue that close around spermatozoa. We compared the number and size (volume) of spermathecae between species with and without superfetation. Species that exhibit superfetation had a significantly higher number of spermathecae than species that do not exhibit this reproductive strategy. In addition, we found that the mean volume of spermathecae and total volume of spermathecae present in the ovary are marginally higher in species with superfetation. Our results contribute to the understanding of the morphological structures that allow for sperm storage in viviparous osteichthyes and suggest a positive relationship between superfetation and the capacity of females to store sperm. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Plný text