Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Female sperm storage has evolved independently multiple times among vertebrates to control reproduction in response to the environment. In internally fertilising amphibians, female salamanders store sperm in cloacal spermathecae, whe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2012-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Zoology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/9/1/12 |
| _version_ | 1811250465539620864 |
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| author | Kuehnel Susanne Kupfer Alexander |
| author_facet | Kuehnel Susanne Kupfer Alexander |
| author_sort | Kuehnel Susanne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Female sperm storage has evolved independently multiple times among vertebrates to control reproduction in response to the environment. In internally fertilising amphibians, female salamanders store sperm in cloacal spermathecae, whereas among anurans sperm storage in oviducts is known only in tailed frogs. Facilitated through extensive field sampling following historical observations we tested for sperm storing structures in the female urogenital tract of fossorial, tropical caecilian amphibians.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>In the oviparous <it>Ichthyophis</it> cf. <it>kohtaoensis</it>, aggregated sperm were present in a distinct region of the posterior oviduct but not in the cloaca in six out of seven vitellogenic females prior to oviposition. Spermatozoa were found most abundantly between the mucosal folds. In relation to the reproductive status decreased amounts of sperm were present in gravid females compared to pre-ovulatory females. Sperm were absent in females past oviposition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings indicate short-term oviductal sperm storage in the oviparous <it>Ichthyophis</it> cf. <it>kohtaoensis</it>. We assume that in female caecilians exhibiting high levels of parental investment sperm storage has evolved in order to optimally coordinate reproductive events and to increase fitness.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:05:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3db1fac32c14462aa564a87aa514903b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1742-9994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:05:07Z |
| publishDate | 2012-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Zoology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3db1fac32c14462aa564a87aa514903b2022-12-22T03:26:05ZengBMCFrontiers in Zoology1742-99942012-06-01911210.1186/1742-9994-9-12Sperm storage in caecilian amphibiansKuehnel SusanneKupfer Alexander<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Female sperm storage has evolved independently multiple times among vertebrates to control reproduction in response to the environment. In internally fertilising amphibians, female salamanders store sperm in cloacal spermathecae, whereas among anurans sperm storage in oviducts is known only in tailed frogs. Facilitated through extensive field sampling following historical observations we tested for sperm storing structures in the female urogenital tract of fossorial, tropical caecilian amphibians.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>In the oviparous <it>Ichthyophis</it> cf. <it>kohtaoensis</it>, aggregated sperm were present in a distinct region of the posterior oviduct but not in the cloaca in six out of seven vitellogenic females prior to oviposition. Spermatozoa were found most abundantly between the mucosal folds. In relation to the reproductive status decreased amounts of sperm were present in gravid females compared to pre-ovulatory females. Sperm were absent in females past oviposition.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings indicate short-term oviductal sperm storage in the oviparous <it>Ichthyophis</it> cf. <it>kohtaoensis</it>. We assume that in female caecilians exhibiting high levels of parental investment sperm storage has evolved in order to optimally coordinate reproductive events and to increase fitness.</p>http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/9/1/12ReproductionSperm storageAmphibiansCaecilians |
| spellingShingle | Kuehnel Susanne Kupfer Alexander Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians Frontiers in Zoology Reproduction Sperm storage Amphibians Caecilians |
| title | Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| title_full | Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| title_fullStr | Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| title_short | Sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| title_sort | sperm storage in caecilian amphibians |
| topic | Reproduction Sperm storage Amphibians Caecilians |
| url | http://www.frontiersinzoology.com/content/9/1/12 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kuehnelsusanne spermstorageincaecilianamphibians AT kupferalexander spermstorageincaecilianamphibians |