ISSN:
0886-1544
Keywords:
minor and major waves
;
beat frequeney
;
wave propagation velocity
;
coiling diameter
;
storage effect
;
differential behaviour
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
All species of the Drosophila obscura group exhibit within-ejaculate sperm length dimorphism. The present work is a contribution to the understanding of sperm competition through a comparative study of sperm kinetic parameters in four of these species. Videomicrographic observations at 200 frames per second of sperm from males and females, out of the storage organ, prior or after storage were made. Drosophila sperm display both major and minor waves. The former is analysed by measuring coiling diameter (μm) and the latter by recording both beat frequency (s-1) and wave propagation velocity (μm·s-1). Results show that the ‘behaviour’ of short and long spermatozoa noticeably differ: short sperm kinetics remains unaltered after storage while both major and minor waves of long spermatozoa are markedly modified. Thus, evidence is provided here of a sort of “differential activation” which is assumed to result in different survival abilities of short and long sperm within the storage organ of females.
Additional Material:
2 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cm.970190405
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