Sperm morphology, motility and fertilisation capacity in the myobatrachid frog Crinia georgiana
Martin A. Dziminski A , J. D. Roberts A and Leigh W. Simmons A BA Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: lsimmons@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 22(3) 516-522 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD09124
Submitted: 22 May 2009 Accepted: 10 September 2009 Published: 12 February 2010
Abstract
Sperm traits have been found to vary between individuals within populations in a variety of taxa. Sperm motility, morphometry and viability may be expected to have important effects on male fertility, although previous studies have found varying patterns, especially in external fertilisers. In the present study, we examined the effects of sperm swimming velocity, the proportion of motile spermatozoa, sperm head and tail length and the proportion of live spermatozoa on fertilisation success in the externally fertilising myobatrachid frog Crinia georgiana using IVF techniques and by controlling sperm numbers. We found no effect of any of the sperm traits we measured on IVF success. Neither did we find any relationship between sperm morphology and sperm performance. There was a negative relationship between sperm viability and male body size, which could be a function of age or an alternative tactic of differential investment in spermatozoa by smaller-sized males using sneak tactics in multiple matings. In contrast with most externally fertilising aquatic organisms, high rates of fertilisation appear to be achieved in C. georgiana with relatively low sperm swimming speeds.
Additional keywords: anuran amphibians, fertility, sperm length, swimming velocity.
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the Australian Research Council. The authors thank Beverly Roberts, Vicki Cartledge and Aimee Silla for help with the viability assays.
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