Morphology and Ultrastructure of the Amazon River Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) Spermatozoa

• Published in: The Anatomical Record
• Main Authors: Amaral, Rodrigo S., Silva, Vera Maria Ferreira da, Valdez Domingos, Fab?ola Xochilt, Martin, Anthony Richard
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Anatomical Record 2017
• Subjects: Acrosome; Adult; Axoneme; Cell Ultrastructure; Chromatin; Microscopy; Electron; Inia Geoffrensis; Male; Mitochondrion; Morphological Trait; Nonhuman; Priority Journal; Spermatozoon; Spermatozoon Tail; Toothed Whale; Anatomy And Histology; Animals; Cytology; Scanning; Ultrastructure; Animal; Dolphins; Spermatozoa; toothed whale
• Online Access: https://repositorio.inpa.gov.br/handle/1/15721; https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.23585

The spermatozoa from seven adult Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis, CETACEA: INIIDAE) were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. The spermatozoa showed an elongated ellipsoid shaped head and a long tail with a well distinguishable midpiece. The head spermatozoa have a smooth surface like other odontocetes examined, with the exception of the Delphinidae family. The mean dimensions of the spermatozoa were within the range already reported for other cetaceans. The spermatozoa midpiece, as in other cetaceans, showed a random pattern of mitochondria, different from that described for other mammals. Further studies of sperm morphology of a wider spectrum of cetacean families could help to better understand the reproductive biology of these animals and the intergeneric and intrageneric relationships among them, as well as, among other mammals. Anat Rec, 300:1519–1523, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.