Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sperm traits dependent on body size in masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou

  • Original Article
  • Biology
  • Published:
Fisheries Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Most comparative studies on the sperm traits (sperm concentration, swimming speed, and longevity) of salmonid fish involve males with alternative life histories (anadromous versus resident forms) that exhibit different reproductive strategies. However, males exhibit a dominance hierarchy within the same life history, in which smaller males have a tendency to be lower rank. This phenomenon prompted us to compare the sperm traits of large anadromous and small resident males in masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou, and to identify the size-dependent sperm traits within these two life history groups. We detected a significant difference in sperm concentration between the two groups, with resident males having higher sperm concentrations than anadromous males. For resident males, we detected a significantly negative correlation between body size and sperm swimming speed, i.e., faster sperm speed was associated with smaller body size. These findings support earlier data and suggest that smaller or younger males utilize more energy to produce high concentration and high speed sperms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Andersson M (1994) Sexual selection. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  2. Parker GA (1990) Sperm competition games: raffles and roles. Proc R Soc B 242:120–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ball MA, Parker GA (1996) Sperm competition games: external fertilization and ‘adaptive’ infertility. J Theor Biol 180:141–150

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hendry AP, Stearns SC (2004) Evolution illuminated: salmon and their relatives. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  5. Quinn TP (2005) The behavior and ecology of Pacific salmon and trout. UBC press, Vancouver

    Google Scholar 

  6. Järvi T (1990) The effects of male dominance, secondary sexual characteristics and female mate choice on the mating success of male Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. Ethology 84:123–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Yamamoto T, Edo K (2002) Reproductive behaviors related to life history forms in male masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou Brevoort, in Lake Toya, Japan. J Freshw Ecol 17:275–281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fleming IA, Reynolds JD (2004) Salmonid breeding system. In: Hendry AP, Stearns SC (eds) Evolution illuminated: salmon and their relatives. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 264–294

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gage MJG, Stockley P, Parker GA (1995) Effects of alternative male mating strategies on characteristics of sperm production in the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): theoretical and empirical investigations. Phil Trans R Soc B 350:391–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Foote CJ, Brown GS, Wood CC (1997) Spawning success of males using alternative mating tactics in sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchuns nerka. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 54:1785–1795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Koseki Y, Maekawa K (2002) Differential energy allocation of alternative male tactics in masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 59:1717–1723

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Vladić TV, Järvi T (2001) Sperm quality in the alternative reproductive tactics of Atlantic salmon: the importance of the loaded raffle mechanism. Proc R Soc B 268:2375–2381

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Maekawa K (1983) Streaking behavior of mature male parrs of the Miyabe charr, Salvelinus malma miyabei, during spawning. Jpn J Ichthyol 30:227–234

    Google Scholar 

  14. Myers RA, Hutchings JA (1987) Mating of anadromous Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., with mature male parr. J Fish Biol 31:143–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Koseki Y, Maekawa K (2000) Sexual selection on mature male parr of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou): does sneaking behavior favor small body size and less-developed sexual characters? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 48:211–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Pitcher TE, Doucet SM, Beausoleil J-MJ, Hanley D (2009) Secondary sexual characters and sperm traits in coho salmon Oncorhynchuns kisutch. J Fish Biol 74:1450–1461

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kato F (1991) Life histories of masu and amago salmon (Oncorhynchus masou and O. rhodurus). In: Groot C, Margolis L (eds) Pacific Salmon Life Histories. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver, pp 447–520

    Google Scholar 

  18. Yamamoto T, Edo K, Ueda H (2000) Lacustrine forms of mature male masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou Brevoort, in Lake Toya, Hokkaido, Japan. Ichthyol Res 47:407–410

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Watanabe M, Maekawa K (2010) Factors affecting aggressive behaviour of spawning migratory males towards mature male parr in masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou. J Fish Biol 77:162–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Esteve M, McLennan DA, Kawahara M (2011) Sexual behaviour of a masu salmon parr, with implications for the evolution of parr sexual behaviour in the salmonines. Ecol Freshw Fish 20:492–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Watanabe M, Takamura S, Maekawa K (2008) Effects of timing of nest entry and body size on the fertilization success of alternative male reproductive phenotypes of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou). Can J Zool 86:1121–1130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Stoss J, Holtz W (1981) Cryopreservation of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) sperm I. Effect of thawing solution, sperm density and interval between thawing and insemination. Aquaculture 22:97–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ohta H, Unuma T, Nagoya H (2000) Diluents for cool storage of milt and for artificial fertilization in the Amago salmon Oncorhynchus masou ishilawae. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 66:88–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Baba SA, Mogami Y (1985) An approach to digital image analysis of bending shapes of eukaryotic flagella and cilia. Cell Mot Cytoskel 15:475–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ishijima S, Baba SA, Mohri H, Suarez S (2002) Quantitative analysis of flagellar movement in hyperactivated and acrosome-reactivated golden hamster spermatozoa. Mol Reprod Dev 61:376–384

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Jonsson N, Jonsson B, Hansen LP (1991) Energetic cost of spawning in male and female Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar L.). J Fish Biol 39:739–744

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Fleming IA (1996) Reproductive strategies of Atlantic salmon: ecology and evolution. Rev Fish Biol Fish 6:379–416

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Thomas D, Beall E, Burke T (1997) Alternative reproductive tactics in Atlantic salmon: factors affecting mature parr success. Proc R Soc B 264:219–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Gasparini C, Marino IAM, Boschetto C, Pilastro A (2010) Effect of male age on sperm traits and sperm competition success in the guppy (Poecilia reticulate). J Evol Biol 23:124–135

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Tamate T, Maekawa K (2000) Life cycle of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) in Shumarinai Lake, northern Hokkaido, Japan. Eurasian J For Res 1:39–42

    Google Scholar 

  31. Janhunen M, Rudolfsen G, Kekäläinen J, Figenschou L, Peuhkuri N, Kortet R (2009) Spawning coloration and sperm quality in a large lake population of Arctic charr (Salmonidae: Salvelinus alpines L.). Biol J Linn Soc 98:794–802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Rudolfsen G, Figenschou L, Folstad L, Tveiten H, Figenschou M (2006) Rapid adjustments of sperm characteristics in relation to social status. Proc R Soc B 273:325–332

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kortet R, Vanikka A, Rantala MJ, Taskinen J (2004) Sperm quality, secondary sexual characters and parasitism in roach (Rutilus rutirus L.). Biol J Linn Soc 81:111–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Neff BD, Fu P, Gross MR (2003) Sperm investment and alternative mating tactics in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Behav Ecol 14:634–641

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hoysak DJ, Liley NR (2001) Fertilization dynamics in sockeye salmon and a comparison of sperm from alternative male phenotypes. J Fish Biol 58:1286–1300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Rudolfsen G, Figenschou L, Folstad I, Kleven O (2008) Sperm velocity influence paternity in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.). Aquac Res 39:212–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Fitzpatrick JL, Montgomerie R, Desjardins JK, Stiver KA, Kolm N, Balshine S (2009) Female promiscuity promotes the evolution of faster sperm in cichlid fishes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:1128–1132

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank M. Komiya, A. Ohya, H. Omiya and C. Uehara for their help in the field. This research was supported in part by JSPS Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research TY25430196 and the River Fund in charge of The Foundation of River and Watershed Environment Management (FOREM), Japan (S.K.).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Nursing and Technology, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Musashino, Tokyo, 180-8602, Japan

    Toshiaki Yamamoto, Hatsuna Maruta & Tatsuya Suzuki

  2. Faculty of Regional Studies, Gifu University, Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan

    Shigeru Kitanishi

Authors
  1. Toshiaki Yamamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hatsuna Maruta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tatsuya Suzuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shigeru Kitanishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshiaki Yamamoto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yamamoto, T., Maruta, H., Suzuki, T. et al. Sperm traits dependent on body size in masu salmon Oncorhynchus masou . Fish Sci 81, 815–820 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-015-0899-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-015-0899-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation