Variation in sperm morphology in the Australian rodent genus, Pseudomys (Muridae)

Summary

Sperm morphology among the various members of the genus Pseudomys showed great interspecific variation. In P. apodemoides, P. desertor, P. fumeus, P. gracilicaudatus, P. hermannsburgensis, P. higginsi and P. nanus the sperm head was bilaterally flattened and possessed three hooks, the length of which varied somewhat between species. The top hook contained nuclear, subacrosomal and acrosomal material, whereas the two lower ventral hooks displayed largely only an extension of the subacrosomal material. Four other species of Pseudomys had no ventral hooks in their sperm head. In P. novaehollandiae there was a single long top hook, whereas in P. pilligaensis it was almost nonexistent. Neither the sperm head of P. delicatulus, nor that of P. shortridgei possessed any hooks; the former became narrower towards the tip, whereas the latter was spatulate in shape. The acrosome covered about two thirds of the nucleus and varied considerably in shape between species. Insertion of the connecting piece of the tail occurred on the lower ventral side of the sperm head in all species with a long top hook but was nearly basal in P. delicatulus and midbasal in P. shortridgei. The ultrastructure of mid and principal pieces was similar among species, but the number of gyres of mitochondria ranged from about 64 to 100.