AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

The Structure of the Spermatozoon of the Japanese Quail, Coturnix coturnix L., var. japonica

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1995
Authors:Woolley, DM
Journal:Acta Zoologica
Volume:76
Issue:1
Date Published:1995
ISBN Number:1463-6395
Keywords:Coturnix, Coturnix coturnix, Coturnix japonica, Gallus, Gallus gallus, Phasianidae
Abstract:Abstract The spermatozoa of the Japanese quail conform, in their general ‘sauropsid’ plan, to that of other non-passerine birds. They are notable, however, in that the flagellum is very elongated (208 μm) and carries approximately 2,500 mitochondria in an extensive midpiece. Ultrastructurally, the acrosome and acrosome-nucleus junction is exactly as reported for other galliform birds. The neck region contains two centrioles arranged almost in-line; this unusual layout apparently occurs also in guinea fowl sperm. At the tip of the axoneme, beyond the termination of the central pair microtubules, is a structure—the tip granule—previously recognized in sperm of the domestic fowl. Trypsin digestion splits the axonemal cylinder, and the doublets then spiralize. This response has been reported before, in the sperm tails of other avian species.
URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6395.1995.tb00981.x
Short Title:Acta Zoologica
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith