Mi. Baskevich et La. Lavrenchenko, ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF SPERMATOZOA IN SOME AFRICAN MURINES (RODENTIA, MURIDAE) - THE TAXONOMIC AND PHYLOGENETIC ASPECTS, Journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research, 33(1), 1995, pp. 9-16
A comparative analysis of sperm-head morphology and measurements in 17
species from nine genera of African Murinae: Rattus rattus, Mastomys
coucha, M. huberti, M. erythroleucus, Mastomys sp. 2, Praomys albipes,
P. fumatus, Mus mahomet, Arvicanthis somalicus, A. abyssinicus, A. de
mbeensis, Arvicanthis sp., Lemniscomys macculus, Pelomys harringtoni,
Acomys cahirinus, Acomys sp., Uranomys ruddi, was carried out. Spermat
ozoa of all examined species are of the same basic type. They consist
of an asymmetrical head, falciform or scythelike in shape, and a tail
attached to the ventrocaudal surface of the head. There are great inte
rspecific differences in sperm morphology and size. The significance o
f this variation for estimation of taxonomic aspects and phylogenetic
relationships among the species, as well as between them and other gro
ups, is discussed. The sperm morphology supports a close evolutionary
relationship among the genera Lemniscomys and Arvicanthis. It also ind
icates that Pelomys is distinctive. The relationships between Acomys a
nd Uranomys are discussed.