INBREEDING, FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY, AND EJACULATE QUALITY IN AN ENDANGERED UNGULATE

An ever-increasing number of species are suffering marked reductions i n population size as a consequence of human activities. To understand the impact-of these changes it is essential to assess how small popula tion size affects individual fitness and the viability of populations. This issue acquires special relevance among endangered species in whi ch numbers have decreased to such an extent that captive breeding must be established with a few founders. A major risk associated with smal l population size is inbreeding depression. The effects of inbreeding upon male reproductive traits are the subject of an ongoing controvers y, since the evidence linking lack of genetic variability and poor eja culate quality at the population level has been criticized recently by several authors. We report that among Gazella cuvieri males, inbreedi ng coefficient shows a strong inverse relationship with ejaculate dual ity. Furthermore, the degree of fluctuating asymmetry is positively re lated to the coefficient of inbreeding and negatively related to the p roportion of normal sperm, suggesting that it is a reliable indicator of genetic stress and of ejaculate quality.