ABNORMAL MORPHOLOGY OF VERVET MONKEY SPERM

Ejaculates of 14 colony-bred and 14 wild-caught vervet monkeys were ex amined for morphologically abnormal sperm. Sperm head abnormalities we re rare in both groups, occurring at rates of 0.01-0.29%. Tail abnorma lities predominated, particularly bent midpieces and coiled and folded tails, which all occurred at rates of 3.79-17.18%. Except for the nip ple acrosome, there was no difference in the rate at which sperm abnor malities were found in both groups. Three abnormalities were found onl y in colony-bred and three only in wild-caught individuals. Some commo n abnormalities, all affecting the tail, were highly variable in conse cutive ejaculates from the same individuals.