Method matters: experimental evidence for shorter avian sperm in faecal compared to abdominal massage samples
File(s)
Accepted version
Published version
Author(s)
Girndt, A
Cockburn, G
Sánchez-Tójar, A
Løvlie, H
Schroeder, J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Birds are model organisms in sperm biology. Previous work in zebra finches, suggested that sperm sampled from males' faeces and ejaculates do not differ in size. Here, we tested this assumption in a captive population of house sparrows, Passer domesticus. We compared sperm length in samples from three collection techniques: female dummy, faecal and abdominal massage samples. We found that sperm were significantly shorter in faecal than abdominal massage samples, which was explained by shorter heads and midpieces, but not flagella. This result might indicate that faecal sampled sperm could be less mature than sperm collected by abdominal massage. The female dummy method resulted in an insufficient number of experimental ejaculates because most males ignored it. In light of these results, we recommend using abdominal massage as a preferred method for avian sperm sampling. Where avian sperm cannot be collected by abdominal massage alone, we advise controlling for sperm sampling protocol statistically.
Date Issued
2017-08-16
Date Acceptance
2017-07-26
Citation
PLOS One, 2017, 12 (8)
ISSN
1932-6203
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Journal / Book Title
PLOS One
Volume
12
Issue
8
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2017 Girndt et al
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
License URL
Sponsor
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft ( German Research Foundation )
Grant Number
SCHR 1447/1-1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
FINCHES TAENIOPYGIA-GUTTATA
PASSERINE BIRDS
CLOACAL PROTUBERANCE
INTRAMALE VARIATION
GALLUS-DOMESTICUS
SEXUAL SELECTION
PRACTICAL GUIDE
HOUSE SPARROW
COMPETITION
SPERMATOZOA
MD Multidisciplinary
General Science & Technology
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e0182853