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The ultrastructure of the spermatozoon of the lizard Iguana iguana (Reptilia, Squamata, Iguanidae) and the variability of sperm morphology among iguanian lizards
Author(s) -
Vieira Gustavo H. C.,
Colli Guarino R.,
Báo Sônia N.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1111/j.0021-8782.2004.00300.x
Subject(s) - iguana , spermatozoon , iguanidae , squamata , biology , lizard , anatomy , sperm , synapomorphy , zoology , ultrastructure , phylogenetics , clade , sauria , gene , biochemistry , botany
Abstract The spermatozoon of Iguana iguana is filiform and resembles that of other iguanian lizards, being most similar to Tropidurus . All sperm synapomorphies of Tetrapoda, Amniota and Squamata are present in the sperm of Iguana iguana . By reconstructing the evolution of 30 sperm characters we identified a novel synapomorphy of Iguania: the presence of a well‐developed acrosomal ridge at the level of the epinuclear lucent zone. Because of the poor topological resolution among iguanian clades we could not discount the possibility of convergence or neutral selection as determinant of the variability in characteristics of the sperm cell. In agreement with previous studies, we identified heterogeneous rates of evolution among the three main regions of the sperm cell, namely the head, midpiece and tail.