A comparative ultrastructural analysis of spermatozoa in Pleurodema (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leiuperinae)

Abstract

This study describes the spermatozoa of 10 of the 15 species of the Neotropical frog genus Pleurodema through transmission electron microscopy. The diversity of oviposition modes coupled with a recent phylogenetic hypothesis of Pleurodema makes it an interesting group for the study of ultrastructural sperm evolution in relation to fertilization environment and egg-clutch structure. We found that Pleurodema has an unusual variability in sperm morphology. The more variable structures were the acrosomal complex, the midpiece, and the tail. The acrosomal complex has all the structures commonly reported in hyloid frogs but with different degree of development of the subacrosomal cone. Regarding the midpiece, the variability is given by the presence or absence of the mitochondrial collar. Finally, the tail is the most variable structure, ranging from single (only axoneme) to more complex (presence of paraxonemal rod, cytoplasmic sheath, and undulating membrane), with the absence of the typical axial fiber present in hyloid frogs, also shared with some other genera of Leiuperinae. J. Morphol. 277:957-977, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Testicular histology of Anurans that deposit eggs out of water

“…In regard to the male reproductive system, testes have been studied in certain anuran species (Oliveira et al, 2002;Oliveira, Sant'Anna, Munhoz de Omena, Souza Santos, Zieri, 2003;Oliveira and Zieri, 2005;Asenjo, Siu Ting, and Pino, 2011;Leite et al, 2015; among many other). Particularly, sperm morphology and ultrastructure have been used to infer taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships in Ascaphus (Jamieson, Lee, and Long, 1993), Colostethus (Veiga-Menoncello, Lima, and Recco-Pimentel, 2006), certain Hylidae species, (Lee and Jamieson, 1993), Leiopelma (Scheltinga, Jamieson, Eggers, and Green, 2001), Leptodactylinae (Salles, Zara, and Prado, 2017), Myobatrachids (Lee and Jamieson, 1993), Pleurodema (Cruz, Ferraro, Farías, Santos, Recco-Pimentel, Faivovich, and Hermida, 2016); Pseudopaludicola (dos Santos, Orlandi Introíni, Prado Veiga-Menoncello, and Recco-Pimentel, 2015), and Pseudinae (Garda, Costa, Colli, and Báo, 2004). Spermiogenesis has also been studied in association with different types of fertilisation since spermatozoon morphology is thought to be the result of evolutionary pressure from the fertilisation environment (Jamieson et al, 1993;Lee and Jamieson, 1993).…”

Analysis of abiotic factors associated with foam nests of Cuvier’s foam froglet (Physalaemus cuvieri) in southeastern Brazil

“…While the use of foam nest as reproductive strategy among anurans is well known in the literature (e.g. Tyler and Davies 1979;Hödl 1990Hödl , 1992Kadadevaru and Kanamaedi 2000;Bastos et al 2010;Cruz et al 2016), as well as some of the foams biotechnological applications (Hissa et al 2016;Cooper et al 2017), there are only few studies regarding morphometry and ambient variables associated with P. cuvieri nests (Bokermann 1962; Barreto and Andrade 1995;Andrade 2007). Our current observations of P. cuvieri building nests under herbaceous vegetation close to the studied pond, corroborates findings by Barreto and Andrade (1995) and Uetanabaro et al (2008).…”

Combined phylogenetic analysis of Pleurodema (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae)

“…), and occurrence of macroglands and defensive (see Faivovich et al, 2012 and references herein). A notable increase in the study of some of these features occurred in the last two decades (e.g., Correa et al, 2008;Cruz et al, 2016;Grosso et al, 2019;Lescano et al, 2018;Otero et al, 2013;Salas et al, 2014;Sanabria et al, 2020a;Thom e et al, 2016;Vera Candioti et al, 2011). Nonetheless, the taxonomic validity of several sister-species has needed to be reassessed, such as P. borellii-P. cinereum and P. bufoninum-P. somuncurense (e.g., Barrio & Rinaldi de Chieri, 1970;Cei, 1980;De la Riva et al, 2000;Duellman & Veloso, 1977;Faivovich et al, 2012;Ferraro et al, 2018;Gallardo, 1968;Lavilla & Cei, 2001;Parker, 1927).…”

“…), and occurrence of macroglands and defensive (see Faivovich et al., 2012 and references herein). A notable increase in the study of some of these features occurred in the last two decades (e.g., Correa et al., 2008; Cruz et al., 2016; Ferraro et al., 2013, 2021; Grosso et al., 2019; Lescano et al., 2018; Otero et al., 2013; Salas et al., 2014; Sanabria et al., 2020a; Thomé et al., 2016; Valetti et al., 2009; Vera Candioti et al., 2011). Nonetheless, the taxonomic validity of several sister‐species has needed to be reassessed, such as P. borellii ‐ P .…”