DNA content of Ovis musimon spermatozoa

To our knowledge, the value of the haploid DNA content (C-value) of Ovis musimon (mouflon) has not been previously published. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to determine the C-value and the nuclear area of O. musimon sperm cells and compare both parameters with those of Ovis aries. Feulgen reaction, which is specific and stoichiometric for DNA, was carried out on semen smears. The C-value and sperm nuclear area were determined using microspectrophotometry and Gallus domesticus erythrocytes as standard species. The C-value of O. musimon was 3.02 ± 0.04 pg, and the sperm nuclear area was 23.92 ± 0.89 μm(2). The C-value and the sperm nuclear area of O. aries were 3.07 ± 0.03 pg and 22.98 ± 0.86 μm(2) respectively. The O. musimon C-value was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from that of O. aries, indicating that both species may have a very close phylogenetic relation.