Comparative sperm ultrastructure of three species in Siniperca (Teleostei: Perciformes: Sinipercidae)

Siniperca chuatsi, Siniperca kneri, and Siniperca scherzeri are three of the most economically important sinipercid species. The ultrastructure and morphology of the mature spermatozoa of them are examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sperm consists of an acrosome-less head, a short midpiece and a long flagellum. Ultrastructurally, it has a homogeneously electron-dense nucleus in a granular pattern with nuclear lucent and a nuclear fossa excluding the centriolar complex. One to four mitochondria with lamellar cristae encircle the basal body of the flagellum in the midpiece. The cytoplasm surrounding the centrioles and the cylindric cytoplasmic channel contains glycogen granules and vesicles. Comprising the conventional 9+2 axoneme, vesicles and lateral fins, the sperm flagellum is inserted laterally on the nucleus, therefore the spermatozoon is asymmetrical. All of the spermatozoa of the three species are of the primitive or ect-aquasperm form and conform to the teleostean type II spermatozoa instead of the previously supposed type I. Variations in the shape of the heads, angles between the two centrioles, location of the cytoplasmic vesicles, mitochondrial number and structural characteristics of the lateral fins are notable among the three species. S. chuatsi is a sister-group of the other two species and is the most differentiated. The present study provides fresh insights to the comparative spermatology of Siniperca fishes and will be useful to the existing knowledge of the sinipercid fishes in systematic characters, biodiversity conservation and reproduction.