title: Ultrastructure of the spermatozoa from three odontocetes: a killer whale (Orcinus orca), a Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and a beluga (Delphinapterus leucas).
abstract: Semen was collected from three captive odontocetes: a killer whale (Orcinus orca); a Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) and a beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). Semen was collected from the killer whale and Pacific white-sided dolphin using behavioural commands, whereas semen from the beluga was collected postmortem. Ultrastructure of the spermatozoa was examined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Species differences were more pronounced in the head sections followed by the midpiece and finally, the tail sections. Spermatozoa from the killer whale and beluga were similar but differed from the Pacific white-sided dolphin spermatozoa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory, The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1389, Tifton, Georgia 31793, USA. dmiller@tifton.cpes.peachnet.edu
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Styer
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Robeck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004289:Dolphins / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014907:Whales / Q000502:physiology*