title: Using sperm morphometry and multivariate analysis to differentiate species of grayMazama.
abstract: There is genetic evidence that the two species of Brazilian grayMazama,Mazama gouazoubiraandMazama nemorivaga, belong to different genera. This study identified significant differences that separated them into distinct groups, based on characteristics of the spermatozoa and ejaculate of both species. The characteristics that most clearly differentiated between the species were ejaculate colour, white forM. gouazoubiraand reddish forM. nemorivaga, and sperm head dimensions. Multivariate analysis of sperm head dimension and format data accurately discriminated three groups for species with total percentage of misclassified of 0.71. The individual analysis, by animal, and the multivariate analysis have also discriminated correctly all five animals (total percentage of misclassified of 13.95%), and the canonical plot has shown three different clusters: Cluster 1, including individuals ofM. nemorivaga; Cluster 2, including two individuals ofM. gouazoubira; and Cluster 3, including a single individual ofM. gouazoubira. The results obtained in this work corroborate the hypothesis of the formation of new genera and species for grayMazama. Moreover, the easily applied method described herein can be used as an auxiliary tool to identify sibling species of other taxonomic groups.
authors.affiliation: Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Conservação de Cervídeos), Department of Animal Science, Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Veterinary Medicine, Doctorate in Animal Reproduction Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences (FCAV)-São Paulo State University (UNESP), Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina Suzuki
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2150-6417
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cursino
authors.affiliation: Deer Research and Conservation Center (NUPECCE, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Conservação de Cervídeos), Department of Animal Science, Via de Acesso Professor Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, 14884-900 , Brazil.
authors.forename: José Maurício Barbanti
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Duarte
keywords: morphometry; spermatozoon; taxonomy