Malays. Appl. Biol. (June 2003) 32(1): 29-34
SPERM COUNTS, ABNORMALITIES AND VIABILITY IN AN INSECTIVOROUS BAT, HIPPOSIDEROS LARVATUS
MARINA, M.T., 2TAY, T.W. 3WONG, C.H. 4ZUBAID, A. and 3KAMIS, A.B.
'Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Campus, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak.
Department of Veterinary Anatomy,
Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Tokyo,
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
3School of Biosciences & Biotechnology and
4School of Environmental & Natural Resource Sciences,
Faculty of Science & Technology,
University Kebangsaan Malaysia,
43600 Bangi Selangor
ABSTRACT
Sperm counts and abnormalities of Hipposideros larvatus from an agricultural area (Kuala Perlis) were studied from January 2000 to January 2001. Sperm were not observed in the epididymides from January to July. Matured sperm in the epididymides were found starting in August until November with a peak in September. It was found that sperm produced by this species have a high percentage of morphological abnormality (> 20%). A variety of sperm abnormalities were observed and uniquely, sperm were found stored in the uterine glands of females.
ABSTRAK
Bilangan dan ketidaknormalan sperma kelawar pemakan serangga, Hipposideros larvatus dari kawasan pertanian (Kuala Perlis) telah dikaji mulai Januari 2000 hingga Januari 2001. Tiada sperma dijumpai dalam epididimis pada bulan Januari oingga Julai. Sperma yang matang mula hadir dalam epididimis pada bulan Ogos hingga November dan bilangan tertinggi ialah pada bulan September. Didapati sperma yang dihasilkan oleh kelawar spesies ini mempunyai kadar ketidaknormalan morfologi yang tinggi (>20%). Pelbagai ketidaknormalan telah diperhatikan dan yang menarik ialah sperma dijumpai tersimpan dalam kelenjar uterus kelawar betina.
Key words: Hipposideros larvatus, bats, abnormalities, sperm storage, sperm count.
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