The Herpetological Journal
The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.
ISSN 0268-0130
2021 Impact Factor from Clarivate for the Herpetological Journal is 1.194, an increase of 0.332 from 2020.
pdf 08. Whole extra-charged DNA spermatozoa in the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) ejaculate
660 downloads
Open Access
pp. 313-316
Authors: J. Gosálvez, C. López-Fernández & S.D. Johnston
Abstract: Saltwater crocodile spermatozoa examined in this study exhibited unusually high levels of extra DNA charged (2C and 4C) spermatozoa that can be explained by arrested cytokinesis at both meiotic divisions. From the ejaculates of five crocodiles, abnormal spermatozoa containing 2C (1–12%) and 4C DNA (0–2%) charges were discriminated after assessing 1500 spermatozoa using morphological characterisation under fluorescence microscopic and image analysis protocols. Individual crocodiles with a high proportion of 2C spermatozoa in their ejaculate, also showed a high level of DNA fragmentation in 1C sperm cells (8.7– 12.7%) but there was no such relationship between DNA fragmentation and 2C sperm. The value of whole extracharged sperm DNA in the ejaculate as a possible marker for fertility is discussed.
Key words: polyploid sperm, reptile, reproduction, saltwater crocodile, sperm DNA fragmentation
Download Access:
The latest 8 issues can be downloaded when logged in with a Herpetological Journal subscription membership.
Individual articles can be purchased for download.
Older issues and occasional Open Access articles are available for public download
Submissions:
For further information and submission guidelines please see our Journal Instructions to Authors
Latest Issue
IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020
Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.
Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ. All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions. New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package. Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.