Background: In polygynous species, the development of secondary sexual characters is usually decisive for male reproductive success. However, our understanding about the links between the growth of these traits and reproductive efficiency is still elusive. Most research efforts in this topic have been also focused on adult males, although the development of some secondary sexual characters, like bovid horns, typically starts after birth, continues during the puberty and in some species, such as the common eland, slows or even stops during adulthood. In this study, we investigated the relationships between horn size and testicular function during sexual development in common elands using a comprehensive approach that considers both spermatogenic and sperm parameters. Methods: Twenty-two non-sexually mature common elands were used for the present study. Horn size, body mass, testes mass, and gonadosomatic index were assessed. Spermatogenic activity was determined by cytological and histological analyses. Sperm concentration, morphology, morphometry, and intramale variation in sperm size were evaluated on epididymal sperm samples. Cluster analysis was performed to explore the influence of age on relationships between horn size and reproductive function. Results: We found that bigger horns are associated with increased Sertoli cell efficiency and reduced intramale variation in sperm size. Both parameters were not related to one another while they have shown to be associated with enhanced sperm quality in ungulates. Moreover, horn size was positively linked to the testis mass, sperm concentration, and testicular investment in the seminiferous epithelium. Spiral length and basal circumference were the horn traits most strongly correlated with spermatogenic and sperm parameters as well as those responsible for the sexual dimorphism in this species. Cluster analysis rendered two groups: the first one including males ≤30 months old, while the second one those >30 months old. Horn development and reproductive function were still correlated within age groups, with the strongest relationship found between horn size and sperm size homogeneity in males >30 months old. Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicate that horn size can be regarded as a good index of male reproductive potential during sexual development and provide insights into the role of secondary sexual characters in sexual selection dynamics.

• Klíčová slova
• male fitness, resource allocation, secondary sexual characters, sexual selection, sperm morphometry, spermatogenic efficiency,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Studies concerning the relationships between sperm size and velocity at the intraspecific level are quite limited and often yielded contradictory results across the animal kingdom. Intramale variation in sperm size may represent a meaningful factor to predict sperm velocity, due to its relationship with the level of sperm competition among related taxa. Because sperm phenotype is under post-copulatory sexual selection, we hypothesized that a reduced intramale variation in sperm size is associated with sperm competitiveness in red deer. Our results show that low variation in sperm size is strongly related to high sperm velocity and normal sperm morphology, which in turn are good predictors of male fertility in this species. Furthermore, it is well known that the red deer show high variability in testicular mass but there is limited knowledge concerning the significance of this phenomenon at intraspecific level, even though it may reveal interesting processes of sexual selection. Thereby, as a preliminary result, we found that absolute testes mass is negatively associated with intramale variation in sperm size. Our findings suggest that sperm size variation in red deer is under a strong selective force leading to increase sperm function efficiency, and reveal new insights into sexual selection mechanisms.

• Klíčová slova
• Red deer, Sexual selection, Sperm competition, Sperm morphology, Sperm velocity, Testes size,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH