pp.132–135

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Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 11

Spermatogenesis Timing in a Population Ophisops elegans(Sauria: Lacertidae), Western IranFARHANG TORKI1,* AND AHMAD GHARZI2
1

Farhang Torki Ecology and Herpetology Center for Research (FTEHCR), 68319-16589,
P. O. Box: 68315-139 Nourabad City, Lorestan Province, Iran,2
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Lorestan University, 68135 Khorramabad, Iran.
*Corresponding author E-mail: torkifarhang@yahoo.com
Abstract.- During biological activity, specimens of Ophisops elegans were collected in western Iran, from March toNovember. Testis were removed and H&E techniques were used for histological study. The results show three phasesin spermatogenesis timing as follows: (a) active phase, spermatogenesis in all specimens is active, (b) transitional
phase, spermatogenesis in many specimens are active an in other is inactive, and finally (c) inactive phase, spermatogenesis in all specimens is inactive.
Keywords.- Spermatogenesis timing, testicular cycle, Ophisops elegans, Zagros mountains, western Iran.
Gallegos et al., 2002; Vieira et al., 2001), this region
limited by author into ITCZ region (Torki, 2006).
Alternate spermatogenesis occurred in non-tropicalregions, especially in temperate zones (Castilla andBauwens, 1990; Torki, 2006). In the temperate-zone, themale testicular cycle is divided into two well-definedphases as follows: (a) the regenerative phase that occurs
in the spring and is characterized by sustained sperm
production, and (b) the degenerative phase, that begins
in late summer, where a break in spermatogenesis isobserved (Castilla and Bauwens, 1990; Fitch, 1970;
Lofts, 1987; Torki, in press b). Likewise, tropical species
in seasonal habitats also display, if less pronounced, aregenerative phase during the wet (reproductive) season

Introduction
Lizards show two type of spermatogenesis; continuousand alternate (Torki, in press a, b). In the continues type,spermatogenesis is year-round and spermatozoa are
foudn in the lumen of the seminiferous all year (e.g.,Hernandez-Gallegos et al., 2002; Sherbrooke, 1975;
Vieira et al., 2001). In contrast, the alternate type ofspermatogenesis occurred during a well defined period
in which spermatozoa were not found in the lumen ofseminiferous (Castilla and Bauwens, 1990; Fitch, 1970;
Torki, 2006, in press a, b, c). Continuous spermatogenesis occurs in tropical regions (Fitch, 1970; Hernandez-Table 1. shows descriptive statistics of five characters in Ophisops elegans. SVL (mm), TV (0.1 mm3), GS and LS (μm),
spermatozoa (1 is present, 0 sabsent, 0.67 and 0.40 is transition phase). Sp: mean of Spermatozoa observed in thelumen.
MonthMarchApril
May
June
July
AugustSeptember
October

N
Mean
N
MeanN
MeanN
MeanN
MeanN
Mean
N
MeanN
Mean

SVLTVGS

LSSp

943.21042.93
1042.05
941.77
10
43.19
844.2
1043.9944.779211.510158.1
10133.6
971.411046.428
42.68
1040.81938.13956.551048.51040
924.221023.2
8
12.5
106.2
96.33

979.881063.61045.6939.22
1032
8
7.5
10
1.1
90

91
101
10
1
90.67
100.4
80
10090

© 2008 by Asiatic Herpetological Research

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Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 11

Figure 1. Shows phase significant during degeneration
period based on DF analysis.

and a degenerative phase during the dry (non-reproductive) season (Marion and Sexton, 1971; Wilhoft andReiter, 1965).
Spermatogenesis of some lizards in Iranian plateau
especially in Zagros Mountains described by author(Torki, 2006, in press a, b, c), and shows alternation
spermatogenesis in Zagros Mountains. In this study, mypurpose is determination spermatogenesis timing inOphisops elegans in Zagros Mountains.

Materials and Methods
Seventy-five mature male specimens of O. elegans werecollected by hand north of Lorestan province. The sizeof males O. elegans is between 38.9 < SVL < 47.2 mm.
O. elegans go to hibernation period from Oct. to Feb.
(Torki, 2005). Testis were removed from each individual
by dissection, during each month from after hibernation
to before hibernation. Snout-vent lengths (to the nearestTable 2. Shows Tukey HSD test (α = 0.05) for determination significant phase.
MonthN

Subset for alpha = .05
123August
September
October
July
JuneMarchAprilMaySig.

8109109910
1000
00.4
0.67

10.38

0.67
1110.11133

Figure 2. Show annual period and phase in spermatogenesis of O. elegans in western Iran, central Zagros.

0.5 mm) were measured for each lizard. In each lizard
maximum length and width of the left testis was measured (with electronic calipers to the nearest 0.01 mm)
and Testis Volume (TV) and estimated TV (0.1 mm3)
using the ellipsoid formula; v = 4/3π abc, where v is volume, a and c are equal to half testicular height, and b ishalf testicular length (Vieira et al., 2001; Torki, 2006).
For histological analysis, testes were fixed and the epididymis was fixed in 3.7% formalin, dehydrated in agraded series of ethanol, cleared in xylem, and embedded them in paraffin. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and were observed with an Zeiss
Axiophoto microscope. For each individual, two characters (µm) were measured: the Lumen of Seminiferous(LS) diameter, Germinative Seminiferous (GS) diameter. For data collecting, using the mean of twenty transversally oriented tubules at the same section, next to thecore of the testes. Measurements were taken with anocular micrometer, to the nearest 1 μm. Same as author
study (Torki, 2006, in press a, b, c), Tukey HSD test andCanonical Discriminant Functions Analysis (DFA) toshow phases significance were used.

Results
Description of GS, LS, and SVL are shown in Table 1;
82% of testis volume from Mar. to Oct. decreased.
Based on Tukey test (α = 0.05) (Table 2) spermatogenesis timing of O. elegans divided into three phases:phase (1) from Mar. to Jun., phase (2) from Jun. to Jul.,and phase (3) from Jul. to Oct. But based on DF analysis
distinguishable three phases (Fig 1) as follows: phase (1)from Mar. to May, phase (2) during Jun.-Jul., and phase(3) from Aug. to Oct. occurs. On the other hand, basedon histological survey the three phase distinguishable as134

Asiatic Herpetological Research, Vol. 11A.

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B.

Figure 3. Light microscopy shows active phase, histological section of (a) seminiferous, (b) epididymis. LE, Lumen ofEpididymis, E: Epididymis layer, LS: Lumen of Seminiferous, GS: Germinative layer of Seminiferous, S: Spermatozoa,
S1: primary Spermatocytes, S2: secondary Spermatocytes, AM: Amorphous Material, IC: Interstitial tissue Cell.

follows: phase (1) from Mar. to Jul., phase (2) duringJun. to Jul., and phase (3) from Aug. to Oct.

Discussion
In this study, there was no significant relationshipbetween SVL*Month (p > 0.05), because adult specimens were collected. Based on statistical and histological study, I presented three phases (Fig. 2) during thedegeneration period in O. elegans; active, transitional
and inactive phase. (a) Active phase: because spermatozoa in the lumen of seminiferous and epididymis arefound (Fig. 3), this phase occurred from Mar. to May. (b)Transitional phase: because spermatozoa in many specimens found in lumen of seminiferous and epididymis
and in other specimens not found, this phase occurredfrom Jun. to Jul. (c) Inactive phase: because in all specimens lumen of seminiferous and epididymis is without
spermatozoa, this phase occurred during pre-hibernation
or from Aug to Oct. Same as O. elegans, Trapelus
lessonae show three phases (Torki, 2006, In Press c).
Two species (O. elegans and T. lessonae) show synchronism in three phases during degeneration period. In bothspecies (T. lessonae and O. elegans) spermatogenesisactivity occurred during post-hibernation. In contrast, inthe agama, Laudakia nupta spermatogenesis occurred
after post hibernation in late spring and early summer(Torki, In Press b). Body length of T. helenae is lowest
than other taxa and body length in L. nupta is biggest
other taxa and O. elegans with T. lessonae is between toother. Based on timing of spermatogenesis activity andbody length, three types of activities of spermatogenesis
timing in lizards inhabitant Zagros Mountains as follows: (a) early active spermatogenesis, that occurred inlowest body length, (b) late spermatogenesis that
occurred in highest body length, and finally normal
active spermatogenesis that occurred in T. lessonae andO. elegans. Three taxa (L. nupta, T. lessonae and O. elegans) are sympatric; therefore, divergeny in timing spermatogenesis occurred due to body length. This is pronounced confirmed by T. helenae as a lowest bodylength. Torki and Rastegar-Pouyani briefly report affects
of body size to timing of spermatogenesis (2006).
However timing of spermatogenesis is many lizards isdifferent, but histological structure in these lizards issimilar (Gharzi and Torki, 2006 a). Nevertheless, inmany lizards timing of spermatogenesis activity
occurred due to climate condition (e.g., Duvall et al.,
1982; Fitch, 1970; Whittier et al., 1987). Nevertheless,climate condition and geographic position are two main
factors that strongly regulated spermatogenesis timing inlizards (Gharzi et al., 2006; Torki, 2005 b, in press a). On
the other hand, geographic variation in timing spermatogenesis activity occurred due to climate gradient or latitude gradient (Gharzi and Torki, 2006 b; Torki, in pressa). In many lizards such as genus Trapelus divergeny inspermatogenesis activity occurred in T. lessonae and T.
agilis, is related to climate condition. In additional, speciation process due to dispersal or vicariance evidence in
two taxon of genus Trapelus are important factors forthe divergeny in timing of spermatogenesis activity(Torki, 2006).

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Torki, F. 2005a. Annual cycle of sexual system of male
Ophisops elegans considering hibernation, morphology, and histological. 5th conference ofIchthyology and Herpetology. Florida-San Diego,
Submitted: 23 June 2006
Accepted: 23 September 2007