Reproductive Cycle of the Yellow Spotted Newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae) in Western Iran

Mozafar Sharifi, Somayeh Assadian

Abstract


The reproductive cycle of female and male of the yellow spotted newt Neurergus microspilotus (Caudata: Salamandridae) has been studied in Kawat stream in western Iran through field and laboratory observations. Timing and the pattern of changes observed in the size of yolked oocytes and the weight of ovaries, fat body and liver showed that Neurergus microspilotus has a single reproductive period each year. On the basis of spermatozoa found in the spermathecae of females collected in mid June and the onset of sexual behavior in late March, it has been inferred that sperm storage occurs in N. microspilotus and lasts for approximately two months.

Keywords


Neurergus microspilotus; reproductive cycle; spermatozoa; sperm storage

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2005-12-1-1-6

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