The Andean puma (Puma concolor) has not been widely studied, particularly in reference to its semen characteristics. The aim of the present study was to define the morphometry of puma sperm heads and classify their subpopulations by cluster analysis. Samples were recovered postmortem from two epididymides from one animal and prepared for morphological observation after staining with the Hemacolor kit. Morphometric data were obtained from 581 spermatozoa using a CASA-Morph system, rendering 13 morphometric parameters. The principal component (PC) analysis was performed followed by cluster analysis for the establishment of subpopulations. Two PC components were obtained, the first related to size and the second to shape. Three subpopulations were observed, corresponding to elongated and intermediate-size sperm heads and acrosomes, to large heads with large acrosomes, and to small heads with short acrosomes. In conclusion, puma spermatozoa showed no uniform sperm morphology but three clear subpopulations. These results should be used for future work in the establishment of an adequate germplasm bank of this species.

El objetivo de la investigación fue estimar cinco características tecnológicas de la fibra de alpacas Huacaya y Suri de color blanco, del plantel de reproductores de cuatro comunidades del distrito de Ocongate, provincia de Quispicanchi, Región Cusco, Perú. Las muestras de fibra fueron tomadas del costillar medio, flanco izquierdo de 238 animales de las dos razas, de ambos sexos y de varias edades. Se empleó un Analizador Óptico del Diámetro de Fibra (OFDA 2000) para determinar el diámetro de fibra (DF), coeficiente de variabilidad del diámetro de fibra (CVDF), factor de confort (FC) e índice de curvatura (IC) y para evaluar la resistencia de la fibra a la tracción (RT) se utilizó el IWG Staple Length & Strength Instrument. Se estimaron los efectos de la raza, sexo, edad y comunidad sobre el DF, CVDF, FC, IC y RT con un arreglo factorial, así como las correlaciones fenotípicas entre las variables evaluadas. Se hallaron diferencias significativas para el DF, CVDF, FC, IC y RT (p<0.05) para el factor raza. El sexo fue significativo (p<0.05) para el CVDF y la edad (p<0.05) para el DF y FC. Las comunidades mostraron diferencias para el DF y RT (p<0.05). Se encontraron relaciones significativas positivas entre el DF con CVDF, FC con IC, e IC con RT; y negativas entre DF con FC e IC, y de CVDF con FC, IC y RT. Las alpacas de las comunidades en estudio producen una buena calidad de fibra y tienen un gran potencial de variabilidad para su mejoramiento genético.

The aim of this study was to determine the morphological and morphometric characteristics of guinea pig sperm (Cavia porcellus), using an image analysis system. Semen from collected from five type 1 guinea pigs, four months old (1.19 ± 0.15 kg) by electroejaculation method, between 3 and 5 times for each animal, making a total of 22 adequate collections. The volume, pH, sperm concentration, total motility and percentage of live sperm were determined. The samples for the analysis of sperm morphology and morphometry were stained with Spermac® and analyzed using the Motic Image Plus® software. The morphology was analyzed according to the dynamics of its acrosomal reaction, distinguishing 4 classes. The length, width, area, perimeter, ellipticity, elongation, regularity and rugosity of the head of the guinea pig sperm were determined, as well as the midpiece length and the tail of the spermatozoa. Guinea pig sperm morphology was analyzed with a complete random design, and the morphometric parameters by random blocks, using Duncan's test to compare means in both cases. In relation to morphology, significant differences (P <0.05) were found in the percentage distribution of classes, the most recurrent being class 2 (41.67%), higher than the other 3 groups. An animal effect (P <0.05) was found in the morphometric variables of head and midpiece of guinea pig spermatozoa. The morphometric measurements of guinea pig spermatozoa were: length (7.45 ± 0.29 µm), width (6.55 ± 0.25 µm), area (43.02 ± 3.03 µm2), perimeter (26.56 ± 1.07 µm), midpiece length (12.02 ± 0.70 µm) and spermatozoa tail length (92.96 ± 3.96 µm).