Characteristics of rare males in the cobitid unisexual complex, Cobitis hankugensis-iksookimia longicorpa

Abstract

The Cobitis hankugensis-Iksookimia longicorpa (formerly C. sinensis-C. longicorpus) complex in South Korea includes diploid and triploid forms of hybrid origin that are most often females. However, there are a few males that show no differences from the hybrid females in their general morphology except the presence of a lamina circularis on the pectoral fin. An examination of 354 adult hybrid specimens revealed that 3 % of the complex are male specimens. The testes of the rare males are normal in shape and external morphology. The gonadosomatic index of hybrid males is similar to that observed in males of the parental species and changes during the year in a similar pattern. However, the testicular cells differ from those of the parental species in their morphology. Especially sperm cells are very rare and show abnormalities in their morphology, therefore we conclude that the rare males are sterile. This result suggests that although males are present with a low frequency in the complex, this complex functionally is unisexual and depends on the males of the parental species for perpetuation.