New classification of motility score in fishes to determine the quality of spermatozoa

Abstract

Knowledge on physiology of reproduction and gametes is important for the production of quality off spring and solving infertility issues in animals and human beings. Spermatozoa are prime entities having a prominent role in the successful fertilization of ova. Spermatological parameters are therefore considered as evaluation factors through which the quality of the spermatozoa can be determined. Motility is the inherent quality of the spermatozoa and the most preferred parameter that helps the spermatozoa in the search and subsequent entry into the ova. In the quality determination of spermatozoa, “motility score” is an essential factor and fixing the score demands visual observations on the motility pattern of the spermatozoa. It has been invariably evolved out from the animal spermatozoa evaluation and scrupulously followed for fishes too. Nevertheless, there is a wide variation in the fish spermatozoa and therefore a new and improved scoring system for the spermatozoa of the fishes was felt necessary. Various parameters that are to be considered for fixing the score have been included after thorough visual observation of the spermatozoa under varying conditions and as many motility patterns as possible have been included and the scoring chart widened. Although this might not be the ultimate in the motility scoring of fish spermatozoa, it can be a beginning for defining and classifying varied spermatozoa motility in fishes.