Simone Immler Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK Title The Evolution of Sperm Morphometry Abstract Sperm are amongst the most diverse of all animal cells. Three main causes are thought to drive the evolution of this diversity: (i) phylogeny i.e. the evolutionary pathway, (ii) mode of fertilisation i.e. external versus internal fertilisation, and (iii) postcopulatory sexual selection including sperm competition and cryptic female choice. The aim of our research is to determine the relative importance of these causes for the evolution of sperm design and function. We currently are investigating the evolutionary patterns of sperm design in several taxonomic groups. We investigate: the patterns within and across families of passerine birds to determine the relative importance of phylogeny and sperm competition the importance of female reproductive biology and sperm storage in particular for the evolution of sperm design in pheasants the occurrence of sperm cooperation as a possible evolutionary response to sperm competition in rodents and its consequences for sperm design and function CV Professional experience 2001 Diploma in Biology, University of Basel, Switzerland 2001-2003 Research assistant, University of Bern, Switzerland 2003-2005 PhD, Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK 2006-present Postdoctoral Research Associate, Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield April 1996 - April 2000 Undergraduate studies at the University of Basel April 2000-March 2001 Diploma research thesis "Alternative male mating tactics in the male black goby, Gobius niger", University of Padova, Italy May-October 2001 Research project "Sex determination in a mouthbrooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Tropheus moorii", University of Bern November 2001- January 2003 Research project "Sperm competition in a mouthbrooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Ophthalmotilapia ventralis", University of Bern February 2003 to present PhD on "The evolution of sperm morphology in passerine birds", University of Sheffield, which is also her current Project Selected recent publications Immler S., Moore H. D. M., Breed W. G. & Birkhead T. R. In press. By hook or by crook? Morphometry, competition and cooperation in rodent sperm. PLoS ONE. Immler S., Saint Jalme M., Lesobre L., Sorci G., Roman Y.& Birkhead T. R. In press. The evolution of sperm morphometry in pheasants. J Evol Biol. Birkhead T. R., Jamieson B. G. M., Immler S. & Giusti F. In press. Ultrastructure of the unusual spermatozoon of the Northern bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula). Acta Zool. Immler S. & Birkhead T.R.B. 2006 Sperm competition and sperm midpiece size: no consistent pattern in passerine birds. Proc R Soc Lond B, online. Birkhead T.R.B. & Immler S. In press. Making sperm: design, quality control and sperm competition. Proc 10th Internat Symp Spermatol, Madrid. Birkhead T.R.B., Immler S., Pellatt A.J. & Freckleton R. 2006. Unusual sperm morphology in the Northern bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula). Auk 123: 383-392. Immler S. & Birkhead T.R.B. 2005. A non-invasive method for obtaining spermatozoa from birds. Ibis 147: 827-830 Immler S., Mazzoldi C. & Rasotto M.B. 2004. Socially controlled changes of male reproductive traits in the black goby, Gobius niger (Teleostei, Gobiidae). J Exp Zool 301A: 177-185 Institution address Simone Immler University of Sheffiled Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom Prof. Tim R Birkhead Tel.: +44 (0)114 222 4622 Fax: +44 (0)114 222 0002 S.Immler@sheffield.ac.uk http://www.shef.ac.uk/aps/apsrtp/immler-simone/index.html/