A 409 bp DNA fragment of Rsph4a is deleted.
Rsph4aΔ409 males show spermatogenesis defects: testes are completely devoid of mature sperms in the seminal vesicle; cystic bulges are smaller; the individualization complex is asynchronous, as illustrated by individual cysts exhibiting both pre- and post-individualized spermatids; and there is increased apoptosis; in all cases, the axoneme lacks the central paired microtubules.