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Seminal receptacula in the female reproductive tract of Opisthopatus cinctipes purcell (onychophora, peripatopsidae)

1992; Wiley; Volume: 213; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jmor.1052130103

1097-4687

Muriel H. Walker,

Plant and animal studies

Abstract The presence of seminal receptacula in the female reproductive tract of Opisthopatus cinctipes (Purcell, 1900) has been disputed (Choonoo, '47; Ruhberg, '85; Herzberg et al., '80). However, they do occur and are described here from observations by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). No spermatozoa are associated with the surface of the ovary; in contrast the ovary of Peripatopsis capensis is covered with spermatozoa and numerous small rounded cells. The seminal receptacula of O. cinctipes are formed from a loop in the proximal region of the uterus and contain remnants of spermatozoa in their lumens. The epithelial cells lining the seminal receptacula contain numerous vesicles and residual bodies. It is suggested that these cells absorb those spermatozoa not required for fertilization, and that the seminal receptacula in the Peripatopsidae act as short‐term storage sites for spermatozoa. By contrast, the seminal receptacula of the Peripatidae are considered to act as long‐term storage sites for spermatozoa. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.