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Post by Robert Nordsieck on Apr 25, 2006 17:29:09 GMT
Hi all, I have further new pages on my site, especially on the reproduction of snails. As with the page on snails in the garden I would request you to have a look at it and to notify me of errors I made, or what you think of it.  Here's the address: Reproduction (of the Roman snail). Kind regards Robert |
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on Apr 25, 2006 18:07:50 GMT
Looks very good,as usual,one small error though when you mentioned the size of the spermatophore,probably a zero too much  |
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Post by sezzy5889 on Apr 25, 2006 18:30:42 GMT
I thought a spermatophore was up to 3cm  |
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Post by Robert Nordsieck on Apr 25, 2006 18:44:58 GMT
According to Lind (1973) the spermatophore of a Helix pomatia is more than 10 cm long.
Lind, H. (1973): The functional significance of the spermatophore and the fate of spermatozoa in the genital tract of Helix pomatia (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora). (J. Zool., Lond. (1973) 169, 39-64.
Though Kilias does not state the length of the spermatophore, he displays a picture being "about natural size", which would be more than 11 cm.
So I am quite certain there is not a zero too much ;D
Note: I am principally only talking about Helix pomatia or at least Helicids! I do not know what an Achatinid's spermatophore looks like.
Regards
Robert
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on Apr 25, 2006 20:48:31 GMT
Looking at the picture in the Kilias book I can understand now how it can be about 10 cm long,circa 7 cm of it is its thin "tail".
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Post by Robert Nordsieck on Apr 26, 2006 7:16:15 GMT
That is right. I now added a link from the page " reproduction" to where the spermatophore is described on the page " genital apparatus". As is described there, the spermatophore tail is very important for the survival of the sperm cells because of the Bursa copulatrix function. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2006 13:00:55 GMT
what is a spermatophore?
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Post by Robert Nordsieck on Apr 26, 2006 22:28:04 GMT
A spermatophore is a means of transport for sperm cells, a sperm packet. Molluscs (for example) use it to transport sperm cells from one to another during copulation.
That of Helix pomatia is an intricate thing with a head-and-neck structure in front and a long tail in the end. Interesting enough: The spermatophore body between both is open at its end. The tail is also open at its lower side.
So what is the sense of nature "inventing" a means of transport that is open at the bottom?
The solution is described on the page mentioned above.
;D
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