Hermaphroditic duct

The hermaphroditic duct is an anatomical structure in the reproductive system of many hermaphroditic gastropod mollusks, particularly among pulmonates and opisthobranchs. It serves as a conduit for gametes, transporting both sperm and ova from the gonad, commonly referred to as the ovotestis, to different regions of the reproductive tract.[1][2]

Structure and function

In simultaneous hermaphrodites, such as many land snails and opisthobranchs, the gonad produces both eggs and sperm. These gametes enter a common channel, the hermaphroditic duct, which carries them toward a reproductive system region where they are either stored, matured, or further transported. This duct typically connects the ovotestis to secondary reproductive organs such as the albumen gland, spermoviduct, or copulatory structures.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b Fretter, V.; Graham, A. (1964). "CHAPTER 4 - Reproduction". Physiology of Mollusca. Academic Press. pp. 127–164. ISBN 978-1-4832-3241-6. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  2. ^ a b Brusca, Richard C.; Moore, Wendy; Shuster, Stephen M. (2016). Invertebrates (3rd ed.). Sunderland (Mass.): Sinauer associates publishing. pp. 515–517. ISBN 9781605353753.
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