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17 - The Evolution of Sperm-Storage Location in Squamata with Particular Reference to Snakes

from Part V - Anatomical and Functional Morphological Perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2022

By
Henrique B. Braz  and
Selma M. Almeida-Santos
Edited by
David J. Gower  and
Hussam Zaher
David J. Gower
Affiliation:
Natural History Museum, London
Hussam Zaher
Affiliation:
Universidade de São Paulo
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Summary

Females of many squamates maintain viable sperm in their reproductive tract after insemination. This 'female sperm storage' (FSS), has several advantages and clear implications for squamate evolution by dramatically influencing life histories, mating systems, and sexual selection and conflict. In this chapter, we summarize the literature on the anatomy of FSS and reconstruct the evolution of sperm-storage location in squamate reptiles. Our major aim is to provide insights into the evolution of FSS in squamates, with a particular focus on the origin and early evolution of snakes. Various lizard lineages store sperm exclusively in crypts or tubules in the posterior oviduct. Most ‘basal’ lizards (gekkotans) and all ‘basal’ snakes (scolecophidians) studied thus far store sperm in tubules in the anterior oviduct. A few gekkotans and most alethniophidian snake studied store (or potentially store) sperm in both oviductal regions. Some snakes apparently have evolved morphological adaptations to hold sperm in the posterior oviduct. Based on ancestral state reconstructions, we elaborate a scenario for the evolution of FSS in snakes.

Keywords

reproductionoviductfemale sperm storagefertilizationlizardsevolutionancestral stateanatomy
Type
Chapter
Information
The Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Snakes , pp. 389 - 409
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

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