Immaculate Conception, Incubation Protocols, and Egg Characteristics of the Ganges Softshell Turtle (Aspideretes Gangeticus)

Whitaker, Nikhil

doi:10.17161/ch.vi1.11938

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Sperm storage in the female reproductive tract after mating is used by a variety of animals to maintain fertility, particularly in those species with asynchronous copulation and ovulation (Orr and Zuk 2012). Spermatozoa can be stored in the sperm reservoir of the mammalian reproductive tract for several hours to several days, while reptiles can store them for more than 1 year in the oviduct (Ewing 1943;Birkhead and Møller 1993;Whitaker 2006;Murphy et al 2009;Phillips et al 2014). In reptiles, the long-term sperm storage (up to months and years) helps to appropriately synchronize copulation, fertilization, and nesting, to ensure the survival of species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sperm storage and spermatozoa interaction with epithelial cells in oviduct of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis

Chen

Zhang

Yuan

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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Spermatozoa are known to be stored within the female genital tract after mating in various species to optimize timing of reproductive events such as copulation, fertilization, and ovulation. The mechanism supporting long-term sperm storage is still unclear in turtles. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between the spermatozoa and oviduct in Chinese soft-shelled turtle by light and electron microscopy to reveal the potential cytological mechanism of long-term sperm storage. Spermatozoa were stored in isthmus, uterine, and vagina of the oviduct throughout the year, indicating long-term sperm storage in vivo. Sperm heads were always embedded among the cilia and even intercalated into the apical hollowness of the ciliated cells in the oviduct mucosal epithelium. The stored spermatozoa could also gather in the gland conduit. There was no lysosome distribution around the hollowness of the ciliated cell, suggesting that the ciliated cells of the oviduct can support the spermatozoa instead of phagocytosing them in the oviduct. Immune cells were sparse in the epithelium and lamina propria of oviduct, although few were found inside the blood vessel of mucosa, which may be an indication of immune tolerance during sperm storage in the oviduct of the soft-shelled turtle. These characteristics developed in the turtle benefited spermatozoa survival for a long time as extraneous cells in the oviduct of this species. These findings would help to improve the understanding of reproductive regularity and develop strategies of species conservation in the turtle. The Chinese soft-shelled turtle may be a potential model for uncovering the mechanism behind the sperm storage phenomenon.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sperm storage and spermatozoa interaction with epithelial cells in oviduct of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis

Chen

Zhang

Yuan

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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“…The ability of some testudines (turtles, tortoises and terrapins) to store sperm is well documented from dissection studies (Owens 1980;Gist & Jones 1989), from genetic studies of terrestrial and freshwater species (e.g. Palmer et al 1998;Pearse et al 2001;Cutuli et al 2012) and from captive females that have produced nonparthenogenetic offspring after prolonged isolation from males (Ewing 1943;Whitaker 2006;Murphy et al 2007). However, the prevalence of sperm storage within and among wild populations is not well known for most marine species, and the ramifications of sperm storage have received limited attention.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…; Cutuli et al . ) and from captive females that have produced non‐parthenogenetic offspring after prolonged isolation from males (Ewing ; Whitaker ; Murphy et al . ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing paternal genotypes to infer patterns of sperm storage and sexual selection in the hawksbill turtle

et al. 2013

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Postcopulatory sperm storage can serve a range of functions, including ensuring fertility, allowing delayed fertilization and facilitating sexual selection. Sperm storage is likely to be particularly important in wide-ranging animals with low population densities, but its prevalence and importance in such taxa, and its role in promoting sexual selection, are poorly known. Here, we use a powerful microsatellite array and paternal genotype reconstruction to assess the prevalence of sperm storage and test sexual selection hypotheses of genetic biases to paternity in one such species, the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. In the majority of females (90.7%, N = 43), all offspring were sired by a single male. In the few cases of multiple paternity (9.3%), two males fertilized each female. Importantly, the identity and proportional fertilization success of males were consistent across all sequential nests laid by individual females over the breeding season (up to five nests over 75 days). No males were identified as having fertilized more than one female, suggesting that a large number of males are available to females. No evidence for biases to paternity based on heterozygosity or relatedness was found. These results indicate that female hawksbill turtles are predominantly monogamous within a season, store sperm for the duration of the nesting season and do not re-mate between nests. Furthermore, females do not appear to be using sperm storage to facilitate sexual selection. Consequently, the primary value of storing sperm in marine turtles may be to uncouple mating and fertilization in time and avoid costly re-mating.

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“…Fitzsimmons 1998;Roques et al 2004Roques et al , 2006, between years (e.g. Pearse et al 2002;Roques et al 2006;Anthonysamy et al 2014;McGuire et al 2014;Phillips et al 2014;Riley et al 2021) or over decades in some species (Whitaker 2006;Murphy et al 2007). Female Caudata may have little need for post-copulatory choice, but for other species of amphibians and reptiles, cryptic choice enables the female to diversify offspring characteristics and/or to select optimal genotypes/phenotypes for offspring (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do female amphibians and reptiles have greater reproductive output if they have more mates?

Lee

Sherman

Rollins

et al. 2022

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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In general, males mate with multiple females to increase individual reproductive success. Whether or not, and under what circumstances, females benefit from multiple mating has been less clear. Our review of 154 studies covering 184 populations of amphibians and reptiles showed that polyandry was widespread and variable among and within taxonomic groups. We investigated whether amphibian and reptile females had greater reproductive output as the number of sires for offspring increased. Meta-analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in the dataset of all taxa. Expected heterozygosity was a significant moderator (covariate) of positive relationships between female reproductive output and the number of sires, but a sensitivity test showed the result was tenuous. Significant heterogeneity remained despite controlling for expected heterozygosity and other variables but was resolved for most taxonomic groups with subgroup meta-analyses. Subgroup meta-analyses showed that only female salamanders (Caudata) had significantly greater reproductive output with an increased number of sires. For many species of Caudata, males cannot coerce females into accepting spermatophores. We therefore suggest that if females control the number of matings, they can use polyandry to increase their fitness. Caudata offers ideal models with which to test this hypothesis and to explore factors enabling and maintaining the evolution of female choice. Outstanding problems may be addressed by expanding taxonomic coverage and data collection and improving data reporting. Significance Statement Many factors and combinations of factors drive polyandry. Whether or not females benefit from mating with more than one male remains equivocal. Focusing on amphibians and reptiles, our analyses demonstrate that female salamanders produced more offspring when mated with multiple males, whereas this was not the case for reptiles. Unlike many other species in our dataset, the polyandrous female salamanders fully control sperm intake and have chosen to mate multiple times. We further highlight problems and key directions for future research in the field.

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Immaculate Conception, Incubation Protocols, and Egg Characteristics of the Ganges Softshell Turtle (Aspideretes Gangeticus)

Cited by 4 publications

References 18 publications

Sperm storage and spermatozoa interaction with epithelial cells in oviduct of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis

Sperm storage and spermatozoa interaction with epithelial cells in oviduct of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis

Reconstructing paternal genotypes to infer patterns of sperm storage and sexual selection in the hawksbill turtle

Do female amphibians and reptiles have greater reproductive output if they have more mates?

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