First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes
Female genitalia are conspicuously overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts, limiting our understanding of sexual reproduction across vertebrate lineages. This study is the first complete description of the clitoris (hemiclitores) in female snakes. We describe morphological variation in s...
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ftzenodo:oai:zenodo.org:7434996 2024-09-15T17:48:32+00:00 First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes Folwell, Megan 2022-12-13 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 unknown Zenodo https://zenodo.org/communities/dryad https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 oai:zenodo.org:7434996 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode diceCT Histology dissection Clitoris intersex Squamate info:eu-repo/semantics/other 2022 ftzenodo https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 2024-07-27T04:42:17Z Female genitalia are conspicuously overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts, limiting our understanding of sexual reproduction across vertebrate lineages. This study is the first complete description of the clitoris (hemiclitores) in female snakes. We describe morphological variation in size and shape (n = 9 species, 4 families) that is potentially comparable to the male intromittent organs in squamate reptiles (hemipenes). Dissection, DiceCT and histology revealed that, unlike lizard hemiclitores, the snake hemiclitores are non-eversible structures. The two individual hemiclitores are separated medially by connective tissue, forming a triangular structure that extends posteriorly. Histology of the hemiclitores in Australian death adder ( Acanthophis antarcticus ) showed erectile tissue and strands/bundles of nerves, but no spines (as is found in male hemipenes). These histological features suggest the snake hemiclitores have functional significance in mating and definitively show that the hemiclitores are not underdeveloped hemipenes or scent glands, which have been erroneously indicated in other studies. Our discovery supports that hemiclitores have been retained across squamates and provides preliminary evidence of differences in this structure among snake species, which can be used to further understand systematics, reproductive evolution and ecology across squamate reptiles. Histology - Images, no programs needed. CZI data available on request - would use ZEN 3.4 (blue eddition) DiceCT - Avizo or Dragonfly Other/Unknown Material Antarc* antarcticus Zenodo |
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diceCT Histology dissection Clitoris intersex Squamate |
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diceCT Histology dissection Clitoris intersex Squamate Folwell, Megan First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
topic_facet |
diceCT Histology dissection Clitoris intersex Squamate |
description |
Female genitalia are conspicuously overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts, limiting our understanding of sexual reproduction across vertebrate lineages. This study is the first complete description of the clitoris (hemiclitores) in female snakes. We describe morphological variation in size and shape (n = 9 species, 4 families) that is potentially comparable to the male intromittent organs in squamate reptiles (hemipenes). Dissection, DiceCT and histology revealed that, unlike lizard hemiclitores, the snake hemiclitores are non-eversible structures. The two individual hemiclitores are separated medially by connective tissue, forming a triangular structure that extends posteriorly. Histology of the hemiclitores in Australian death adder ( Acanthophis antarcticus ) showed erectile tissue and strands/bundles of nerves, but no spines (as is found in male hemipenes). These histological features suggest the snake hemiclitores have functional significance in mating and definitively show that the hemiclitores are not underdeveloped hemipenes or scent glands, which have been erroneously indicated in other studies. Our discovery supports that hemiclitores have been retained across squamates and provides preliminary evidence of differences in this structure among snake species, which can be used to further understand systematics, reproductive evolution and ecology across squamate reptiles. Histology - Images, no programs needed. CZI data available on request - would use ZEN 3.4 (blue eddition) DiceCT - Avizo or Dragonfly |
format |
Other/Unknown Material |
author |
Folwell, Megan |
author_facet |
Folwell, Megan |
author_sort |
Folwell, Megan |
title |
First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
title_short |
First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
title_full |
First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
title_fullStr |
First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
title_full_unstemmed |
First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
title_sort |
first evidence of hemiclitores in snakes |
publisher |
Zenodo |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 |
genre |
Antarc* antarcticus |
genre_facet |
Antarc* antarcticus |
op_relation |
https://zenodo.org/communities/dryad https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 oai:zenodo.org:7434996 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j6q573nh3 |
_version_ |
1810289850854670336 |