| Summary: | The primary objective of my research was to test the hypothesis that the sperm release mechanism in the garden snail, Cantareus aspersus , is under nervous control. It was discovered that separate branches of the intestinal nerve innervate the seminal vesicle and the distal ovotestis duct, and sperm release from the seminal vesicle was achieved by electrical stimulation of this nerve. Stimulation of the penis nerve, right cerebropedal connective nerve, right mesocerebrum, visceral ganglion, and the everted reproductive organs elicited similar responses. Neurobiotin fills of the penis nerve (towards the penis) revealed putative sensory receptors at the base of the penis and within the genital atrium. Spermatophores from mated snails whose reproductive organs were treated with the local anaesthetic Lidocaine weighed significantly less than spermatophores from mated control snails, suggesting that mechanical stimulation during copulation triggers sperm release from the seminal vesicle.
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