Hemipenis

Hemipenis

A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates (snakes, lizards and worm lizards). [cite web |url=http://www.anapsid.org/hemipenes.html |title=Hemipenes |format= |work= |accessdate=] [cite journal |author=Holmes MM, Putz O, Crews D, Wade J |title=Normally occurring intersexuality and testosterone induced plasticity in the copulatory system of adult leopard geckos |journal=Horm Behav |volume=47 |issue=4 |pages=439–45 |year=2005 |month=Apr |pmid=15777809 |doi=10.1016/j.yhbeh.2004.11.020 |url=]

Hemipenes are usually held inverted, within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue like that in the human penis. [cite web |url=http://www.greenigsociety.org/anatomy.htm |title=Iguana Anatomy |format= |work= |accessdate=] Only one is used at a time, and some evidence indicates males alternate use between copulations. The hemipenis itself has a variety of shapes, depending on species. Often the hemipenis bears spines or hooks, in order to anchor the male within the female. Some species even have forked hemipenes (each hemipenis has two tips). Due to being everted and inverted, hemipenes do not have a completely enclosed channel for the conduction of sperm, but rather a seminal groove which seals as the erectile tissue expands.

ee also

*Snake#Reproduction
*Bulbus glandis

Notes


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  • Hemipenis — Hémipénis Un hémipénis d un serpent à sonnette (Crotalus adamanteus) Un hémipénis est l un des deux organes sexuels des mâles de l ordre des squamates (serpents, lézards et Amphisbaenia). Les hémipénis sont gardés à l intérieur du corps vers la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Hémipénis — Hemipenis d un crotale Un hémipénis est l un des deux organes sexuels des mâles de l ordre des squamates (serpents, lézards et Amphisbaenia)[1]. Les hémipénis sont gardés à l intérieur du c …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Hemipenis — Lage des Hemipenis bei Uroplatus sikorae, einem Blattschwanzgecko. Die Position an der Schwanzwurzel ist rot markiert. (Anmerkung: Der Schwanz zeigt nach rechts.) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • hemipenis — noun One of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates, usually held inverted within the body but everted for reproduction via erectile tissue …   Wiktionary

  • hemipenis — [ hɛmɪpi:nɪs] noun (plural hemipenes pi:ni:z) Zoology each of the paired male reproductive organs in snakes and lizards …   English new terms dictionary

  • hemipenis — hemi·penis …   English syllables

  • hemipenis — /hɛmiˈpinəs/ (say hemee peenuhs) noun (plural hemipenes /hɛmiˈpiniz/ (say hemee peeneez)) Zoology one of the paired male reproductive organs in snakes and lizards. –hemipenal, adjective …  

  • hémipénis —  n.m. Chacun des deux appendices de l organe copulateur des ophidiens …   Le dictionnaire des mots absents des autres dictionnaires

  • hemipenis — “+ noun Etymology: New Latin, from hemi (I) + penis : one of the paired copulatory organs of lizards and snakes …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hemibaculum — Ausgestülpter Hemipenis einer Diamantklapperschlange (Crotalus adamanteus) Lage des Hemipenis bei Ur …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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