Reproductive Organs in tritoniid
April 4, 2000
From: Valda Fraser
![](/images/valdafee1.jpg)
Dear Bill
This "thing" is on the right-hand side of the Tritoniid sp 1. I would very much like to know what it is? I thought ... maybe eggs.
Regards
Valda Fraser
iti04937@mweb.co.za
Fraser, V., 2000 (Apr 4) Reproductive Organs in tritoniid. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/2186Dear Valda,
Definitely reproductive, but not eggs. It is the extended penis. In some species the penial papillae apparently is inserted some distance into the partner's body so as to deposit sperm directly into a sperm sac. However, as you might imagine, much of our understanding of the mechanics of mating in molluscs is based on our interpretation of how various organs fit together based on their shape. We can't actually see what happens internally and in many cases we have no idea of the shape of some of these organs during mating.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman.
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