ScienceAsia 15 (1989): 071-107 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1989.15.071

COMPARATIVE STUDIES ON REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS OF ACHATINA FULICA, HEMIPLECTA DISTINCTA AND CYCLOPHORUS AURANTIACUS

WANVIPA KUMPRATAUNG,^a MALEEYA KRUATRACHUE,^a E. SUCHART UPATHAM,^a YAOWALUK CHITRAMVONO,^a PRAPEE SETARUGSA,^a JITTIPAN CHAVADEJ^b AND PRASERT SOBHON^b

ABSTRACT: The reproductive systems of three species of land snails, Achatina fulica, Hemiplecta distincta and Cyclophorus aurantiacus were comparatively studied in terms of anatomical, histological and functional organization.

     Cyclophorus aurantiacus is dioecious. The female organs are the ovary, oviduct, pallial oviduct (uterus), bursa copulatrix and vagina. The male organs are the testis, vas deferens, pallial vas deferens and penis.

     Achatina fulica and Hemiplecta distincta are monoecious. The ovotestis produces sperm and ova. The hermaphroditic duct is divided into an apical portion, a seminal vesicle and a basal portion bearing a talon, and ending in a carrefour. Spermatozoa are found stored in the seminal vesicle. The albumen gland is large and communicates with the carrefour through a narrow, small duct.

     The spermoviduct is fairly long, and all along its length, the narrow sperm groove is incompletely separated from the wide uterus. The vas deferens is continuous with the sperm groove and ends in the penis, while the uterus continues as the oviduct ending in the vagina. Both the penis and vagina open into the genital atrium.

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a Center for Applied Malacology and Entomology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
b Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

Received 19 December 1988