Male reproductive tract and accessory glands of a stomatopod,Squilla holoschista

In S. holoschista, the vas deferens is differentiated into 3 regions based on the functional morphology of the epithelial lining. The proximal part with a highly secretory epithelial layer may be responsible for the secretion which is rich in protein, and moderately so in carbohydrate and lipid substances. The mid-region serves for storage of the spermatozoa. The distal part has specialized epithelial cells of a secretory nature. In addition, there are 4 typhlosole-like ridges fringed with cilia which probably aid in the conduction of the sperm cord during copulation. Secretions of the accessory reproductive glands contain a large number of discrete granules rich in mucoprotein. The principal function of this secretion appears to be the digestion of the sperm cord in the oviduct.