Reproductive system in Animal phyla
Dr. Noha Abu Shady
Reproduction in Planaria
Some species of planaria are exclusively asexual, whereas some can reproduce both
sexually and asexually، depending on the species and the circumstances of
reproduction.
Sexually reproducing planaria are hermaphrodites, and mating consists of partners
exchanging sperm with each other before departing to lay eggs.
In asexual reproduction, the planaria detaches its tail end and each half regrows the
lost parts by regeneration, allowing neoblasts (adult stem cells) to divide and
differentiate, thus resulting in two worms.
Stem cells: an undifferentiated
cell of a multicellular organism
which is capable of giving rise
to indefinitely more cells of the
same type, and from which
certain other kinds of cell arise
by differentiation.
Planaria are capable of reproducing asexually by binary fission، or it can be
initiated by the planarian itself as a normal process called transverse fission.
The many parts of the worm
become a whole new
organisms with same genetic
type.
Stem cells allow planarians to
regrow and replicate.
The stem cells have the ability
to generate any planarian
tissues which call
“Regeneration”.
Reproduction in Endo-parasitic Flukes
Fasciola sp. is hermaphrodite animals. Gonads are well developed and open
into a common chamber, genital atrium. It opens outside through gonopore.
1. Male Reproductive System 2. Female reproductive system
(a) Testes
(a) Ovary
(b) Vasa deferentia and seminal vesicles
(b) Oviduct and Uterus:
(c) Cirrus sac
(c) Vitelline glands: Vitelline
glands produce special yolk cells
that contain abundant yolk for
nourishing the embryo. They also
produce numerous large shell
globules which form egg shells.
(d) Viteline ducts
Mehlis’s glands:
Uterus is a convoluted
Ovary is situated Testes: A pair of testes,
tube and extends up to
anterior to the randomly arranged lie in
the genital atrium, opens
testes on right side the middle and posterior
into it through female
of the body. part of the body.
genital aperture.
oviduct; it extends towards The two vasa diferentia run side-
the middle line of body and by-side anteriorly. Here they
joins the median vitelline duct unite to form a large seminal
to form the ova-vitalline duct vesicle for storage of sperms.
or uterus.
Copulation
In Fasciola sp., cross fertilization
between two flukes takes place
in the host.
Fertilization takes place in
oviduct. Self-fertilization is rare.
Reproductive Systems of Nematodes
Basic male reproductive structures include: one testis, a seminal vesicle and a vas
deferens opening into a cloaca. One testis is most common, but two testis are
found in some species, while in others one testis is reduced.
Spermatogonia are produced in the testis and stored in the seminal vesicle until
the nematode mates.
The reproductive systems are major organs of the nematodes and can occupy a
large portion of the body cavity in males and females. There are many
morphological and physiological differences between the species and so they are
separated.
The testis are tubular structures lined with epithelium and glandular tissue, sperm
are produced at the end and mature as they migrate towards the shared opening
of the cloaca. Many males have paired chitinous protrusion from the cloaca known
as spicules, these are used for attaching to a female during copulation. The spicules
are easily seen under a microscope due to their chitinous structure and their
position and shape may be used as an identifying feature.
Reproductive System and Life Cycle in Ascaris
Reproductive organs of male ascaris include a testis, a vas deferens, a seminal vesicle, an
ejaculatory duct, cloaca and penial setae, While Female Reproductive System: include
ovaries, oviducts, uterus and vagina.
1. Ovaries:
it has two ovaries. It is long, thin and
coiled tube-like structures.
2. Oviducts:
Each ovary leads into a long and
coiled oviduct.
3. Uterus:
Each oviduct leads into a much
thicker and long uterus. The uterine
wall thick and formed of a layer of
tufted secretory cells, it serve to
store the eggs after fertilization.
4. Vagina:
The uteri open into short and
relatively narrow vagina. The wall of
vagina is quite muscular and
contractile. The vagina opens out by
slit-like female pore or vulva.
1. Testis:
2. Vas deferens:
This is shorter and less coiled tube than
testis.
3. Seminal vesicle:
This is a long, straight, which the vas
deferens opens. It serves to store the mature
sperms.
4. Ejaculatory duct:
highly muscular and glandular ejaculatory
duct. This duct opens behind into the last
part of rectum from the ventral side.
5. Cloaca:
The last part of rectum, located behind the
opening of ejaculatory duct serves as cloaca,
because it receives both faeces and sperms.
It opens out by the cloacal aperture.
6. Penial setae:
Two small, contractile penial sacs open into
the cloaca on dorsal side. a small needle-like
penial or copulatory seta or spicule of
cuticle.
Reproduction in Annelids
Annelids are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.
The majority of annelids are hermaphroditic and have a set of
functional male and female sex organs.
Some species reproduce primarily by budding, while others reproduce
by laying and fertilizing eggs that hatch into planktonic larvae.
Most annelids reproduce sexually because they are hermaphrodite,
and they are unable to reproduce by themselves. Although these
annelids like earthworm and leech can produce its own eggs and
sperm, these eggs and sperm are hardly fertilized. So they need to pair
a couple and connect each other to exchange their sperm. If the eggs
are ready to be fertilized, the sperm will be discharged. After the eggs
and sperm are fertilized together, the clitellum will produce a cocoon.
Then the sexual reproduction is finished.
But this doesn't mean that
they self-fertilize; instead they
meet up, align their bodies in
opposite directions, and
exchange sperm. This sperm is
later collected by a cocoon of
mucus that works its way up
the outside of the worm's
body, which also collects that
worm's own eggs, fertilizes
them, and then that cocoon
ends up in the soil where the
future worms-to-be develop.
After sexual reproduction, the
fertilized eggs form in slime tubes
and form into tiny cocoons. These
eggs take up to 3-4 months to
mature. Each cocoon contains 10-
15 worms.
Reproduction in Arthropods
Most arthropods reproduce through direct sexual reproduction and
lay eggs.
The reproductive system of arthropods is found on the ventral side
of the animal.
Each species of arthropod has its reproductive system positioned in
a slightly different place according to its body plan, but all will
connect to openings on the ventral side of the animal.
Most arthropods are gender specific and have male or female
gonads, or sex organs.
In some species, they are hermaphroditic, that is possessing both
sex organs.
Arthropods reproduce by transferring sperm from
the male to a female by way of sealed packets called
spermatophores.
In some arthropods, such as the scorpion, the eggs
hatch inside the mother. She gives birth to live
young and cares for her babies for an extended
period.
Arthropods are all born at different stages of
development ranging from fully formed miniature
adults. When arthropods are born as grubs or
caterpillars, they undergo metamorphosis, a period
of inactivity where larval tissues are broken down
and re-used to help build the adult body.
Reproduction in Vertebrates
Vertebrate animals all share key elements of their
reproductive systems. They all have gamete-producing
organs or gonads. In females, these gonads are then
connected by oviducts to an opening to the outside of
the body, typically the cloaca, but sometimes to a unique
pore such as a vagina or intromittent organ.
Amphibians
Most amphibians exhibit external fertilization of eggs, typically within
the water, though some amphibians such as caecilians have internal
fertilization. All have paired, internal gonads, connected by ducts to
the cloaca.
Fishes
Fish exhibit a wide range of different reproductive strategies. Most
fish however are oviparous and exhibit external fertilization. In this
process, females use their cloaca to release large quantities of their
gametes, called spawn into the water and one or more males
release "milt", a white fluid containing many sperm over the
unfertilized eggs.
Other species of fish are oviparous and have internal fertilization
aided by pelvic or anal fins that are modified into an intermittent
organ. A small portion of fish species are either viviparous, and are
collectively known as livebearers.
Livebearers: Live-bearing aquarium fish, often simply called
livebearers, are fish that retain the eggs inside the body and give
birth to live, free-swimming young.
Fish reproductive organs include testes and ovaries. In most species,
gonads are paired organs of similar size, which can be partially or
totally fused. There may also be a range of secondary organs that
increase reproductive fitness.
Reptiles
Reptiles are almost all sexually dimorphic, and exhibit internal
fertilization through the cloaca.
Some reptiles lay eggs while others are viviparous (animals that deliver
live young). Reproductive organs are found within the cloaca of reptiles.
Most male reptiles have copulatory organs, which are usually retracted
or inverted and stored inside the body.
Birds
Male and female birds have a cloaca, an opening through
which eggs, sperm, and wastes pass.
The cloaca is an internal chamber that ends in an
opening, and through this opening, a bird's sex organs —
testes or ovaries — discharge sperm or eggs.
The female lays amniotic eggs in which the young fetus
continues to develop after it leaves the female's body.
Unlike most vertebrates female birds typically have only
one functional ovary and oviduct. As a group, birds, like
mammals, are noted for their high level of parental care.