Female Reproductive System of Pheretima Posthuma

distaff generative system of earthworm- It consists of following parts 1. Ovary 2. Oviducal funnel shape 3. Oviducts 4. Female genital aperture 5. Spermathaceae 1. Ovary- They argon the light lobed anatomical structures which are present in the intersegment of 12/13. They consist of ova secreting cells. The ova are ordinarily generated by the process of oogenesis. They are more often than not arranged on the basis of maturation. The develop ones are contained in the distal wipeout whereas the immature ones are concentrated in the proximal end. 2.Oviducal funnel- A equalize of funnel- standardized structure is present beneath the ovary in the thirteenth segment. They are the ciliated structures which allow the ova to be passed through a pair of vasiform structures called oviducts. The regular beating of cilia helps to collect the ova inner(a) it. 3. Oviducts- The ovducal funnel leads to a narrow pair of tubular structures called oviducts. They are internally ciliated and a llows the ova to pass through it. These pair of oviducts tip ventrally to meet at the intravenous feedingteenth segment where it forms the female genital aperture. . Female genital aperture- They are the mid- ventrally located apertures in the 14th segment of the earthworm. done these apertures, the ova which are passing through the oviducts are passed during the cocoon formation. 5. Spermathatheceae- There are four pairs of spermatheca located ventro- laterally in the 6th, 7th, eighth and 9th segments. There openings are located in the intersegments of 6/7, 7/8 8/9 and 9/10. They are the sites for reserving the sperms during the coitus phase.The male genital aperture and the spermatheceae get fused during copulation where the sperms from the male genital contract are transferred to spremathaceae. Structurally the spermathaceae consists of a turgid ampulla, a neck and a nose- like outgrowth called diverticulum. In Pheretima, the sperms are stored in the diverticulum and the nourishment is provided by the ampulla. Unlikely in other earthworms, they are stored in the ampulla itself. Fig. procreative system of Pheretima posthuma Fig. OvaryFig. Spermathaceae