Additionally, most turtles inhabit the aquatic environment, are abundant, and widespread in their distribution, and as such can serve as indicator species for environmental studies. Our studies involve anatomical, physiological, and life history implications of these processes. Our goal is to understand the early stages in the evolution of vertebrate reproductive systems as exemplified by exant turtles. This study identifies the cell types and their associations in the spermatogenic testis. In addition, the number of sperm produced in a generation and the number of generations per season will be identified.
Annual changes is epididymal histology.
The epididymis makes its first appearance in the Reptilia. An androgen-dependent organ in other vertebrates, the turtle epididymis remains devloped and contains sperm for 10 months of the year despite fluctuations in circulating androgens. This study characterizes the anatomical changes in the epididymis throughout the year and correlates those changes to circulating androgens. Sperm motility and survival. This study examines the ability of spermatozoa from the turtle epididymis to survive under in vitro conditions and the motility of sperm under different physiological conditions.