Shellfish Breeding and Hatchery Management (2+1)

3.1.3 Male reproductive system

The male reproductive system consists of a pair of testes located in the cephalothorax (CT) above the hepatopancreas (HP). The testes are translucent, composed of 6 lobes and all the lobes are connected on the inner margin leading to vas deferens (vd). Vas deferens has 4 regions such as a proximal region, which is short and narrow, a medium portion which is thick and larger, long narrow distal part and a muscular portion called terminal ampoule which opens at the base of coxa of 5^th perieopod. The gametes produced by the lobules of testis are aggregated and stored in a bag and are called spermatophores, which are stored in terminal ampoule.

Spermatozoa of shrimps are small in size and lacks flagellum. Sperms are immotile and attach to the egg at spike end.