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ELVEZIO GHIRARDELLI
that are also the smallest, are situated nearer the external side of the
ovary along which there is the germinal epithelium.
On the outside of the ovary the seminal receptacle can also be
seen; when empty this takes thc form of a small thin canal running
along the ovary for its whole length parallel with the lateral lines of
the body and opening into a raised papilla placed on thc lateral lines
FIG. 8. A: longitudinal diagrammatic section of the ovary in Sagitta. B: transverse
section. The two sections are not equally enlarged. e p rrescent-shaped epithelium
supporting the seminal pouch: oc oorytes; s syncytial wall of the seminal pouch;
sp spermatozoa in the seminal pouch; g.0. genital opening; i intestine. (From
Ghirardelli, 1959.)
themselves, a little in front of the caudal septum ; anteriorly the small
canal normally ends somewhat before the cephalic end of the ovary.
The lumen of this canal is more or less filled with spermatozoa that
appear in continuous movement ; depending on the more or less filled
condition, its lumen shows irregular thickening of variable calibre.
This canal really only serves as a spermatheca since large quantities of
spermatozoa mass in i t (Fig. 8). For the laying of the eggs, a t the
moment of their emission to the outside, another canal is formed which,
though it has very strict topographical connexions with the seminal