Giant Sperm, Through the Ages (2 of 4) (IMAGE)

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Giant Sperm, Through the Ages (2 of 4)

Caption

This synchrotron holotomography represents a virtual longitudinal section through the 100 million-year-old fossil ostracod Harbinia micropapillosa. The left arrow shows the preserved inner part of the esophagus, while the right arrow points to the two seminal receptacles, where this female stored the giant sperm cells after mating. This image relates to an article that appeared in the June 19, 2009, issue of Science, published by AAAS. The study, by Dr. Renate Matzke-Karasz of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet and colleagues was titled, "Sexual Intercourse Involving Giant Sperm in Cretaceous Ostracode."

Credit

Image courtesy of Renate Matzke-Karasz

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