image: The length of the filamentous, helical sperm-cells of freshwater ostracods can reach up to 10 times the body length of its producer. The longest known ostracod sperm cell is 1cm long. This scanning electron micrograph shows a bundle of such giant sperm extracted from Eucypris virens, which are approximately 1.8 mm long. 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." view more
Credit: Image courtesy of Renate Matzke-Karasz