Copulatory plugs in snakes: enforced chastity.
The male of some snake species forms a copulatory plug which occludes the oviductal parts of the female's cloaca for a few days. The plug, apparently formed from secretions of the kidney immediately after insemination, probably prevents rival males from copulating with the same female.
D000818:Animals; D002988:Cloaca / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D003307:Copulation; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012911:Snakes / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors