The occurrence of spermiophagy under natural conditions in the cauda epididymidis of the Cape horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus capensis).
In Cape horseshoe bats large numbers of spermatozoa remain in the cauda epididymidis after copulations have ceased in September. Light microscopy has shown that for 5 months after September phagocytes are present in the lumen of the cauda epididymidis and electron microscopy has shown these cells to be active spermiophages. The large numbers of spermiophages present suggests that these cells could be responsible for removal of most of the excess spermatozoa. Spermiophagy by the epididymal epithelial cells occurs rarely and is not significant in the treatment of excess spermatozoa.
D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006605:Hibernation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*