Everted hemipenes of a black rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus)
Everted hemipenes of a black rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus). A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male snakes and lizards and worm lizards. Hemipenes are usually held inverted, within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like that in the human penis. Only one is used at a time. The hemipenis has a variety of shapes in different species. In the black rat snake, the hemipenis bears spines or hooks in order to anchor the male within the female, and the hemipenes are forked (each hemipenis has two tips). Due to being everted and inverted, hemipenes do not have a completely enclosed channel for the conduction of sperm, but rather a seminal groove which seals as the erectile tissue expands. This snake was found injured. In some of the photographs a puncture wound can be seen. The snake could not move its tail beyond the injury. Thus, it appears to have been bitten and suffered a spinal cord injury (paralysis) that allowed the hemipenes to evert because the retractor muscle was probably paralysed.
Size: 3401px × 5120px
Photo credit: © Scott Camazine / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: cord, elaphe, hemipenes, hemipenis, injury, obsoletus, pantherophis, paralysis, penis, rat, reproductive, snake, spinal
