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Sex-Ratio in Urosalpinx cinerea, the American Oyster Drill

Abstract

IN the course of preliminary studies of the biology of the introduced American oyster drill, Urosalpinx cinerea, it was noticed that among drills kept in a tank at Conway a very large proportion of the medium-sized and large individuals deposited egg-capsules. This led to an investigation of the sex-ratio in this mollusc, the results of which are described briefly below. The sex of Urosalpinx is easily determined macroscopically, for the male has a comparatively large curved penis lying behind and slightly to the right of the head; in addition the gonad of the female is yellow or orange, while that of the male is whitish. Although Urosalpinx has been closely studied in the United States1,2, no information is available concerning the sex-ratio.

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References

  1. Federighi, Bull. U.S. Bur. Fish., 47 (1931).

  2. Galtsoff, Prytherch and Engle, U.S. Bur. Fish., Fish. Circ. 25 (1937).

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COLE, H. Sex-Ratio in Urosalpinx cinerea, the American Oyster Drill. Nature 147, 116–117 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1038/147116b0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/147116b0

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