Oviduct...female B. pumilum...
https://www.researchgate.net/figure...oviduct-of-female-Bradypodion-pumilum-stained
https://www.researchgate.net/figure...oviduct-of-female-Bradypodion-pumilum-stained
For the vets and scientists here...
- Thread starter kinyonga
- Start date
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
There's a euphemism if I ever heard one: "All but two gravid chameleons were sacrificed within 24 hours of capture...."
Interesting article, @kinyonga. Thanks.
Extensionofgreen
Chameleon Enthusiast
The captive situation with breeding makes it hard to imagine a female chameleon mating with several males, being they seem to quickly become unreceptive, once fertilized and males are especially intolerant of conspecifics. I could foresee a female clutching with multiple paternity, due to sperm storage, or if the male departs after the initial mating and wanders to new areas or if she wanders into another male's territory, before becoming unreceptive. I wonder if females with retained sperm have a receptive period or just fertilize their upcoming clutch and don't allow for new copulation. I'm sure there are many variables, such as territory size of the species/individuals, population density, mate availability, and the voracity in which the males maintain and defend a given territory and whether that territory is more or less a permanent area or expands/changes, as the chameleon wanders into new areas. Lots of interesting things to ponder and make behavioral/ genetic studies in the field to answer some of these questions.
jajeanpierre
Chameleon Enthusiast
I've had many many fertile clutches from a female that I had stopped breeding. They could breed with a different male when they are receptive and just add to their sperm collection.
