spermatheca
/ˌspəːməˈθiːkə
/noun (plural spermathecae /ˌspəːməˈθiːkiː/) Zoology
(In a female or hermaphrodite invertebrate) a receptacle in which sperm is stored after mating.To ensure that we counted all sperm transferred, we assessed the number of sperm contained in both the inseminated spermatheca and the associated insemination ducts....
- After dissection, the spermathecae were stored separately in alcohol for later DNA-microsatellite analysis.
- We could ascribe unambiguously the content of each spermathecae to either of the two mates for only 12 females.
Origin
Early 19th century: from late Latin sperma 'sperm' + theca.