Female reproductive system consists of two ovaries and two oviducts.
1.Ovaries: A pair of ovaries are present each on anterio-ventral Surface of each kidney. Each ovary remains attached with the kidney by a double fold of peritoneum called as mesovarium.
Each ovary is a large, irregularly folded, multilobed, hollow sac like structure of greyish or blackish in colour. It's size varies greatly in different seasons. They are large sized during breeding season While are smaller during hibernation and aestivation.
Each ovary is a large, irregularly folded, multilobed, hollow sac like structure of greyish or blackish in colour. It's size varies greatly in different seasons. They are large sized during breeding season While are smaller during hibernation and aestivation.
Histologically, each ovary contains a number of hollow lobules and inside each lobule a number of follicles are present. Each follicle remains lined by germinal epithelium and one cell of this germinal epithelium undergo the process of oogenesis to form egg or ovum. Innumerable dark round ova in different stages of development are present inside each ovary.
Externally, each ovary remains Covered by theca externa inner to which a layer of connective tissue, blood vessels and nerves is present and internally remains lined by theca interna.
When ripe, the ova are shed by rupture of ovarian wall into the body cavity from where they are moved by cilia of peritoneum into the ostia of oviducts.
Fat bodies are also attached in front of ovaries which provide reserve food to nourish developing egg and during hibernation.
2. Oviducts: A pair of oviducts are present each on either Side of body Cavity. Each oviduct is long, highly coiled , glandular and white coloured structure. They are not directly connected to the ovaries. Their anterior ends form ciliated funnel-like openings called the ostia (Singular: Ostium). They are present quite anteriorly in the body cavity at the base of lungs one on either side of oesophagus. These ostia receive eggs from body cavity. The Cilia present on the inner walls of oviduct move the egg posteriorly while the albumen Cells lying on inner surface of oviduct secrete an albuminous coat around each egg during its passage. The posterior ends of oviducts open dorsally into cloaca separately on papillae just in front of the openings of ureters. Just before entering cloaca, each oviduct forms a thin walled enlargement, the ovisac. The eggs are collected inside ovisacs before being laid.
The cloaca is sac like structure and it opens outside by cloacal aperture. From cloaca eggs are passed out into Water through cloacal aperture during amplexus.