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Thesis
Description of the Male Copulatory Organ and Associated Muscles in the Quenda Isoodon fusciventer (Marsupialia: Peramelidae)
Masters by Research, Murdoch University
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60867/00000138
Abstract
Across amniotes, organs for intromission and sperm transfer show clear links between form and function. Diverse genital morphologies, deployment mechanisms and copulatory behaviours all meet the same basic requirement: delivering sperm to a receptive reproductive tract. These systems involve trade-offs between precision, time investment and likelihood of success, producing multiple mechanically distinct solutions to a shared reproductive challenge.
Intromittent copulation involves three stages, each with distinct mechanical requirements. The first is erection, which may involve hydraulic inflation, muscular positioning and hydrostatic support. If the organ begins inverted or retracted within the body, pressure can cause it to unfold and emerge; in more rigid phallic structures, muscular levers and elastic storage may also contribute. The second stage, intromission, requires alignment and adjustment. The final stage is emission and ejaculation, in which muscular coordination is closely linked to reproductive strategy, including copulatory locks, seminal plugs or rapid repeated attempts.
Mammals show particularly extensive diversity in these systems. The M. ischiocavernosus, M. bulbospongiosus, M. levator penis, and M. retractor penis form a core functional system, but their arrangement and roles vary widely across taxa. Despite this variation, most work has focused on a small number of model species, leaving broader patterns poorly resolved. This review synthesises evidence on intromittent systems across amniotes and examines variation in penile musculature across Monotremata, Marsupialia, and Eutheria. Current understanding is limited by uneven taxonomic sampling and a lack of integrative biomechanical analyses, highlighting key gaps in the study of reproductive anatomy and function.
Details
- Title
- Description of the Male Copulatory Organ and Associated Muscles in the Quenda Isoodon fusciventer (Marsupialia: Peramelidae)
- Authors/Creators
- Cherie A Mangini
- Contributors
- Natalie Warburton (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and SustainabilityNatasha Tay (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Masters by Research
- Identifiers
- 991005904177807891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences
- Resource Type
- Thesis
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