Underwater sperm banking sounds like a difficult system, but its proven popular with some female sharks and rays. A study by Marine biologist Adèle Dutilloy has discovered that some sharks and rays store sperm internally for years before conceiving. The initial study was part of her research for Masters degree trying to learn more about the deep sea world and its denizens.
She investigated the sexual organs of 147 female sharks and rays, from nine separate species and found some had tiny tubes of sperm stored inside glands. Adèle has a suspicion the technique is more widespread than the current evidence suggests and she joins me now in our Wellington studio.
Stained oviducal gland from a deep sea shark seen through a microscope Photo: Adèle Dutilloy
