FB2025_05 , released December 11, 2025
FB2025_05 , released December 11, 2025
CV Term Report
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General Information
Term spermatheca ID (Ontology) FBbt:00004921 (Fly Anatomy)
Definition Mushroom-shaped organ consisting of a capsule surrounded by secretory cells, connected to the dorsal side of the uterus by a slender duct, which protrudes into the capsule to form an introvert (Heifetz and Rivlin, 2010; Mayhew and Merritt, 2013; McQueen et al., 2022). The capsule is lined by a sclerotized cuticular intima (Mayhew and Merritt, 2013), which is produced by the secretory cells (Miller, 1950; McQueen et al., 2022). Each secretory cell wraps around a specialized cuticle-like structure called an end-apparatus, which is connected to the intima by a duct (Mayhew and Merritt, 2013). Sperm is stored in this organ after mating; it stores fewer sperm that the seminal recepticle, but retains them for a longer period of time (Heifetz and Rivlin, 2010; McQueen et al., 2022). There are two spermathecae per female (Heifetz and Rivlin, 2010; Mayhew and Merritt, 2013; McQueen et al., 2022).[ FlyBase:FBrf0007735 FlyBase:FBrf0210152 FlyBase:FBrf0222595 FlyBase:FBrf0253444 ]
Also Known As "spermathecum"
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Annotations
Records annotated with this term OR any of its CHILD TERMS
Records annotated with this exact term (annotations to child terms are NOT included)
Data Class Field Records
Alleles (FBal)  PHENOTYPE_MANIFEST_IN      61
Insertions (FBti)  EXPRESSION_STAGE_TISSUE_POSITION       8
Insertions (FBti)  PHENOTYPE_MANIFEST_IN      18
Constructs (FBtp)  PHENOTYPE_MANIFEST_IN       9
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 Full annotation statements 
Relevant FlyBase reports
 Alleles Genes Images Insertions Constructs
 spermatheca (all annotations which use CV term, excluding "NOT" statements)      61     37      5     23     17
     spermatheca | ectopic       2       --       --       --       --
     spermatheca | heat sensitive       1       --       --       --       --
     spermatheca | increased number      13       --       --       3      3
     spermatheca | somatic clone       1       --       --       1       --
     spermatheca | temperature conditional       1       --       --       --       --
Spanning Tree (Parents/Children)
Only view relationship:
epithelium
 |__epithelial tube________________
female-specific anatomical entity  |
 |__female reproductive gland______|
 |__sperm storage organ____________|
multicellular structure            |
 |__sperm storage organ____________|
gland                              |
 |__female reproductive gland______|
                                   spermatheca  156 rec.
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Is a epithelial tube
female reproductive gland
sperm storage organ
Develops from presumptive spermatheca
Part of
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Synonyms
Secondary IDs
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UBERON:0000994