Modification of Crocodile Spermatozoa Refutes the Tenet That Post-testicular Sperm Maturation Is Restricted To Mammals*

Competition to achieve paternity has contributed to the development of a multitude of elaborate male reproductive strategies. In one of the most well-studied examples, the spermatozoa of all mammalian species must undergo a series of physiological changes, termed capacitation, in the female reproductive tract before realizing their potential to fertilize an ovum. However, the evolutionary origin and adaptive advantage afforded by capacitation...