Multiple paternity is ubiquitous within the polyphyletic group called ‘reptiles', especially within the lizards and snakes. Therefore, the probability of sperm competition occurring, and being intense, is high. Squamates exhibit a diversity of tactics to ensure fertilization success in the face of sperm competition. The duration of female sperm storage, which can be many months and even years in some species, remains an enigma. Here, we emphasize some mechanisms that might affect patterns of paternity, the source and function of ejaculates and features of the female reproductive tract that may aid in long-term sperm storage. In doing so, we present a new analysis of the relationship between sperm size, the strength of sperm competition and the duration of female sperm storage. Lizards and snakes are a diverse group that has provided many excellent models for the study of an array of life-history strategies. However, when it comes to postcopulatory sexual selection, there is much left to discover.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of sperm competition'.

在被称为“爬行动物”的多系群中，多重父系无处不在，尤其是在蜥蜴和蛇中。因此，精子竞争发生的概率很高，而且竞争激烈。有鳞动物展示了多种策略，以确保在面对精子竞争时成功受精。雌性精子储存的持续时间，在某些物种中可能长达数月甚至数年，仍然是一个谜。在这里，我们强调一些可能影响父权模式、射精的来源和功能以及可能有助于长期精子储存的女性生殖道特征的机制。在此过程中，我们对精子大小、精子竞争强度和女性精子储存时间之间的关系进行了新的分析。蜥蜴和蛇是一个多样化的群体，它们为研究一系列生活史策略提供了许多优秀的模型。然而，当谈到交配后的性选择时，还有很多东西有待发现。

本文是“精子竞赛五十年”主题刊的一部分。