The oviducal gland is a specialised region of the elasmobranch oviduct that is thought to be a site of sperm storage, among other functions. The phenomenon of female sperm storage in elasmobranchs has implications for the understanding of their reproductive ecology and the management of exploited populations, but relatively little information exists on its taxonomic extent. In the present study, oviducal glands from 29 different species, of varying reproductive modes, from the northern Indian and North East Atlantic oceans were examined using light microscopy for the presence of sperm. The organisation of the gland into four fundamental zones; club, papillary, baffle and terminal, was conserved across all species, with slight variations in relative zone volume due to reproductive mode. Spermatozoa observed within the oviducal gland were not limited to a particular reproductive mode or maturity stage. Although spermatozoa were most commonly encountered in the terminal zone tubules, in some species they were also encountered elsewhere in the gland. The storage of sperm may be a vital reproductive strategy for many species and furthering our taxonomic understanding of which species employ this strategy will help to better inform fisheries managers and protect exploited low reproductive species.

输卵管腺是弹bra输卵管的一个特殊区域，除其他功能外，还被认为是精子储存的场所。弹性分支中女性精子的储存现象对了解其生殖生态学和对被剥削种群的管理具有影响，但是关于其分类学范围的信息相对较少。在本研究中，使用光学显微镜检查了来自北印度洋和东北大西洋的29种不同物种，不同生殖方式的输卵管腺是否存在精子。腺体分为四个基本区域；在所有物种中，球茎，乳头状，挡板和末端都被保留，由于繁殖方式，相对带的体积略有变化。在输卵管腺内观察到的精子不限于特定的生殖方式或成熟阶段。尽管精子最常在末端小管中遇到，但在某些物种中，精子在腺体的其他地方也遇到过。精子的储存对于许多物种而言可能是至关重要的繁殖策略，而我们对哪种物种采用该策略的分类学理解将有助于更好地为渔业管理者提供信息，并保护被剥削的低繁殖率物种。