CHAPTER 9 9.1 OVERVIEW The following is a comprehensive review of the literature on the reproductive anatomy of female snakes, particularly the cloaca and paired oviducts. Historical literature is brought together with recent and new findings to provide consistent nomenclature for the female reproductive tract. Literature on sperm storage and transport in the female reproductive tract of snakes is also reviewed. All snake taxonomy follows Zaher et al. (2009) for the Caenophidia and Vidal and Hedges (2002) for the Henophidia and Scolecophidia, unless otherwise noted. 9.2 THE CLOACA 9.2.1 Overview As reported by Gadow (1887), “the cloaca is defined as a chamber at the terminal portion of the rectum, into which open the rectum, the ureters, and the genital tubes.” Unterhössel (1902) provided a more traditional embryological definition of the cloaca as he referred to the cloaca as the open space in which the rectum, allantois, and urinary and genital ducts flow (following Balfour 1881). These definitions only encompass the cloaca of amniotes, and only some anamniotes and, thus, Gerhardt (1937) defined the cloaca as a common chamber that receives excretory ducts from at least Female Reproductive Anatomy: Cloaca, Oviduct, and Sperm Storage Dustin S. Siegel 1 , Aurélien Miralles 2 , Ryan E. Chabarria 3 and Robert D. Aldridge 1 1 Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA 2 Technische Universität Braunschweig, Zoologisches Institut, Spielmannstr. 8, D-38106 Braunschweig, Germany 3 Department of Life Sciences-Marine Biology, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA