allosperm

A1L1L1O1S1P3E1R1M3

noun

Sperm that has been received from another organism.

Scrabble 13

Meanings

nounallosperm (countable and uncountable, plural allosperms)

plural allosperms

  1. countableuncountablebiologySperm that has been received from another organism.

    They seem to have mechanisms that favour fertilization by allosperm (donated by a partner) over autosperm (produced endogenously).

    2000, Robert T. Dillon, The Ecology of Freshwater Molluscs, →ISBN, page 80
    3 more examples

    The latter have a well-defined allosperm storage organ, called spermatheca, attached to their fertilization pouch (Baur, this book).

    2010, Janet Leonard, Alex Cordoba-Aguilar, The Evolution of Primary Sexual Characters in Animals, →ISBN, page 176

    This is consistent with theory that predicts a preference for the female mating role after periods of sexual isolation because of allosperm depletion.

    2010, Nils Anthes, Peter M. Kappeler, Ralph Bergmüller, Animal Behaviour: Evolution and Mechanisms, →ISBN, page 340

    During copulation, the penis deposits the autosperm (which now become allosperm) into the vaginal channel of the distal hermaphroditic duct of another animal. The allosperm then travel to the spermatotheca.

    2011, Gregory A. Lewbart, Invertebrate Medicine, →ISBN, page 101

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

allosperm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allosperm

MLA

“allosperm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allosperm. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “allosperm,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/allosperm.

Source: allosperm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.