Fig. 5. spe-38 sperm accelerate ovulation rates and participate in sperm competition. (A) The level of ovulation in unmated spe-38 and wild-type (N2) hermaphrodites is significantly higher than in unmated fem-1 controls (^*P<0.001, when compared fem-1 at 25°C, Student's t-test). (B) Quantitative analysis of fertilized and unfertilized oocytes laid by unmated fem-1 females, as well as fem-1 females crossed to either wild-type him-5 males or mutant spe-38; him-5 males. Sperm from wild-type and spe-38 males induce comparable ovulation rates, which are significantly higher than those of the unmated fem-1 controls (^*P<0.001, Student's t-test). (C) Hermaphrodite sperm from morphologically marked (dpy-5), but otherwise wild-type, hermaphrodites are out-competed by male sperm from either wild-type him-5 or mutant spe-38(eb44); him-5 males. In both cases, the self-fertility of mated dpy-5 hermaphrodites was significantly depressed when compared with unmated controls (^*P<0.001, Student's t-test). All counts for the indicated genotypes were performed on a minimum of eight individuals or crosses. Error bars indicate s.d.