How does the cloaca serve the reproductive system of many vertebrates?

In many vertebrates, the cloaca serves as a common terminal chamber and outlet for the digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts. Its role in the reproductive system varies by species:12

• Common Exit: It acts as the final cavity through which gametes (sperm or eggs) are expelled from the body.2
• Sperm Transfer: In many reptiles and some birds, the cloaca contains an accessory organ, such as a penis, used to direct sperm into the female’s cloaca. In most other birds, mating occurs via a "cloacal kiss," where the male and female press their cloacas together to transfer sperm through muscular contractions.1
• Internal Structure: In many non-mammalian vertebrates, such as reptiles and birds, the cloaca is partitioned by folds into distinct chambers, including a urinogenital chamber (urodeum) that specifically handles reproductive and urinary products.2
• Sperm Storage: Some female vertebrates, such as certain amphibians, possess specialized outpocketings of the cloaca called spermatheca, which are used to store sperm liberated by the male.3

The cloaca is present in amphibians, reptiles, birds, elasmobranch fishes, and monotremes, but it is absent in placental mammals and most bony fishes.12