Most duplicated ribosomal protein (Rp) genes encode structurally similar or identical protein paralogues. The Drosophila melanogaster eRpL22 family is an exception in that encoded proteins eRpL22 and eRpL22-like are not only structurally divergent but are differentially expressed and post-translationally modified within the male germline, strongly favoring the hypothesis that each may have a functionally distinct role(s) in translation or function in an extra-ribosomal capacity in other cellular pathways within the testis. In early stage spermatogonia eRpL22 and eRpL22-like are nucleolar and cytoplasmic, consistent with a ribosomal role. In meiotic and post-meiotic spermatocytes, however, eRpL22 is nucleoplasmic, while eRpL22-like remains cytoplasmic, suggesting a change in role for eRpL22 that may exclude the paralogue from a role in translation. That eRpL22 paralogues may contribute to ribosome heterogeneity within the male germline in early stages of spermatogenesis and contribute to translational specificity within germ cells is a compelling hypothesis. “Specialized ribosomes” (coined by Xue and Barna, 2012) may direct mRNA translation, or have a unique localization pattern in cells or developmental stages. Here we explore a direct test of this hypothesis by determining what, if any, differences in mRNA translational specificity may exist between ribosomes distinguished by eRpL22 paralogue content. Ribosomal profiling, followed by paralogue-specific affinity purification and mRNA analysis by RT-PCR or RNA sequencing, was performed to determine if eRpL22 paralogues specify a unique class of paralogue-specific “specialized ribosomes” that translate different mRNAs within Drosophila testes. We report the association of different mRNAs with eRpL22 paralogue-specific ribosomes, thereby defining different translatomes within the testis. Ubiquitous and early testis-specific transcripts are preferentially associated with eRpL22 ribosomes, found primarily in heavy polysome fractions. eRpL22-like ribosomes (abundant among lighter polysomes) translate some ubiquitous mRNAs and several testis-specific mRNAs, including multiple meiotic and post-meiotic transcripts. Collectively, these data provide compelling evidence for the existence of specialized ribosomes (based on eRpL22 paralogue content) within the male germline that translate different populations of testis- and spermatogenesis stage-specific mRNAs. These data highlight differences in ribosomal functions for eRpL22 paralogues and suggest a novel mechanism (dependent on ribosome composition) that regulates mRNA translation on paralogue-specific polysomes within the male germline.