摘要:
ABSTRACTElephant‐shrews show many unusual features of their reproductive systems. The testes lie in the abdominal cavity, just caudal to the kidneys, and are relatively very small. The epididymis is long and most sperm are stored in a coiled region, possibly homologous to thecauda epididymidis, adjacent to the rectum. Spermatogenesis occurs throughout the year but there are marked seasonal changes in the size of the testis and accessory glands. The spermatozoa have a spatulate‐shaped nucleus with a long acrosome. The subacrosome is pointed or more rounded inMacroscelidesandPetrodromusbut is anvil‐shaped inElephantuluswith lateral barbs. Coarse fibres 1,5,6 and 9 are enlarged but inE. edwardiithere is a great enlargement of all the coarse fibres. The accessory glands consist of five pairs of prostate glands, auterus masculinusand a pair of bulbourethral glands. The penis is very long and runs cranially under the abdominal skin. The distal end of the glans has a characteristic shape for each genus. Features of the male reproductive system give no support for the suggested relationship of elephant‐shrews with lagomorphs and rodents but do show some similarities with the paenungulates (hyrax, elephant and sir
ISSN:0305-1838
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2907.1995.tb00441.x
出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd
年代:1995
数据来源: WILEY
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Volume 25 issue 1‐2
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