Structural and functional homologies of the accessory reproductive glands of two species of sciurids,Cynomys ludovicianus andCitellus tridecemlineatus
✍ Scribed by Foreman, Darhl
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1974
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 758 KB
- Volume
- 180
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0003-276X
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✦ Synopsis
Abstract
The microscopic anatomy of the accessory glands of black‐tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and thirteen‐lined ground squirrels (Citellus tridecemlineatus) have been studied. In addition, the glands of a 5 cm fetal prairie dog have been described. Adult and fetal prairie dogs and adult ground squirrels have so‐called seminal vesicles folded dorsally over the dorsal prostate with ducts leading directly to the urethra lateral to, but in the region of, the entrance of both the dorsal prostatic ducts and the deferent ducts. Histological studies of the seminal vesicles of both prairie dogs and ground squirrels showed that they were tubuloalveolar glands and were similar in structure to the dorsal prostates of each species. The fructose concentrations of the dorsal prostate and seminal vesicles of out‐of‐season prairie dogs were similar, and both glands accumulated fructose with the onset of the breeding season or with injection of testosterone propionate but the seminal vesicles accumulated more fructose than the prostate. On the basis of histological structure, anatomical relationships, accumulation of fructose and possible function as a coagulating gland it is proposed that the proper name for the so‐called seminal vesicles in these species is craniodorsal prostate.