title: The gross anatomy of the male reproductive system of a neotropical rodent: the agouti (Dasyprota leporina).
abstract: The literature available on the agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) is very limited. The agouti is a Neotropical rodent found in Trinidad and Tobago, Central and South America. This study focuses on one of the many unexplored areas relating to the species, the male reproductive system. The results showed that the mean testicular length, diameter and weight was 3.67 +/- 0.12 cm, 1.67 +/- 0.04 cm and 5.03 +/- 0.52 g respectively. The paired testes and epididymis were found in contact with the abdominal muscles within scrotal pouches, which are evaginations of the caudoventral abdominal wall. The caput epididymis is enclosed by a fat body. The ductus deferens has a mean length and diameter of 10.98 +/- 0.40 cm and 0.14 +/- 0.01 cm respectively. At the urethral end of the ductus deferens the diameter of each duct expends to form the ampulla. The mean diameter of each of the ampulla was 0.25 cm. The accessory sex organs of the male agouti (D. leporina) include the vesicular glands, the coagulating glands, the prostate glands and the bulbourethral glands. The penis of the agouti is U-shaped with a mean length of 9.90 +/- 0.43 cm. The glans penis contains an os penis, a pair of lateral penile cartilages and paired ventral keratinaceous styles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Production, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, The University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. wmollineau@hotmail.com
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mollineau
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adogwa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jasper
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garcia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002030:Bulbourethral Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010413:Penis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011467:Prostate / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000033:anatomy & histology