Adebayo A O, Akinloye A K, Olurode S A, Anise E O, Oke B O
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
Folia Morphol (Warsz). 2011 Aug;70(3):197-203.
In this study, the structures of penises of eight sexually mature male greater cane rats were examined at both macroscopic and histological levels. Each animal was sacrificed after anaesthesia with ether and then dissected open with the penis exposed from its root. The penises were first grossly examined, measured, and then prepared for histological examination. From this study it was observed that the body size has no allometry with penile size, but the testicular weight correlated with Os penis length in the greater cane rat. Grossly, the penis which was whitish in colour, with a mean length of 5.46 ± 0.36 cm, has no obvious collum penis but a flexura that turns it caudo-ventral and separates the corpus and glans penis. There was the presence of cornified papillae covering parts of the corpus and glans penis as well as a blind sac sacculus urethralis under the urethra on the glans penis. Histologically, the corpora cavernosa penis were completely separated by a connective tissue septum which sent the trabeculae network into the cavernous tissues and replaced the caverns as it moves from corpus to glans penis. The Os penis formed through endochondral ossification after 42 months of age in this animal. Therefore, from a histological standpoint, the cane rat penis belongs to the intermediate type. In conclusion, these findings provide vital information on the penile anatomy of the greater cane rat, which will serve as a basis for comparing penile morphology among the suborder hystricomorpha and expand knowledge of the reproductive biology in this animal.
在本研究中，对八只性成熟的雄性大蔗鼠的阴茎结构进行了宏观和组织学水平的检查。每只动物用乙醚麻醉后处死，然后解剖，将阴茎从根部暴露出来。首先对阴茎进行大体检查、测量，然后准备进行组织学检查。从这项研究中观察到，大蔗鼠的体型与阴茎大小不存在异速生长关系，但睾丸重量与阴茎骨长度相关。大体上，阴茎呈白色，平均长度为5.46±0.36厘米，没有明显的阴茎颈，但有一个弯曲使阴茎转向尾腹侧，将阴茎体和阴茎头分开。阴茎体和阴茎头部分覆盖有角质化乳头，阴茎头尿道下方有一个盲囊即尿道球囊。组织学上，阴茎海绵体被结缔组织隔膜完全分开，该隔膜将小梁网络送入海绵组织，并在从阴茎体向阴茎头移动时取代海绵腔。这种动物在42个月龄后通过软骨内成骨形成阴茎骨。因此从组织学角度来看，蔗鼠的阴茎属于中间类型。总之，这些发现提供了有关大蔗鼠阴茎解剖结构的重要信息，这将作为比较豪猪亚目之间阴茎形态的基础，并扩展对这种动物生殖生物学的认识。
