Budras K D, Meier U
Anat Embryol (Berl). 1981;162(3):281-99. doi: 10.1007/BF00299973.
The epididymis of ratitae is subdivided into a main part and a appendix epididymidis. The appendix epididymidis consists of the ductus aberrans and ductuli aberrantes. The ductus aberrans is the cranial continuation of the ductus epididymidis. The appendix epididymidis is cranially attached to the adrenal gland. In the main part of the epididymis the largest part of the rete testis is found. The rete testis is composed of an intratesticular rete (also named tubuli recti), and intracapsular rete (with a longitudinal cistern and a true rete), and an extratesticular rete (predominantly consisting of approximately 20 longitudinal channels). The rete testis develops most likely embryonally from buds of the glomerular capsules of the mesonephros. The ductuli efferentes proximales also from these capsules, while the ductuli efferentes distales develop from the proximal and distal tubules and intermediate-segments of the mesonephros. The ductus epididymidis originates from the Wolffian duct and meanders dorsolaterally through the epididymis.
平胸鸟类的附睾分为主体部分和附睾附件。附睾附件由迷管和迷小管组成。迷管是附睾管的头侧延续。附睾附件在头侧附着于肾上腺。在附睾的主体部分可发现大部分睾丸网。睾丸网由睾丸内网（也称为直小管）、被膜内网（有纵向池和真正的网）和睾丸外网（主要由大约20条纵向管道组成）构成。睾丸网很可能在胚胎期由中肾肾小球囊的芽发育而来。近端输出小管也起源于这些囊，而远端输出小管则从中肾的近端小管、远端小管和中间段发育而来。附睾管起源于中肾管，向背外侧蜿蜒穿过附睾。
