Anatomy of the male reproductive organs of the African sideneck turtle (Pelusios castaneus).

Abstract

The topographic anatomy of the male reproductive organs of the African sideneck (Pelusios castaneus) turtle was explored through dissection. The testis and epididymis were attached to the peritoneal wall in all the turtles examined, posterior to the lungs, ventrolateral to the kidneys. The testes were yellow, smooth and ovoid in shape while the epididymes were sigmoid in shape and creamy in colour. The ureter, ductus deferens and urinary bladder led into the cloaca, which opened to the exterior at the tip of the tail. The penis was completely housed within the ventral floor of the cloaca and consists of two corpora cavernosa in between which was the urethral groove. The male reproductive anatomy of the African sideneck turtle is similar to those earlier reported in sea and freshwater turtles.

Keywords: Testis, Epididymis, Morphology, Turtles.