The male genital system was examined in 9 male specimens of Chironectes minimus (2 adult and 7 young) from Brazil. Unlike other didelphids, C. minimus lacks a cloaca and has distinct anal and urogenital openings, and the tunica vaginalis lacks black pigmentation. Similar to other American didelphids, C. minimus has a segmented carrot-shaped prostate gland with 3 anatomical segments that can be distinguished by color, length, and diameter in adults. The 2 pairs of bulbourethral glands of C. minimus are similar to those found in species of Caluromys, Gracilinanus, Monodelphis, Thylamys, and Glironia. The tip of each hemi-glans is rounded and bulbous shaped, whereas the urethral grooves end at the ventral aspect of the tip of each half glans.
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1 October 2004
MORPHOLOGY OF THE MALE GENITAL SYSTEM OF CHIRONECTES MINIMUS AND COMPARISON TO OTHER DIDELPHID MARSUPIALS
José Carlos Nogueira,
Antonio Carlos S. Castro,
Edeltrudes Vieira C. Câmara,
Bruno Garzon O. Câmara
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Chironectes minimus
cuica d'água
Didelphidae
male genital system
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