Anatomy of the Male Reproductive System of Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps).

Simple Summary: Sugar gliders are exotic animals that have become pets in recent years. As a result, these small marsupials are increasingly coming to the veterinary practices. Marsupials are a group of mammals characterized by their peculiar way of reproduction. This translates into the distinct anatomy of their genital apparatus, both male and female. There are not many references concerning the anatomy of this particular species. The male reproductive system of the Petaurus breviceps follows the general pattern in marsupials, but each species has its own peculiarities that the veterinary clinician should know. It includes two testes, epididymis, and deferent ducts, as well as two types of accessory glands: the prostate and the bulbourethral glands, in addition to the male urethra and the penis, which is bifid at its end. The purpose of this study was to describe the male genital gross anatomy of the sugar gliders (supplemented with some microscopic observations), to provide detailed information to veterinary clinicians to facilitate accurate diagnosis and surgery. The present study provides a detailed macroscopic examination (with some microscopic insights) of the genital apparatus of seven adult and intact male sugar gliders, as well as one castrated individual. The scrotum is pendulous and attached to the ventral abdominal wall, situated in the caudal part of the abdomen and cranial to the cloacal opening. The testes are oval shaped with their long axes oriented vertically. The epididymides are attached along the caudomedial border of their respective testes. The head and tail of the epididymides are in close proximity to the poles of the testes but are not directly attached. The deferent ducts are positioned laterally to their ipsilateral ureter as they run near the dorsal surface of the urinary bladder. The ampulla of the deferent duct is absent. The penis is located post-scrotally, lacks insertion into the bony pelvis, and has a bifid distal end. The crura of the penis originate within the ischiocavernosus muscles, and there are two bulbs of the penis. When flaccid, the entire penis is concealed in the perineal region and externalizes through an orifice situated in the ventral part of the cloaca, traversing its floor towards the cloacal opening. The urethral external orifice is positioned at the point where the bifurcation of the free part of the penis begins. The prostate gland resides in the pelvic cavity and consists of two parts: a macroscopically visible body surrounding the urethra and a microscopically identifiable portion embedded within the walls of the duct. Sugar gliders possess two pairs of bulbous bulbourethral glands, located dorsally and laterally to the rectum, but lack vesicular glands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]