Gross Morphology of Male Genital Organ and Histomorphology of the Renal Sexual Segment in the Yellow Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta quadrivittata)

Abstract

The present work is undertaken to study the gross morphology of the male and female genitalia of the snake. Since the yellow rat snake presented two hemipenis, the histology of the renal sexual segments was to be studied to understand the sexual cycle of the snake. The yellow rat snake showed the presence of two hemipenis nearly 1½ feet from the tail end. The nephron in the mature male rat snake had a hypertrophied distal portion called the renal sexual segment. The renal sexual segment was lined by a simple columnar epithelium with basally located nuclei. A characteristic feature of these cells showed large sexual granules distributed throughout the cytoplasm. The lumen of these segments is relatively narrow showing centrally translucent colloidal material
with a collar of secretary blebs. Abundant secretory granules were found in the lumen, since the sample was obtained in the month of March which is the premating period for snakes.