− | Paired kidneys are located in the dorsal caudal coelomic cavity with the right kidney cranial to the left. They are elongated, lobulated and somewhat triangular in cross section. All reptiles have metanephric kidneys that are simpler than the mammalian counterpart. There are decreased number of glomeruli (some species are aglomerular) and there is no loop of Henle. They may have one or more renal arteries and in some species, there is a separate branch of the ureter draining each lobule. There may be a sexual segment in the caudal kidney that follows up the distal part of each tubule and empties into a collecting duct. Since no urinary bladder is present, urine is not stored and ureters empty directy into the [[Cloaca|cloaca]]. | + | Paired kidneys are located in the dorsal caudal coelomic cavity with the right kidney cranial to the left. They are elongated, lobulated and somewhat triangular in cross section. All reptiles have metanephric kidneys that are simpler than the mammalian counterpart. There are decreased number of glomeruli (some species are aglomerular) and there is no loop of Henle. They may have one or more renal arteries and in some species, there is a separate branch of the ureter draining each lobule. There may be a sexual segment in the caudal kidney that follows up the distal part of each tubule and empties into a collecting duct. Since no urinary bladder is present, urine is not stored and ureters empty directy into the [[Cloaca|cloaca]]. |