Camelid Male Anatomy - Anatomy & Physiology

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Penis

  • Slim and worm-like
  • Points backwards when flaccid.
    • Squat and urinate rearwards as females do.
  • Process at the end of the penis is firm, composed of cartilage.
    • It has a slight clockwise curve to aid insertion of the penis through the cervix so that semen can be deposited directly into the uterine horns.
  • In newborn and juvenile males, a sheath of skin covers and adheres to the penis, making extrusion impossible.
    • Lost at 1-3 years
    • Loss of adhesions is a sign of sexual maturity.
  • If castration is prior to the Testosterone peak at the beginning of puberty, then adhesions may never completely break down.

Scrotum and Testes

  • Scrotum is situated below the perineum, at the rear of the body (as in cats), as opposed to under it and between the hind legs (as in other domestic species).
  • The scrotal skin tends to be smooth and fine during the height of breeding activity and then becomes thicker during the period of sexual inactivity because of decreased testicular size.
  • Testes are oval in shape and freely mobile within the scrotum.
  • 2-3 cm in length
  • Usually descended at birth but are very small.
  • Size is an indication of fertility (larger testes indicate greater fertility).
  • Enlarge during the breeding season.