The accessory sex glands are the prostate and the bulbourethral glands, as camelids do not have vesicular glands. The prostate gland has two components, a compact and
diffuse part, the two forming an H-shape which lies dorsal to the pelvic urethra. The capsule of the prostate is thick and supplied with smooth muscles fibres. The bul-
bourethral glands are two compact, almond-shaped structures and are located on either side of the terminal portion of the pelvic urethra. They may be palpated digitally via the
rectum. The capsule surrounding these glands contains striated muscle.
3. The female reproductive tract
The size and shape of camelid ovaries vary with age and with their content of Ž
. follicles and corpora lutea CL . In nulliparous females, the ovaries are oval or circular,
flattened laterally and with an irregular surface resulting from many small follicles of Ž
. 3–5 mm in diameter Elwishy, 1992 . Each ovary weighs between 3 and 4 g in
Ž dromedaries, 5 and 15 g in Bactrians and 1.9 and 2.4 g in lamoids Sato and Montoya,
. 1990 . Mature follicles and current CL project from the main contour of the ovary and
give it an exaggerated, lobular form. Each ovary is enclosed in a long conical, pocket-like fold of mesosalpinx called the bursa oÕarii, the apex of which forms a large
Ž .
circular orifice within which lie the fimbriae of the oviduct Nawito et al., 1967 . The length of oviducts is 17–28 cm in camels and 11–21 cm in lamoids. The isthmus
is less coiled than the ampulla and ovarian parts of the tube, and the fimbria lies in the bursa at a short distance from the ovary. Each oviduct opens into the uterine horn via a
narrow orifice at the summit of a protuberant papilla which can be as much as 3–4 mm in height. Unlike other mammals, the oviducts are enlarged at the uterine end and this
Ž unique arrangement allows prolonged storage of large numbers of spermatozoa Bravo
. et al., 1996a .
The uterus is bicornuate with a short body of only 2.0–3.5 cm in dromedaries and lamoids, and 8.5–9.5 cm in Bactrians. In camels, the two uterine horns diverge and taper
anteriorly to form a T shape with the uterine body, but the left horn is distinctly bigger Ž
. and longer than the right Smuts and Bezuidenhout, 1987; Chen et al., 1985 . In
lamoids, the uterine horns also diverge to form a Y shape with the uterine body. The endometrium of the uterine body and horns is smooth and no cotyledons are present.
The cervix in camelids is similar to that of the cow and has three to four annular mucosal folds. In camels, the average length and diameter of the cervix during follicular
activity is 5 and 6 cm, respectively, but decreases slightly during the period of ovarian inactivity. In lamoids, the length of the cervix is 2–5 cm and it is difficult to pass an
insemination pipette through it. In camels, the cervix protrudes about 1 cm posteriorly into the vagina to form two blind cavities, one situated dorsally and the other ventrally.
The length of the vagina is 25–35 cm in camels and 15–25 cm in lamoids. It is lined with mucosal folds. It is wide and extensible, and with advancing pregnancy, the weight
of the uterus tends to stretch the mucosal folds. The vulva is 3–6 cm deep with thick velvety lips, the clitoris being very small. The urethra is short and the opening of the
urinary meatus is small. The hymen, or its remnants, marks the separation between the vulva and the vagina.
4. Ovarian physiology
