Morphology of male and female reproductive tract of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

Cryopreservation of jaguar (Panthera onca) sperm cells using different cryoprotectants and different thawing temperatures

The cryopreservation of jaguar semen must be improved to produce high-quality biobanking doses. Until now, the rare studies of semen freezing in the species have only evaluated glycerol, always with a significant reduction in sperm quality in thawed semen. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of three cryoprotectants, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol (GLY), and methanol (MET), in the cryopreservation of jaguar semen in an LDL-based extender, as well as the effect of thawing temperature on dosage quality. Five mature males with a history of reproduction were used. On the males, an infrared thermal image (IRT) was captured, the spicules and testes were analyzed, and the CASA system was used to evaluate the quality of fresh and thawed sperm. The superficial IRT was 4.6 ± 1.2 °C cooler than the anal sphincter, and the semen measured between 27.3 and 28.7 °C shortly after exiting the urethra. The total motility of fresh sperm was 55.3 ± 22.6%, and progressive motility was 36.3 ± 18%. The total motility of thawed sperm was 5.28 ± 2.51%, 4.49 ± %2.49, and 0.51 ± 0.62% for DMSO, GLY, and MET, respectively. DMSO and GLY performed better than MET, and there was no difference in thawing temperature (37°C 30 s vs. 50°C 12 s). All animals exhibit a considerable level of morphological changes in sperm. Low amounts of total and progressive motility were found in the thawed sperm. Males with a high level of sperm morphological changes were found to be fertile, but the lone male with normospermia was infertile. Thus, we contest the applicability of the commonly used morphological classification for bovines to felid species.

Morphology of the male reproductive tract of Eira barbara

Eira barbara, popularly known as irara, is a medium-sized carnivore member of the Mustelidae family. Despite its important role in the ecosystems in which its lives, data on the internal morphology of E. barbara remains scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to provide knowledge regarding the anatomy of the male reproductive system of this species to improve understanding of its reproduction to inform its conservation. We studied seven specimens who had died after being run over. The specimens were dissected for the evaluation of the reproductive system, which comprised a globular scrotum; a small pendulum covered with light-coloured hair; a pair of testicles of firm consistency and ellipsoid shape and suspended in the scrotum by the spermatic cord; a paired duct system; an ampoule of the deferens duct and prostate constituting the set of attached glands; a urethra divided into pelvic and penile portions; a penis with a baculum having a novel "C" shaped apex; and a prepuce. Microscopically, the testicular parenchyma consisted of seminiferous tubules separated by intertubular spaces formed by loose connective tissue, fibrocytes, Leydig cells, and blood and lymph vessels. The epididymis was surrounded by a capsule of dense connective tissue and extended to form septa. The baculum was microscopically classified as a compact bone containing several bony lamellae with osteocytes and osteoblasts. The macro and microscopic findings were generally similar to those of domestic carnivores, with some notable differences.