Zoo-Lab (Sem-1) - Exercise 25: The Urogenital System

urogenital system

the collective term for the excretory/urinary and reproductive/genital systems

excretory system

eliminates nitrogenous wastes and other body products in the form of urine; consists of a pair of kidneys, ureters, and a urinary bladder

kidney; wolffian ducts (mesonephric ducts/ureters); urinary bladder

organs of the excretory system

kidney

excretory system; a flat, elongated organ, dark in color (dark red in fresh specimens); lies in the sub-vertebral lymph sac dorsal to the pleuroperitoneal cavity

suprarenal/adrenal gland

excretory system; lies on the ventral surface of the kidneys; an endocrine gland which appears as an irregular light colored band

wolffian ducts (mesonephric ducts/ureters)

excretory system; a pair of white tubes that run along the cloaca; lateral to the renal portal vein (a blood vessel); appear differently in males and females

male mesonephric duct

excretory system; bigger than that of the female; serves two functions: passage of sperm cells and urine

female mesonephric duct

excretory system; smaller than that of the male; attached to the ovisac, so this is hard to see

urinary bladder

excretory system; a large bilobed membranous sac attaches and opened to the ventral surface of the cloaca; temporary storage of urine

amplexus

the sexual embrace; the male toad or frog with its forelimb clasps the female just behind the bases of the forelimbs of the latter

external fertilization

fertilization which takes place in water outside the body of the female

testes (sing. testis); vasa efferentia/efferent ductules

male reproductive organs

testes (sing. testis)

male reproductive organ; pair of oval/elongated cylindrical yellowish bodies lying on the ventral surfaces of the kidneys; each one is attached to the kidney then to the dorsal body wall by a mesentery known as the mesorchium

mesorchium

male reproductive organ; mesentery which attaches the testis to the kidney then to the dorsal body wall

fat bodies/corpora adiposa

male reproductive organ; attached to the anterior end of each testis; finger-like; serves as food storage; size depends on whether the animal is in the state of reproduction or hibernation

vasa efferentia/efferent ductules

male reproductive organ; delicate minute tubules conducting the sperm cells to the kidney

ovaries; oviducts (mullerian ducts); ostia (sing. ostium); ovisacs

female reproductive organs

ovaries

female reproductive organ; vary greatly in size at different seasons of the year; greatly distend the body walls when filled with eggs; dark organs attached to the ventral surface of the kidneys then to the dorsal body wall by a mesentery, the mesovarium; become small, flattened, pale, and irregularly-shaped organs when not filled with eggs

mesovarium

female reproductive organ; the mesentery which attaches the ovaries to the ventral surface of the kidneys to the dorsal body wall

oviducts (mullerian ducts)

female reproductive organ; paired white coiled tubes lying lateral to the kidneys; vary in size at different seasons of the years as the ovaries; become dilated and conspicuous when the ovaries fill up with mature eggs; serve as the passage of eggs released from the ovary to the ovisac