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Results and Discussion
Ultrasound has proved to be a successful technique for the evaluation of female and male fossas. The genital tract of the 13 female fossas was characterized by an ample muscular cervix (15 + 2 by 23 + 5 mm, n=6) with large internal folds. Before separating, the two horns of the uterus bicornis kept in close contact for a few centimetres. The ovaries of the fossa (n=8) had a mean size of 5.8 + 1.8 by 10.0 + 2.5 mm and were located directly caudal of the kidneys. An os clitoris was detected in 5 adults (5.94 + 3.29 mm; n=5).
Sonomorphological measurements of the 14 male fossas focussed on the length of the os penis (8.1 +0.8 cm; n=10) and the diameter of the testicles (spring: 22.5 +6.6 mm, n=2; autumn: 17.6 +3.7 mm,n=7). An additional gland, which could be detected in most males, was situated in close affinity to the testes and was therefore named as “pre-scrotal gland” (3.8 +1.1 by 7.8 +3.0 mm, n=8). The comparatively large testis size in spring might be due to the breeding season. An exretion could not be identified for the pre-scrotal gland, but it was assumed that it might play its part in the orange staining
of belly- and breast hair of the male fossas during the breeding season.
The six juvenile individuals were small in appearance compared to the adult fossas. In addition, the three juvenile females showed the expected signs of masculinization in the form of an enlarged clitoris stiffened by a relatively long os clitoris: 4.6, 12.1 and 17.2 mm. The assumed regression of the os clitoris could not be proven, as the animals were examined only once. Nevertheless, an os clitoris could not be detected in 5 adult fossas and the two shortest ossua (2.6 and 3.7 mm) were also measured in adults.
In 7 adult individuals (~33% of the assessed adults), pathologies of the reproductive tract were observed. 50% (n=5) of the females showed reproductive disorders and ~18% (n=2) of the males were unilateral cryptorchid.
Two adult females displayed cystic structures within their reproductive tract. In the first female a paraovarian cyst of 5.1 mm in diameter, was found on the left ovary. In the second female a paraovarian cyst with a diameter of 3.6 mm, as well as a cyst within the oviduct with a size of 7.6 mm by 17.7 mm, were detected on the right side of the reproductive tract.
Another female has never ovulated, since no scar tissue could be detected on the ovaries. Apart from that, this animal did not show the fossa-typical aggression towards the male at any time and could even be housed with the male individual in the same enclosure.
The genital tract of a fourth female was developed so poorly, that it could barely be imaged by computed tomograpy or ultrasonographic techniques. Sonomorphological measurements were not possible and computed tomography could not detect an os clitoris. The absence of this bone could be due to the age (7 years) of the animal or might be another indication for the animals´ poor development.
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