Anatomical characteristics of male reproductive organs in the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus)

Abstract

The Korean water deer which is endemic in China and Korea, is currently over-populated in some region in South Korea. In order to accumulate basic reproductive information for the conservation and the wildlife management of this species, the male reproductive organs from this species were macroscopically, histologically and immunohistochemically observed throughout the year. The location and shape of testes and accessory reproductive glands (ampulla, vesicular gland, prostate gland and bulbourethral gland) of the water deer showed a resemblance to other small ruminant species. The size of the testes were increased from October and decreased from February. The status of spermatogenesis was shown from October to January. It appeared that the breeding season of the male Korean water deer is from October to January. The immunolocalization of the cytoskeletal proteins in the testes and epididymis were investigated in the Korean water deer and Reeves muntjac as the comparison among cervid species. The distribution pattern of cytoskeleton proteins in the Korean water deer and Reeves muntjac was similar. From this results, it appears that these distribution patterns of cytoskeletal proteins may be common in the cervids. The fundamental reproductive information obtained in this study may contribute to the conservation and wildlife management of the Korean water deer.