Morphological and morphometric description of female reproductive tract of Sapajus apella (Capuchin monkey)

Abstract

Forest destruction has progressively hampered the survival of many species, and this is why it is so important to study of the lives of primates in captivity. This study aimed to describe the morphological aspects of the female reproductive tract of Sapajus apella. We used five animals obtained from the National Primate Center, Ananindeua – PA. The ovaries were paired, compact and symmetrical and had a smooth surface. The uterine tubes were bilateral and convoluted in adult animals and straight in young individuals. The uterus was simple and located in the pelvic region. The vagina was a long structure due to the position of the uterus. The external genitalia were located in the urogenital perineum and consisted of dark pigmented labia majora and labia minora, a vaginal vestibule as long as the vagina and a well-developed clitoris. The results showed that the genitals of S. apella resemble those of other Neotropical primates.