Morphology of the glans penis in four genera of molossid bats (Chiroptera: Molossidae)

The morphology of the glans penis is described for Mormopterus jugularis, Molossops planirostris, M. temminckii, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, N. macrotis, Tadarida aegyptiaca, and T. brasiliensis. The glans penis is stout, elongate, and pendulous in all seven species. The external surface of the glans is covered with epithelial spines in all species except T. brasiliensis, where spines are replaced by rows of epithelial papillae. Epithelial spines range in size from 30 µm in N. laticaudatus to 100 µm in M. jugularis. The urinary meatus is subterminal and covered by a prominent urethral cap in all species examined except the two species of Molossops. A small os penis is present at the distal terminus of the corpora cavernosa in M. jugularis, N. laticaudatus, and T. brasiliensis. The corpora cavernosa is restricted to the proximal one-half of the glans and no os penis was found in either species of Molossops. Although molossids exhibit only modest intraspecific variation in penile morphology, considerable intergeneric variation is present making these morphological characters potentially useful for testing phylogenetic hypotheses.