Abstract:
This paper presents a possible first case of triorchidism in an indigenous fowl in Sokoto, northwest Nigeria.
Triorchidism is an exceptionally rare congenital abnormality which has been observed in other wild birds which
could be ascribed to faulty embryol
ogical development with developmental cause that are distinct from testicular
asymmetry. During a comparative investigation of the reproductive tract of cock (gallus gal
lus domesticus) drake
(Anas
platyrynchos) and guinea fowl (numida meleagris) in Sokoto
and her environs, three testes were observed in
a cock following abdominal laparatomy. The third testis which was smaller when compared with the right and left
testes was attached to the proximal end of
the
right testes with which it shared the same epidid
ymis. The right,
left and third testes weighed 7.40, 7.20 and 2.10gm respectively
while the length of the right, left and third
testes were 3.60, 3.40 and 1.40cm respectively.
When the three testes were cut open, similar whitish fluid oozed
out. The cau
ses and implications of this anomaly are suggested.
