EPIDERMAL GLANDS IN SQUAMATA - FINE-STRUCTURE OF PRE-CLOACAL GLANDS IN AMPHISBAENA-ALBA (AMPHISBAENIA, AMPHISBAENIDAE)

The femoral or cloacal region in Lizards and amphisbaenians displays e pidermal glands; these are commonly used for purposes of systematics. In spite of being recognized as semiochemical sources (Maderson [1986] Plenum Press, pp. 13-25), their precise role remains uncertain. The g lands of lizards are assumed to be principally associated with reprodu ction and the demarcation of territory. Their function in amphisbaenia ns remains unknown. The histology of these glands has only been descri bed for lizards. There are no ultrastructural studies of glands of eit her type. This study concentrates on the fine morphology of the pre-cl oacal glands in Amphisbaena alba using routine histological and ultras tructural techniques. The pre-cloacal glands of amphisbaenians are, li ke those of lizards (Chiu and Maderson [1975] J. Morphol. 147: 23-40), made up by a layer of germinative cells and various layers of polyhed ral cells. The latter display three well-characterized stages of diffe rentiation. Granules form and pass through two distinct stages. Therea fter, the granules fuse in the third stage. The glandular secretion is formed by cellular units that constitute the plug. Comparison of thes e morphological data with those available for lizards allows speculati on about the function of the glands in amphisbaenians. (C) 1994 Wiley- Liss, Inc.