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PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE MALE POCKET GOPHER, GEOMYS PINETIS

Summary.: The level of reproduction in the males of a population of the south-eastern pocket gopher, Geomys pinetis, has been found to vary with environmental changes. A principal components analysis of data obtained in this study suggests that changes in the reproductive condition of an individual male are related more to changes in the accessory sex glands than to fluctuations in spermatogenesis. Although Leydig cells gradually decrease in size after puberty, the cells still increase in diameter at times of increased reproductive activity, suggesting increased hormonal production. This cyclic change is correlated with increases in the height of the secretory epithelium in the accessory sex glands and in the epididymis.