Histoarchitectural changes of Adrenal gland in Emballonurid male bat, Taphozous longimanus (Hardwicke) during the reproductive cycle

Abstract

Taphozous longimanus has two adrenal glands, one on each side, situated retroperitoneally occupying an antero-mesial position abutting against the ipsilateral kidney. The left adrenal gland is pyramidal and the right adrenal gland is oval in shape.  The diameter of the left adrenal gland is always higher than that of the right adrenal gland during different periods of reproductive activity.  Each gland is duplex organ consisting of cortex and medulla. Cortex is divided into two zones which are poorly differentiated from each other. An outer zone is zona glomerulosa, and inner zone is zona fasciculata. The zona glomerulosa of left and right adrenal gland during the breeding period are larger than that of zona glomerulosa of left and right adrenal gland during the pre-breeding period respectively. The diameter of zona fasciculata of left and right adrenal gland during the breeding period is smaller than that of zona fasciculata of left and right adrenal gland of the pre-breeding period. There is no clear histological difference between medulla of right adrenal gland to that of left adrenal gland during the breeding period but the diameter of zona glomerulosa and medulla during the breeding period is larger than that of the pre-breeding period.