Anatomi Organ Reproduksi Jantan Biawak Air Asia, Varanus salvator (Reptil: Varanidae)

Abstract

Indonesia merupakan negara dengan tingkat eksploitasi biawak V. salvator terbesar di dunia yang sebagian besar untuk melayani permintaan perdagangan kulit. Tingginya permintaan kulit biawak di Indonesia mengkhawatirkan menyebabkan turunnya populasi satwa tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari anatomi organ reproduksi jantan biawak air asia (Varanus salvator) (Reptil: Varanidae). Dua ekor biawak jantan dewasa digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Hewan dianestesi, dilakukan exanguinasi, dan difiksasi dengan larutan paraformaldehida 4% secara perfusi. Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap situs viscerum, morfologi, dan morfometri organ reproduksi mulai testis sampai hemipenis. Secara makroskopis, organ reproduksi jantan V. salvator terdiri atas testis, ductus epididymidis, ductus deferens dan hemipenis yang masing-masing berjumlah sepasang. Posisi testis menggantung di dinding dorsal coelom melalui mesorchium. Dari bagian dorsal testis terdapat ductus epididymidis yang panjangsampai di ujung kaudal ginjal. Ductus deferens, berupa saluran kecil, lurus dan berakhir di ujung hemipenis yang terletak di dalam pangkal ekor. Pada bagian kranial hemipenis ditutupi oleh papillae berbentuk konikal. Di kaudal dari hemipenis ditemukan otot retraktor yang memanjang ke arah ekor, dan diduga berperan menarik hemipenis ke dalam setelah kopulasi. Organ reproduksi jantan biawak secara umum mirip dengan reptilia lain khususnya ular dan kadal, dengan karakteristik adanya sepasang hemipenis.

Kata kunci: Varanidae, Varanus salvator, organ reproduksi jantan, hemipenis, otot retraktor.

(Anatomy of The Male Reproductive Organ of Water Monitor, Varanus salvator (Reptil: Varanidae))

Indonesia is a country with high levels of exploitation of Varanus salvator that mainly serve the demand of leather trade. The high demand of lizard leather in Indonesian was alarming, cause a decline population of these animals. To improve our understanding on reproduction organs of the animal, we conduct this anatomical study. The study was used two adult male lizards. The animals were anesthetized, exanguinated and fixated in 4% paraformaldehyde by tissue perfusion method. Observations were performed to the visceral site, morphological and morphometrical of the male reproductive organs, from testes to hemipenes. Macroscopically, male reproductive organs of V. salvator were a pair of testes, epididymidis ducts, deferens ducts and hemipenes. The testis attached to dorsal wall of the coelom and fixed by the mesorchium. The epididymidis duct was long tubes that located in the dorsal of testes, winding up at the caudal end of the kidney. The deferens duct was a small duct, running straight and last at the end of each hemipenis, located at the base of the tail. The cranial part of each hemipenis was covered by conical shaped papillae. Furthermore, at the caudal of each hemipenis was found the retractor muscle that extends toward the tail, and is thought to contribute to the retracting hemipenis after copulation. The male reproductive organs of V. salvator are generally similar to the other reptiles, especially snakes and lizards, with peculiar a pair of hemipenes.

Keywords: Varanidae, Varanus salvator, male reproductive organs, hemipenes, retractor muscles.