Placental morphology in African antelopes and giraffes

Abstract

Delivered placentas from nineteen antelopes and five giraffes and placentas from five antelopes dead during parturition and eight antelopes dead during advanced pregnancy were morphologically examined. Placental length and weight, arrangement, number and size of cotyledons, and other features were recorded wherever the conditions of placentas permitted. Cotyledon rows corresponded to the caruncle rows on uterine walls. The number of rows was usually four, although in Hippotraginae it was six to eight and in Reduncinae it was two. Numbers of cotyledons matched or were lower than total numbers of caruncles in the uteri of most species. In antelopes with uterus duplex [Hippotraginae and wildebeests (Alcelaphinae)] and in other members of the Alcelaphinae subfamily, the placenta occupied only one uterine horn and the numbers of cotyledons corresponded to the numbers of caruncles in one uterine horn. Amniotic “manes” and “plaques” were found in some placentas.