Endoscopic findings on cloacal anatomy and sex identification in Pythonidae

This study provides a detailed cloacoscopic description of cloacal anatomy and sex-related anatomical features in Pythonidae and evaluates the potential of cloacoscopy as a practical method for sex identification. Twelve captive-bred snakes belonging to six species were examined. Cloacoscopic examination was performed under intramuscular sedation with alfaxalone (15 mg/kg) as part of routine clinical veterinary practice, following informed consent from the owners. Endoscopic evaluation allowed detailed visualization of the three cloacal compartments and revealed consistent sex-related anatomical differences. In females, two symmetrical oviductal ostia separated by a distinct median septum were consistently identified in the cranial portion of the urodeum, whereas males were characterized by the absence of oviductal openings and by a blind-ending cranial urodeum. These anatomical landmarks allowed unequivocal sex identification in all examined individuals. Cloacoscopic findings differed from the previously presumed sex in five of 12 snakes (41.7%), highlighting the limitations of external morphological assessment, particularly in juvenile and subadult individuals. Although the limited sample size does not allow the full range of intra- and interspecific anatomical variation within Pythonidae to be characterized, the consistency of the observed sex-related landmarks supports the potential of cloacoscopy as a minimally invasive approach for direct assessment of cloacal and reproductive anatomy. These findings provide anatomical reference data for Pythonidae and may contribute to future studies on reproductive management, assisted reproductive techniques, and clinical evaluation in captive snakes.