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male Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...
human anatomy, the glans penis, commonly referred to as the glans, is the bulbous structure at the distal end of the
human penis The human penis is an external male intromittent organ that additionally serves as the urinary duct. The main parts are the root (radix); the body (corpus); and the epithelium of the penis including the shaft skin and the foreskin (prepuce) c ...
that is the human male's most sensitive
erogenous zone An erogenous zone (from Greek , ''érōs'' "love"; and English ''-genous'' "producing", from Greek , ''-genḗs'' "born") is an area of the human body that has heightened sensitivity, the stimulation of which may generate a sexual response, s ...
and their primary anatomical source of
sexual Sex is the biological distinction of an organism between male and female. Sex or SEX may also refer to: Biology and behaviour *Animal sexual behaviour **Copulation (zoology) **Human sexual activity **Non-penetrative sex, or sexual outercourse ** ...
pleasure. It is anatomically homologous to the
clitoral glans The clitoris ( or ) is a female sex organ present in mammals, ostriches and a limited number of other animals. In humans, the visible portion – the glans – is at the front junction of the labia minora (inner lips), above the ope ...
. The glans penis is part of the
male reproductive organs The male reproductive system consists of a number of sex organs that play a role in the process of human reproduction. These organs are located on the outside of the body and within the pelvis. The main male sex organs are the penis and the tes ...
in
human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
s and other
mammals Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur o ...
where it may appear smooth, spiny, elongated or divided. It is externally lined with
mucosal tissue A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...
, which creates a smooth texture and glossy appearance. In humans, the glans is a continuation of the
corpus spongiosum The corpus spongiosum is the mass of spongy tissue surrounding the male urethra within the penis. It is also called the corpus cavernosum urethrae in older texts. Anatomy The proximal part of the corpus spongiosum is expanded to form the ure ...
of the penis. At the summit appears the
urinary meatus The urinary meatus, (, ) also known as the external urethral orifice, is the opening of the urethra. It is the point where urine exits the urethra in both sexes and where semen exits the urethra in males. The meatus has varying degrees of sensit ...
and at the base forms the
corona glandis The corona of glans penis or penis crown refers to the rounded projecting border that forms at the base of the glans in human males. The corona overhangs a mucosal surface, known as the neck of the penis, which separates the shaft and the glans ...
. An elastic band of tissue, known as the
frenulum A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the diminutive of ''frēnum'') is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body. In human anatomy Frenula on the h ...
, runs on its ventral surface. In men who are not
circumcised Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. Topic ...
, it is completely or partially covered by the
foreskin In male human anatomy, the foreskin, also known as the prepuce, is the double-layered fold of skin, mucosal and muscular tissue at the distal end of the human penis that covers the glans and the urinary meatus. The foreskin is attached to the ...
. In adults, the foreskin can generally be retracted over and past the glans manually or sometimes automatically during an erection. The glans is more commonly known as the "head" or the "tip" of the penis, and colloquially referred to in
British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...
as the “bellend”. The medical name comes from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
words ''glans'' ("acorn") and ''penis'' ("of the penis").


Anatomy


Structure

The glans penis is a body of spongy
erectile tissue Erectile tissue is tissue in the body with numerous vascular spaces, or cavernous tissue, that may become engorged with blood. However, tissue that is devoid of or otherwise lacking erectile tissue (such as the labia minora, the vestibule/vagina and ...
that is moulded on the rounded ends of the two
corpora cavernosa penis A corpus cavernosum penis (singular) (literally "cave-like body" of the penis, plural corpora cavernosa) is one of a pair of sponge-like regions of erectile tissue, which contain most of the blood in the penis during an erection. Such a corpus ...
, extending farther on their upper than on their lower surfaces. It is the expanded cap of the
corpus spongiosum The corpus spongiosum is the mass of spongy tissue surrounding the male urethra within the penis. It is also called the corpus cavernosum urethrae in older texts. Anatomy The proximal part of the corpus spongiosum is expanded to form the ure ...
, a sponge-like region that surrounds the male
urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...
within the penis maintaining it as a viable channel for
ejaculation Ejaculation is the discharge of semen (the ''ejaculate''; normally containing sperm) from the male reproductory tract as a result of an orgasm. It is the final stage and natural objective of male sexual stimulation, and an essential compone ...
. The glans is covered by stratified squamous epithelium and a dense layer of connective tissue equivalent to the dermis of typical skin. The external lining with
mucosal tissue A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...
is responsible for its smooth texture and appearance. The papillary layer of the dermis blends into the dense connective tissue forming the tunica albuginea of the corpus spongiosum under the glans. The increase of
arterial An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pu ...
flow during erection fills the erectile tissue with blood causing the glans to grow in size and sensitivity. While the penis is rigid when erect, the glans itself remains slightly softer. The soft cushiony texture of the glans absorbs impact during rigorous instances of copulation. The proportional size of the glans penis can vary greatly. While the shape of the glans is typically acorn-like, in some men it might be much wider in circumference than the shaft, giving the penis a mushroom-like appearance, while in others it might be narrower and more akin to a probe in shape. Some researchers have suggested that the glans has evolved to become acorn-, mushroom- or cone-shaped so that during copulation it acts to remove any semen still there from previous sex partners, but this is not supported when looking at primate relatives who have different mating behaviors. At the summit of the glans is the slit-like vertical external urethral orifice, called the
urinary meatus The urinary meatus, (, ) also known as the external urethral orifice, is the opening of the urethra. It is the point where urine exits the urethra in both sexes and where semen exits the urethra in males. The meatus has varying degrees of sensit ...
, through which urine,
semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Sem ...
and pre-ejaculatory fluid exit the penis. The circumference of the base of the glans forms a rounded projecting border, the
corona glandis The corona of glans penis or penis crown refers to the rounded projecting border that forms at the base of the glans in human males. The corona overhangs a mucosal surface, known as the neck of the penis, which separates the shaft and the glans ...
, overhanging a deep retroglandular
groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...
known as the ''coronal sulcus'', behind which is the neck of the penis. The
frenulum A frenulum (or frenum, plural: frenula or frena, from the Latin ''frēnulum'', "little bridle", the diminutive of ''frēnum'') is a small fold of tissue that secures the motion of a mobile organ in the body. In human anatomy Frenula on the h ...
is the highly
vascularized Angiogenesis is the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels, formed in the earlier stage of vasculogenesis. Angiogenesis continues the growth of the vasculature by processes of sprouting and splitt ...
elastic band of tissue located on the underside of the glans that connects the foreskin to the head of the penis. The frenulum is supple enough to allow the retraction of the foreskin over the glans and pull it back when the erection is gone. In flaccid state, it tightens to narrow the foreskin opening.


Innervation

The glans and the frenulum are
innervated A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of nerve fibers (called axons) in the peripheral nervous system. A nerve transmits electrical impulses. It is the basic unit of the peripheral nervous system. A nerve provides a common pathway for the e ...
by the
dorsal nerve of the penis The dorsal nerve of the penis is the deepest division of the pudendal nerve; it accompanies the internal pudendal artery along the ramus of the ischium; it then runs forward along the margin of the inferior ramus of the pubis, between the superio ...
and the
perineal nerve The perineal nerve is a nerve of the pelvis. It arises from the pudendal nerve in the pudendal canal. It gives superficial branches to the skin, and a deep branch to muscles. It supplies the skin and muscles of the perineum. Its latency is t ...
, both divisions of the
pudendal nerve The pudendal nerve is the main nerve of the perineum. It carries sensation from the external genitalia of both sexes and the skin around the anus and perineum, as well as the motor supply to various pelvic muscles, including the male or fem ...
. Branches of the dorsal nerve extend through the glans ventrolaterally displaying a three-dimensional innervation pattern. The main branches form smaller bundles of nerves that expand outwards into the tissue of the glans. The rich innervation of the glans penis reveals its function as primary anatomical source of male sexual pleasure. Yang & Bradley argue; "the distinct pattern of innervation of the glans emphasizes its role as a sensory structure". While Yang & Bradley's (1998) report "showed no areas in the glans to be more densely innervated than others.", Halata & Munger (1986) report that the density of several nerve terminals is greatest in the corona glandis. Halata & Spathe (1997) reported; "the glans penis contains a predominance of
free nerve endings A free nerve ending (FNE) or bare nerve ending, is an unspecialized, afferent nerve fiber sending its signal to a sensory neuron. ''Afferent'' in this case means bringing information from the body's periphery toward the brain. They function as cu ...
, numerous genital end bulbs and rarely Pacinian and Ruffinian corpuscles.
Merkel nerve ending Merkel nerve endings are mechanoreceptors, a type of sensory receptor, that are found in the basal epidermis and hair follicles. They are nerve endings and provide information on mechanical pressure, position, and deep static touch features, such a ...
s and
Meissner's corpuscle Tactile corpuscles or Meissner's corpuscles are a type of mechanoreceptor discovered by anatomist Georg Meissner (1829–1905) and Rudolf Wagner. This corpuscle is a type of nerve ending in the skin that is responsible for sensitivity to pressur ...
s ( mechanoreceptors typically found in thick glabrous skin) are not present." The genital end bulbs, that are present throughout the glans, are most numerous in the corona and near the frenulum. Pacinian and Ruffini corpuscles are identified predominantly in the corona glandis. The most numerous nerve terminals are free nerve endings present in almost every
dermal papilla The dermis or corium is a layer of skin between the epidermis (with which it makes up the cutis) and subcutaneous tissues, that primarily consists of dense irregular connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. It is divided in ...
of the glans, as well as scattered throughout the deeper dermis.


Vascularization

The glans penis receives blood from the internal pudental artery through its branch, the
dorsal artery of the penis The dorsal artery of the penis is an artery on the top surface of the penis. It is a branch of the internal pudendal artery. It runs forward on the dorsum of the penis to the glans, where it divides into two branches to the glans penis and the ...
that runs along the penile shaft. Behind the
corona Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to: * Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star * Corona (beer), a Mexican beer * Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...
, the terminal branches of the dorsal arteries
anastomose An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal ...
with the axial arteries through perforating branches before they end in the glans. Venous drainage of the penis begins at the base of the glans. Smaller tributaries deriving from the corona form a venous plexus at the neck of the penis, known as the retro-coronal, or retro- balanic, plexus. The deep dorsal vein, one of the two
dorsal veins of the penis In human anatomy, the dorsal veins of the penis comprise the superficial dorsal vein of the penis and the deep dorsal vein of the penis. Superficial dorsal vein The ''superficial dorsal vein of the penis'' drains the prepuce and skin of the p ...
, serves as a common vessel receiving blood drained from the glans and the corpora cavernosa through the circumflex veins that surround them.


Foreskin

The glans is completely or partially covered by a double-layered fold of skin, known as the
foreskin In male human anatomy, the foreskin, also known as the prepuce, is the double-layered fold of skin, mucosal and muscular tissue at the distal end of the human penis that covers the glans and the urinary meatus. The foreskin is attached to the ...
. In adults, glans exposure can be easily achieved by manual retraction of the foreskin or sometimes automatically during erection. The degree of automatic foreskin retraction varies considerably depending on the foreskin length. The primary purpose of the foreskin is considered to be the covering of the glans and the
urinary meatus The urinary meatus, (, ) also known as the external urethral orifice, is the opening of the urethra. It is the point where urine exits the urethra in both sexes and where semen exits the urethra in males. The meatus has varying degrees of sensit ...
, while also maintaining the mucosa in a moist environment. Foreskin rectractability gradually increases with age. In infancy the foreskin is fused to the glans, it remains non retractable in early
childhood A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
and it is generally tight during
preadolescence Preadolescence is a stage of human development following middle childhood and preceding adolescence.New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd Edition. 2005. Oxford University Press. It commonly ends with the beginning of puberty. Preadolescence is ...
. The skin begins to loosen up significantly during
puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a bo ...
allowing the glans to be completely exposed when needed. By the age of eighteen most boys will have a fully retractable foreskin. In some cases, for
religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...
, cultural or
prophylactic Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, consists of measures taken for the purposes of disease prevention.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental hea ...
reasons some men undergo
circumcision Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. Top ...
, a procedure where the foreskin is partially or completely removed from the penis. The glans of circumcised men remains permanently exposed and dry. Several studies have suggested the glans is generally equally sensitive in both circumcised and uncircumcised penises.


Development

The glans develops from a
phallic A phallus is a penis (especially when Erection, erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimesis, mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic. Any object that symbolically— ...
structure, called the
genital tubercle A genital tubercle or phallic tubercle is a body of tissue present in the development of the reproductive system. It forms in the ventral, caudal region of mammalian embryos of both sexes, and eventually develops into a primordial phallus. In t ...
, which forms in the
embryo An embryo is an initial stage of development of a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male spe ...
regardless of
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
during the early weeks of
pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...
. Initially undifferentiated, the tubercle develops into a penis during the
development of the reproductive system The development of the reproductive system is the part of embryonic growth that results in the sex organs and contributes to sexual differentiation. Due to its large overlap with development of the urinary system, the two systems are typically ...
depending on the exposure to
male hormones Sex hormones, also known as sex steroids, gonadocorticoids and gonadal steroids, are steroid hormones that interact with vertebrate steroid hormone receptors. The sex hormones include the androgens, estrogens, and progestogens. Their effects are ...
, such as
androgens An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This in ...
. In mammals,
sexual differentiation Sexual differentiation is the process of development of the sex differences between males and females from an undifferentiated zygote. Sex determination is often distinct from sex differentiation; sex determination is the designation for the dev ...
is determined by the
sperm Sperm is the male reproductive cell, or gamete, in anisogamous forms of sexual reproduction (forms in which there is a larger, female reproductive cell and a smaller, male one). Animals produce motile sperm with a tail known as a flagellum, whi ...
that carries either an X or a Y (male)
chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...
. The Y chromosome contains a sex-determining gene ( SRY) that encodes a
transcription factor In molecular biology, a transcription factor (TF) (or sequence-specific DNA-binding factor) is a protein that controls the rate of transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding to a specific DNA sequence. The fu ...
for the protein TDF (testis determining factor) and triggers the creation of
testosterone Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristi ...
for the embryo's development into a male. Although the sex of the infant is determined from the moment of conception, the complete external differentiation of the organs begins about eight or nine weeks after conception. Some sources state that the process will be completed by the twelfth week, while others state that it is clearly evident by the thirteenth week and that the sex organs are fully developed by the sixteenth week. Both penis and clitoris develop from the same tissues that become the glans and shaft of the penis and this shared embryonic origin makes these two organs homologous (different versions of the same structure). In the
female Female (Venus symbol, symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ovum, ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the Sperm, male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gamet ...
fetus the absence of testosterone will stop the growth of the phallus causing the tubercle to shrink and form the clitoris. In the
male Male (symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or ovum, in the process of fertilization. A male organism cannot reproduce sexually without access to ...
fetus the presence of a Y chromosome leads to the development of the
testes A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testoster ...
, which secrete a large amount of hormones called androgens. These hormones will cause the
masculinization Virilization or masculinization is the biological development of adult male characteristics in young males or females. Most of the changes of virilization are produced by androgens. Virilization is most commonly used in three medical and biology ...
of the phenotypically indifferent organs. When exposed to testosterone, the genital tubercle elongates to form the
penis A penis (plural ''penises'' or ''penes'' () is the primary sexual organ that male animals use to inseminate females (or hermaphrodites) during copulation. Such organs occur in many animals, both vertebrate and invertebrate, but males do n ...
. By fusion of the
urogenital folds The development of the reproductive system is the part of embryonic growth that results in the sex organs and contributes to sexual differentiation. Due to its large overlap with development of the urinary system, the two systems are typically ...
– elongated spindle-shaped structures that contribute to the formation of the urethral groove on the belly aspect of the genital tubercle – the
urogenital sinus The urogenital sinus is a part of the human body only present in the development of the urinary and reproductive organs. It is the ventral part of the cloaca, formed after the cloaca separates from the anal canal during the fourth to seventh we ...
closes completely to form the
spongy urethra The spongy urethra (cavernous portion of urethra, penile urethra) is the longest part of the male urethra, and is contained in the corpus spongiosum of the penis. It is about 15 cm long, and extends from the termination of the membranous po ...
and the labioscrotal swellings unite to form the
scrotum The scrotum or scrotal sac is an anatomical male reproductive structure located at the base of the penis that consists of a suspended dual-chambered sac of skin and smooth muscle. It is present in most terrestrial male mammals. The scrotum cont ...
. The secretion of testosterone during this phase plays a decisive role in the final shaping of the penis. After birth, testosterone levels drop significantly until
puberty Puberty is the process of physical changes through which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction. It is initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads: the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a bo ...
.


Clinical significance

The
epithelium Epithelium or epithelial tissue is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. It is a thin, continuous, protective layer of compactly packed cells with a little intercellul ...
of the glans penis consists of
mucosal A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is ...
tissue. Birley ''et al.'' report that excessive washing with soap may dry the mucous membrane which covers the glans penis and cause non-specific
dermatitis Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can v ...
. The condition is described as an inflammation of the skin, often caused by an irritating substance or a
contact allergy Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are ...
. Sensitivity to chemicals in certain products can cause an allergic reaction, including irritation,
itching Itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch. Itch has resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itch has many similarities to pain, and while both are unpleasan ...
and
rash A rash is a change of the human skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture. A rash may be localized in one part of the body, or affect all the skin. Rashes may cause the skin to change color, itch, become warm, bumpy, chapped, dry, cr ...
. Inflammation of the glans penis is known as
balanitis Balanitis is inflammation of the glans penis. When the foreskin is also affected, the proper term is balanoposthitis. Balanitis on boys still in diapers must be distinguished from redness caused by ammoniacal dermatitis. The word ''balanitis'' ...
. It is a treatable condition that occurs in about 3–11% of males (up to 35% of diabetic males). Edwards reported that it is generally more common in males who have poor
hygiene Hygiene is a series of practices performed to preserve health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), "Hygiene refers to conditions and practices that help to maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases." Personal hygiene refer ...
habits or have not been circumcised. It has many causes, including irritation or infection with a wide variety of
pathogens In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...
. Symptoms of balanitis may appear suddenly or develop gradually. They might include pain, irritation, redness or red patches on the glans penis. Careful identification of the cause with the aid of patient history, physical examination, swabs and cultures, and biopsy are essential in order to determine the proper treatment. The
meatus In anatomy, a meatus (, ),'' OED'' 2nd edition, 1989, as . plural "meatus" or "meatuses",
(opening) of the urethra located at the tip of the glans might become subject to
meatal stenosis Urethral meatal stenosis is a narrowing (stenosis) of the opening of the urethra at the external urinary meatus, meatus , thus constricting the opening through which urine leaves the body from the urinary bladder. Symptoms and signs * Abnormal ...
, a condition mostly seen as a late complication of circumcision. It occurs in about 2–20% of circumcised boys and it is rarely seen in uncircumcised men. It is characterized by a narrowing of the meatus, which might cause sudden or often urges to urinate and burning during the process.


Other animals

Male
felid Felidae () is the family of mammals in the order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a felid (). The term "cat" refers both to felids in general and specifically to the dom ...
s are able to urinate backwards by curving the tip of the glans penis backward. In cats, the glans penis is covered with spines, while in dogs the glans is smooth.
Penile spines Many mammalian species have developed keratinized penile spines along the glans and/or shaft, which may be involved in sexual selection. These spines have been described as being simple, single-pointed structures (macaques) or complex with two ...
also occur on the glans of male and female
spotted hyena The spotted hyena (''Crocuta crocuta''), also known as the laughing hyena, is a hyena species, currently classed as the sole extant member of the genus ''Crocuta'', native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as being of least concern by the IUC ...
s. In male dogs, the glans penis consists of two parts called the ''
bulbus glandis The bulbus glandis (also called a bulb or knot) is an erectile tissue structure on the penis of canid mammals. During mating, immediately before ejaculation the tissues swell up to lock ('' tie'') the male's penis inside the female. The locking i ...
'' and ''pars longa glandis''. The glans of a fossa's penis extends about halfway down the shaft and is spiny except at the tip. In comparison, the glans of felids is short and spiny, while that of
viverrids Viverridae is a family of small to medium-sized, feliform mammals. The viverrids () comprise 33 species placed in 14 genera. This family was named and first described by John Edward Gray in 1821. Viverrids occur all over Africa, southern Europe, ...
is smooth and long. The shape of the glans varies among different
marsupial Marsupials are any members of the mammalian infraclass Marsupialia. All extant marsupials are endemic to Australasia, Wallacea and the Americas. A distinctive characteristic common to most of these species is that the young are carried in a po ...
species. In most marsupials, the glans is divided, but male
macropods Macropod may refer to: * Macropodidae, a marsupial family which includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, pademelons, and several others * Macropodiformes The Macropodiformes , also known as macropods, are one of the three suborders of the ...
have an undivided glans penis. The glans penis is also divided into two parts in
platypuses The platypus (''Ornithorhynchus anatinus''), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic, egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative or monotyp ...
and
echidnas Echidnas (), sometimes known as spiny anteaters, are quill-covered monotremes (egg-laying mammals) belonging to the family Tachyglossidae . The four extant species of echidnas and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs and the ...
. The glans penis of the
marsh rice rat The marsh rice rat (''Oryzomys palustris'') is a semiaquatic North American rodent in the family Cricetidae. It usually occurs in wetland habitats, such as swamps and salt marshes. It is found mostly in the eastern and southern United States, fr ...
is long and robust,Hooper and Musser, 1964, p. 13 averaging 7.3 mm (0.29 in) long and 4.6 mm (0.18 in) broad. In ''
Thomasomys ucucha ''Thomasomys ucucha'', also known as the ucucha thomasomys, is a rodent in the genus ''Thomasomys'' of the family Cricetidae. It is known only from high altitude forest and grassland habitats in the Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador. Seven other ...
'' the glans penis is rounded, short, and small and is superficially divided into left and right halves by a trough at the top and a ridge at the bottom. Most of the glans is covered with spines, except for an area near the tip. Winkelmann's mouse can most readily be distinguished from its close relatives by its partially corrugated glans penis. When erect, the glans of a
horse's penis A stallion is a male horse that has not been gelded (castrated). Stallions follow the conformation and phenotype of their breed, but within that standard, the presence of hormones such as testosterone may give stallions a thicker, "cresty" neck ...
increases by 3 to . The
urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...
opens within the urethral fossa, a small pouch at the distal end of the glans. Unlike the human glans, the glans of a horse's penis extends backwards on its shaft. Males of Racey's pipistrelle bat have a narrow, egg-shaped glans penis.Bates et al., 2006, pp. 306–307 The glans penis of a male
cape ground squirrel The Cape ground squirrel or South African ground squirrel (''Geosciurus inauris'') is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia, including Etosha National Park. The name ' ...
is large with a prominent baculum.Skurski, D., J. Waterman. 2005. "Xerus inauris", ''Mammalian Species'' 781:1-4.


See also

*
Corona of glans penis The corona of glans penis or penis crown refers to the rounded projecting border that forms at the base of the glans in human males. The corona overhangs a mucosal surface, known as the neck of the penis, which separates the shaft and the glans ...
* Hirsuties papillaris genitalis


References


External links

{{Authority control Mammal male reproductive system Human penis anatomy Human male reproductive system