FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 78, NO. 2 



specimens showed great similarity with those 

 shown in Figures 20 and 21. The amount of edema 

 varied slightly and so did the glandular vacuoliza- 

 tion. No secretion was found within the glands 

 although frequently there was thick mucus cover- 

 ing the endometrial surface on gross examination. 

 The luteal cells were supported, not degenerated 

 but less plump than in early pregnancy. The only 

 difference was the complete fibrosis of the central 

 cavity, probably insufficient findings for a mean- 

 ingful separation of some specimens from the pre- 

 vious group Via. Of course, no capillary prolifera- 

 tion of the superficial endometrium, so typical of 

 pregnancy was evident. 



One specimen is probably misclassified (no. 15, 

 Table 8). Not only is this the largest uterus (580 g) 



with pronounced stretch marks (Figure 23) but 

 also it exhibits a differing histologic appearance of 

 the endometrium (Figure 24). This shows acute 

 endometritis in a mucosa which otherwise had all 

 of the characteristics of pregnancy. The corpus 

 luteum was well supported with large plump cells. 

 In all likelihood this S. attenuata had very re- 

 cently delivered. This is from a November catch 

 and it is impossible to determine whether this 

 represented a full-term pregnancy since Perrin et 

 al. (1976) showed that calving does occur in this 

 species in the winter, although less commonly. It 

 may well be that this inflammatory exudate in the 

 superficial endometrial regions represents the 

 normal immediately post partum event. This 

 would explain the persistence of an active corpus 



Figure 23.— uterus of recently Ae\\\eredStenella attenuata, no. 15, Table 8. Note stretch marks of left horn, 



congestion and disparate size of horns. 



524 



