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Bhattacharya, M.; Chakraborty, A., 1993. Gastric mucous membrane of the one-horned Indian rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros unicornis). Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 63 (1): 42-43, figs. 1-2

  details
 
Location: World
Subject: Anatomy - Internal organs
Species: Indian Rhino


Original text on this topic:
The present study was undertaken to elucidate the gastric mucous membrane of One-horned rhinoceros to reveal the species-specific peculiarity of this simple stomach animal.
Stomach samples of 2 one-homed rhinoceroses belonging to State Zoo of Assam were collected immediately after death. The stomach was opened out, cleaned and gross characteristics of its mucous membrane studied. Pieces of tissues from stomach were fixed in 10% formol-saline solution and processed for routine haematoxylin and cosin staining. Subsequently, pieces of tissues from the stomach, were fixed in 5% glutaraidehyde in 0.1M cacodyulate buffer at pH 7.2, processed for sea nring electron ndcroscopy (SElfi according to Dey et al. (1989), and observed by a scanning electron microscope (JEOL).
The mucous membrane linning of the stomach of rhinoceros was divided into two parts depending upon its surface characteristics (Fig. 1). The part which was the continuation of the oesophageal mucous membrane was termed as proventricular or oesophageal part. It was brownish and certain longitudinal folds were marked at the cardiac orifice. This part was lined by stratified squamous epitheliuni and lacked gastric glands. The proventricular part was separated from the glandular part by an irregular ridge termed as margo plicatus. The glandular part.was yellowish grey. The surface of the glandular partwas smooth. However, SEM study revealed the groups of epithelial cells of animals cells being separated by gastric pits (Fig. 2). The gastric mucous membrane of the rhinoceros as detailed in the present study resembled that of horse (Sisson 1975). This structural similarity to gastric mucous mem- brane of these two different species of animals indicated their resemblance in feeding habit and life style.

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