Non-Mammalian Digestive System Photos

COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY

Biology 453

Biol. 453 Home Page
Biol. 453 Lab Notes
Biol. 453 Photos
Biol. 453 Exam Page

 

Chondrichthyes: Dogfish Shark & Skate
Overview of shark digestive system; large liver to the left.

Another view of shark digestive system, the large liver is to the right.

Another view of shark digestive system.

Fundic region of stomach opened to show rugae & esophageal papillae to the right.

Opened section of spiral valve intestine

The gall bladder is the gray, flattened sac-like structure.

Shark rectal (digitiform) gland is at the far right, emptying excess salts into the colon.

Closer view of a shark rectal (digitiform) gland.

Visceral organs of a skate - The liver is at the top, stomach (long; curves down from top right & then up to the left), pyloric sphincter, spiral valve intestine (far left), pancreas (between part of stomach & intestine).

Aves: Pigeon
This crop is a large, sac-like structure, with a small cut in it. Above the crop, the esophagus has been pulled to the left & the trachea (with it's cartilaginous rings is on the right.

A close-up look at the stomach with the smaller proventriculus above the cut gizzard.

Small intestines are below & to the left of the gizzard. The pancreas is the tan tissue between the 2 sections of the small intestine on the far left.

Ileocolic cecae are the tiny light tan structures along this part of the digestive tract & mark the boundary between the small intestine & the large intestine (colon).

The gizzard is opened to show it's thick muscular walls, keratinized lining & small gravel that birds swallow to help grind their food.

Archosauria: Alligator Stomach
Stomach exterior

Stomach interior - note similarity to a bird's gizzard

| top of page |