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A
comparative morphometric analysis of the stomach in rat
Rattus norvegicus, bat Eidolon helvum and
pangolin Manis tricuspis
*Ofusori D. A1, Enaibe B.U2, Falana
B. A3, Adeeyo O. A4, Yusuf U. A4,
and Ajayi S.A3
1 Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical
Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada, P.M.B 0006, Benin
City, Edo State, Nigeria.
2 Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic
Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
3 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty
of Basic Medical Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
4 Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic
Medical Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding
author. E-mail:
davidofus234@yahoo.com. Tel: +234-803-445-5715.
Accepted 10
February ,2008
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The
difference in the feeding habits of these three mammals
necessitated this study, (pangolin being insectivorous, bat
frugivorous and rat omnivorous). This study compared the
macro and micro-morphometric adaptations adopted by the
stomach of the three mammals to cope with their feeding
habits. The study was carried out using sixteen rats,
sixteen bats and eight pangolin of both sexes randomly
divided into two equal groups each that is, A and B. The
animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and the
stomachs were quickly excised following abdominal incision.
Those in group A were subjected to macro-morphometric
analysis while those in group B have their excised stomach
fixed in 10% formol saline and following histological
processes, where subjected to micro-morphometric analysis.
The results revealed that the stomach of the three mammals
have a great deal of correlation with their feeding pattern;
with that of the pangolin being significantly different
(p<0.05) compared to the other two mammals due to their high
chitinous diet. It is therefore concluded that the
differences in the morphometric assessment is due to the
different feeding pattern in the three mammals.
Key
words: Feeding habit, morphometric, analysis, mammals,
stomach, pangolin, bat, rat.
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