The gastrointestinal tract of Adélie penguins: morphology and function

摘要: The aim of this study was to provide data on the morphology gastrointestinal tract Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). It found consist a long oesophagus, two-chambered stomach, small intestine measuring only 5.2×body length, two rudimentary caeca and short colon, typical carnivorous birds. stomach comprised glandular proventriculus muscular gizzard that frequently contained grit. An acidic pH recorded in both chambers. Ultrastructural studies intestinal mucosal membrane revealed epithelial cells with elongated, irregular microvilli high affinity for toluidine blue, absorptive goblet cells. Numerous large lymphocyte-like were observed close brush border epithelium, empty spaces surface reflected normal cell loss intestine. colon relatively little volume time symbiotic bacteria aid digestion crustacean chitin.