Morphology and histology of the digestive tract of Nautilus pompilius and Nautilus macromphalus (Cephalopoda, Tetrabranchiata) |
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Authors: | B Westermann R Schipp |
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Affiliation: | (1) Institut für Allgemeine und Spezielle Zoologie, Abteilung Entwicklungsbiologie, Stephanstrasse 24, D-35390 Giessen, Germany Tel.: 0641/99-35601; Fax: 0641/99-35609, DE |
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Abstract: | This study presents histological and scanning electron microscopical findings on the structural differentiation, and the
nervous and vascular supply of the digestive tracts of Nautilus pompilius and N. macromphalus, including the foregut, stomach, vestibulum, caecum, midgut and rectum. The stereoscopic reconstruction of the vestibulocaecal
complex gives an idea how the digestive cycle between the stomach, vestibulum, caecum and proximal midgut could possibly proceed.
All parts of the digestive tract are covered luminally by a columnar epithelium which contains numerous goblet cells. The
epithelium is ciliated in the vestibulum, caecum, proximal midgut and the longitudinal groove of the rectum. On this lamina
epithelialis mucosae borders the lamina propria mucosae, which consists of connective tissue and some muscle cells. In the
stomach it is differentiated, forming a special bolster-like layer. The lamina propria mucosae is followed by the tunica muscularis,
which consists of a stratum circulare and a stratum longitudinale in the foregut, vestibulum, caecum, midgut and rectum. In
the stomach, midgut and rectum, the tunica adventitia, which consists of a thin layer of connective tissue, is located between
the tunica muscularis and the cuboidal tunica serosa.
Accepted: 4 August 1997 |
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