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Anatomy and histology of the gastrointestinal tract of the neo‐tropical opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis insularis, Allen 1902 )
Author(s) -
Tardieu Laura,
Sundaram Venkatesan,
Adogwa Andrew O.,
Garcia Gary W.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/azo.12306
Subject(s) - opossum , didelphis , biology , caecum , stomach , gastrointestinal tract , anatomy , ileum , jejunum , small intestine , histology , digestive tract , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , genetics
The morphology of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) is a strong indicator of the dietary habits of a species. The goal of this study was to describe the gross and microanatomy of the digestive tract of the neo‐tropical opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis insularis ) and relate them to the animals’ food habits. GI tracts from 12 adult animals were used for this study. Results found the small intestine made up 65.9% of the GI tract, and the stomach was simple with a prominent caecum. Histologically, the oesophageal mucosa was non‐keratinized and glands were found throughout the oesophagus. The large intestine showed a great number of goblet cells, the jejunum possessed well‐developed villi, and Peyer's patches were absent in the ileum. The absence of keratinization of the epithelial lining of the oesophagus and stomach and a high lymphocytic infiltration throughout the small and large intestine reflected a more carnivorous diet, whereas the presence of a well‐developed caecum in the large intestine indicated the ability to digest plant matter. Overall, the morphology of GI tract of D. m. insularis displayed both carnivorous and herbivorous features, allowing us to conclude that it is an omnivorous animal.