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Ontogenetic changes in the mesogastric viscera of the Colobidae
Author(s) -
Hill W. C. Osman
Publication year - 1954
Publication title -
proceedings of the zoological society of london
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.915
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1469-7998
pISSN - 0370-2774
DOI - 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1954.tb01486.x
Subject(s) - biology , stomach , ontogeny , adaptation (eye) , embryo , anatomy , function (biology) , zoology , physiology , evolutionary biology , endocrinology , genetics , neuroscience , biochemistry
Summary.1 Stages in the developmental differentiation of the stomach are described in a graded series of embryos and foetuses of Semnopithecus priam with special reference to morphogenetic and histogenetic features. 2 Comparison is made with material from Colobus (Piliocolobus) badius and with data from the literature regarding some other Asiatic colobid monkeys. 3 Neonatal stages are considered in Semnopithecus, Kasi, Trachypithecus and Presbytis , with special reference to the morphological changes involving the liver. 4 Conclusions are ( a ) that although the colobid stomach presents features of a primitive order, in so far as these recall embryonic conditions, the viscus, both as a whole and in its details, is secondarily specialized in adaptation to a specialized diet. This simply means that embryonal gastric characters have been utilized in the elaboration of the definitive organ, whereas in the other Old World pithecoids the stomach has undergone a divergent simplification; ( b ) some evidence is indicated of intergeneric differentiation in gastric morphology whithin the family, e.g. in Procolobus and Nasalis especially; ( c ) the mutual topographical relations of stomach and liver as observed in adult colobids are post‐natal and result from several independent factors, especially (i) prenatal hepatic function and (ii) post‐natal gastric function.