Abstract
The present investigation represents the first morphological description of the oropharyngeal cavity of Eurasian common moorhen. Nine oropharyngeal cavities were examined grossly and by stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations. The tongue had a rounded apex with multiple acicular processes on its rostral and lateral borders. The dorsal lingual surface of the apex and body had a median sulcus. The papillary crest carried four caudally directed triangular conical papillae on its median part and four triangular conical papillae on each lateral part. The filiform papillary system; small papillae on apex and long papillae on the rostral part of the body while broad papillae on the caudal part of the body. The lingual root had a special appearance by presence of three areas: mucosal fossa, two lateral ridges, and rhomboidal elevated central part. The caudal border of the mound carried heart‐shaped pharyngeal papillae that possessed three papillary rows. The palate had a median palatine ridge rostrally that surrounded by two lateral palatine ridges. The choanae had two equal parts: rostral tapering and wide caudal. The rostral tapering choanal part was surrounded by two longitudinal rows of caudally directed conical papillae, one on each side. There was a single transverse row of conical papillae on each side of the caudal part of the rostral tapering choanal part. The caudal wide choanal part did not encircle by any papillae. Our conclusion exhibited unique structural and functional specifications of the oropharyngeal cavity with the tongue that evident with nutritional behavior.
Research Highlights
The round apex had a multiple acicular process on its rostral and lateral borders. Papillary crest had four triangular papillae on its median part while its lateral part had four triangular conical papillae. The filiform papillary system; small papillae on apex and long papillae on the rostral part of body while broad papillae on caudal part of body. Lingual root had a special appearance by presence of three area: mucosal fossa, two lateral ridges and rhomboidal central part. The caudal border of mound carried heart‐shape pharyngeal papillae that formed from three papillary rows. The palate had median palatine ridge rostrally that surrounded by two lateral palatine ridges connected rostrally. The choanae formed of two equal parts; rostral tapering part and wide caudal part separated by constriction. The rostral tapering part of choanae was surrounded by two longitudinal rows of caudally directed conical papillae, one on each side. The caudal wide part of choanae had no papillae.
The Morphological (gross and scanning electron microscope) image of the oropharyngeal cavity of the Eurasian common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)