A microscopical examination of the gastric morphology of the white-tailed rat Mystromys albicaudatus (Smith 1834)

Abstract

A study of the gastric morphology of Mystromys albicaudatus revealed a sacculated stomach with a papillated, keratinized corpus separated from a distal glandular antrum by a ρ re- gastric pouch. Gastric morphology of this type is defined as bilocular hemiglandular. Although the forestomach of M. albicaudatus bears a superficial resemblance to that of a ruminant, the corpus (and papillae in particular) differ structurally and functionally from the rumen. Whereas rumen papillae are important in absorption, those of M. albicaudatus increase surface area for the attachment of symbiotic bacteria.