Observations on the oesophageal glands in some Tanzanian anurans

Abstract

The occurrence and function of oesophageal glands In some anurans from Tanzania was investigated. The compound glands were present in the oesophageal submucosa of Ptychadena oxyrhynchus Smith, Ptychadena porosissima Steindachner, Phrynobatrachus acridoides Cope, Chiromantis xerampelina Peters, Leptopelis argenteus Pfeffer, Kassina maculata Dumeril, Afrixalus brachycnemis brachycnemis Boulenger, Hyperolius argus Peters, Hyperolius puncticulatus Pfeffer and Hyperolius tuberilinguis Smith, but were absent in Xenopus muelleri Peters, Bufo gutturalis Power and Phrynomerus bifasciatus bifasciatus Smith. It is suggested that in anurans, the oesophageal and gastric glands have similar functions.