The Harderian gland of two species of snakes: Pseudonaja textilis (Elapidae) and Thamnophis sirtalis (Colubridae)
| Autor: | Mark N. Hutchinson, Bruce T. Firth, Susan J. Rehorek, Mimi Halpern |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2003 |
| Předmět: |
Exocrine gland
animal structures Vomeronasal organ biology Ophidia Zoology Anatomy biology.organism_classification Pseudonaja textilis Harderian gland medicine.anatomical_structure stomatognathic system Elapidae medicine Colubridae Animal Science and Zoology Thamnophis sirtalis Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics |
| Zdroj: | Canadian Journal of Zoology. 81:357-363 |
| ISSN: | 1480-3283 0008-4301 |
| DOI: | 10.1139/z03-014 |
| Popis: | The reptilian Harderian gland is a poorly understood cephalic structure. Despite the recent assertion that in snakes it may function as part of the vomeronasal system, the Harderian gland has been described in few snake species. In this study we examined the gross anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure of the Harderian gland of two different advanced snake species (Colubroidea): Pseudonaja textilis (Elapidae) and Thamnophis sirtalis (Colubridae). In both species the Harderian gland is a large serous gland whose secretions pass directly into the vomeronasal organ via the nasolacrimal duct. Contrary to previous publications, the Harderian gland in both species studied possesses a specific duct system lined by mucous cells. However, the Harderian glands of these two species differ in shape, the histochemical nature of these mucous secretions, and the ultrastructure of the serous granules. In conclusion, though the Harderian glands of snakes are remarkably conserved morphologically, there is some interspecific variation. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|