This research presents the first anatomical description of the tongue and lingual papillae of the meerkat and compares the different information on the morphology of the other carnivore species. For this purpose, three tongues were used as material. The tongue was elongated with an oval or rounded apex. On the dorsal and ventrolateral surfaces of the tongue, filiform papillae had extent variations in morphology. Papillary body of each filiform papilla on the ventrolateral surface of the lingual body was ramified into 2-5 glovelike projections, and all pointed tips of these projections were directed caudally. On the dorsal lingual surface, each filiform papilla leaned on another without any space and both lateral borders of each filiform papilla included 4-6 small secondary projections or spines. A few rounded fungiform papillae were randomly distributed and embedded among the filiform papillae. On the caudal one-third of the body, there were two elongated circumvallate papillae. Some superficial fissures and taste pores were detected on the flat surfaces of each circumvallate papilla which was surrounded by a prominent and continuous gustatory groove. On the radix of the tongue, numerous dome-shaped protuberances of lingual salivary glands beneath the epithelium and one centrally located orificium was very invincible on the convex surface of each protuberance. Anatomical distribution of lingual papillae differed from those of other carnivores and represented morphological adaptation to the food type and feeding habits.

The objective of this work is to give a complementary description of the hepatic lobulation, the hepatic ligaments and the omenta of the nutria. Thirty nutrias were studied by gross dissection. The liver of the nutria was divided into six lobules as follows: left lateral, left medial, quadrate, right medial, right lateral, and caudate lobes. The caudate lobe was divided into a papillary and a caudate process. A whole falciform ligament, extending as far as the navel, was found in all animals. This one was the only ligament that contained fat in between its sheets, and it was abundant in the umbilical part. The left triangular ligament had two parts. One of them was attached to the left lateral lobe of the liver and the other one to the left medial lobe. The right triangular ligament also was double. The lateral triangular ligaments where larger than the medial ones. The hepatorenal ligament it was attached to the right kidney and its ventral free border measured 3.0 cm. The coronary ligament was always relatively well marked and was continuous with all the previous ligaments. The omenta were similar to those described for the rabbit but had more fat. The greater omentum united with the left sheet of the mesoduodenum and to the ascending mesocolon.

No abstract

In this study, we describe the internal structures of both ventricles and the valvular apparatus of the heart of the white rhino. In the right of the heart, three papillary muscles were found in septal and marginal walls and m. papillaris magnus was the biggest. There was only one m. papillaris parvus in the right ventricle. The right atrioventricular valve was tricuspid, and the parietal cusp was longest. In the left of the heart, two papillary muscles were found on the septal wall and the subauricular was the biggest. The left atrioventricular valve was bicuspid and the parietal cusp was longest. There were no nodules in the valves of the pulmonary trunk and aorta, and the semilunar valves had many fibrous folds and transparent parts. Within the cardiac skeleton there was a cartilago cordis which occupied a small part of the right fibrous trigone. While the right ventricle included only one septomarginal trabecula, there were many trabeculae in the left ventricle. In both ventricles, the endocardium was thin and the subendocardial network was visible, also their continuation with the septomarginal trabeculae. We also found many trabeculae carneae in the dorsal part of the ventricles.