HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON SOME DIGESTIVE ORGANS OF SOME REPTILE TYPES IN ASWAN

Abstract

The present study has aimed at investigating the histological and histochemical structure of some digestive organs (Stomach, Small intestine and Liver) of l\vo common lizards from Aswan Governorate areas belonging to l\vo different species of the. same family having different feeding habits. Carni orous lizards represented by Mahuya quinquetaeniata and Omnivorous as Chalcides ocellatus. The lizards were collected from Aswan Governorate. The freshly captured li7.ards were photographed and its length and the length of the digestive tract and organs were measured. The specimens for histological examination were fixed in different fixatives and prepared for the examination with light microscope. The relative gut length of omnivorous Chalcides ocellatus was longer than that of carnivorous Mabuya quinquetaeniala. From the anatomical point of view, the alimentary canal of the studied lizards begins with the mouth opening and composed of oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestine. The digestive glands include the liver and • pancreas.

The l\vo examined lizard species have no anatomical demarcation bel\veen the oesophagus and stomach. TI1e stomach of A1abuya quinquetaeniata is thick and wide sac situated at the left side of the body cavity and is differentiated into an anterior wide cardiac portion and posterior curved narrow pyloric portion but in Chalcides ocellatus stomach appear as elongated and narrow tube lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body on the left side and is differentiated into large wide cardiac portion and slightly curved small pyloric portion.