title: Macroscopic digestive tract anatomy of two small antelopes, the blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) and the Arabian sand gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica).
abstract: The digestive tract anatomy of 14 blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) and seven Arabian sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) was quantified by dimensions, area and weight. Data from the two small-sized antilopinae were evaluated against a larger comparative data set from other ruminants classified as having either a 'cattle-type' or 'moose-type' digestive system. The digestive anatomy of the blackbuck resembled that of 'cattle-type' ruminants, which corresponds to their feeding ecology and previous studies of solute and particle retention time; however, a surprising exception was the remarkably small omasum in this species, which makes the blackbuck stand out from the general rule of a relatively large omasum in grazing ruminants. Sand gazelles had morphological features that corresponded more to the 'moose type' or an intermediate position, although previous studies of solute and particle retention time had led to the expectation of a more 'cattle-type' anatomy. The results show that outliers to general morphological trends exist, that findings on physiology and anatomy do not always match completely and that differences in the digestive morphology among ruminant species are more difficult to demonstrate at the lower end of the body mass range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, AU Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, PO Box 50, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark. catsauer@gmail.com.|Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 38, DK-2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark. catsauer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 38, DK-2000, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Mads F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bertelsen
authors.affiliation: Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, P.O. Box 44069, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, AU Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, PO Box 50, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, AU Foulum, Blichers Allé 20, PO Box 50, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Weisbjerg
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clauss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000866:Antelopes / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet; D004210:Dissection / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D009851:Omasum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*