title: Morphological and histochemical characterization of the digestive tract of the puffer fish Sphoeroides testudineus (Linnaeus 1758) (Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae).
abstract: Morphological analysis of the digestive tract of Sphoeroides testudineus showed an esophagus with an anterior and a posterior portion, the abdominal pouch. No stomach was observed between the abdominal pouch and the intestine. The intestine was arranged in three segments and two loops, and the distal portion had the rectum opening into the anus. Histochemical analyses showed that the esophagus secreted acid mucosecretions, and that there was a qualitative increase in goblet cells from the proximal to distal area of the intestine. The rectum showed cells secreting acid and neutral mucus. Given these features, this species presents a morphology which creates a link between its ecology and behavior.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Morfologia de Animais Marinhos, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus do Litoral Paulista, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, 11330-900 São Vicente, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Kainã R C
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Fagundes
authors.affiliation: Acervo de Zoológico, Universidade Santa Cecília, Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 277, 11045-907 Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Matheus M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rotundo
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Morfologia de Animais Marinhos, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus do Litoral Paulista, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, 11330-900 São Vicente, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Renata B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D023721:Tetraodontiformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism*