MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE OF THE AFRICAN PIED CROW (Corvus albus)

Abstract

The gross and histo-morphological characteristics of the small intestine of the African pied crow are described in this study. The general gross morphology of the small intestine of these birds follows the basic model of the avian small intestine, except that the jejunum of the African pied crow was organized in the form of cone-shaped spiral coils. The cone-shaped jejunum had centripetal coils, a sigmoid flexure and centrifugal coils. The histology of the wall of the small intestine of the African pied crow revealed four layers of tissues; the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. Morphological modification of these tissue layers was observed, and is thought to be a necessary adaptation for rapid breakdown and absorption of food.