The Structure and Radiographic Anatomy of the Alimentary Tract of the Tammar Wallaby, Macropus Eugenii (Marsupialia) 1. The Stomach.

Abstract

A description is given of the gross and radiographic anatomy of the stomach of Macropus eugenii. The stomach is in the form of a sigmoid tube beginning at a blind sac on the left side and ending at the caudally directed pylorus on the right side. It is haustrated over the whole length of the proximal compartment and most of the middle compartment. The distal part of the middle compartment, and the distal compartment, are not haustrated. The time, but not the pattern, of distribution and mixing with digesta of orally administered barium sulphate is shown to be different in wallabies which had been recently fed and those which had not been fed for 24 h. The contrast agent was carried from the cardia towards the caudal gastric flexure along the ventricular groove. The barium sulphate first dispersed both cranially and caudally from the ends of the groove and was subsequently mixed with digesta. Gastric emptying was difficult to determine radiographically. No radiopaque material was seen in the duodenum, and digesta were therefore assumed to have passed rapidly through into the jejunum.