Form and function of the macropod marsupial digestive tract

摘要

The gross anatomy of the macropod digestive tract was first described in the last century (Home, 1814, Owen, 1839-47, 1868), and in the early part of this century (Mitchell, 1916; MacKenzie, 1918). The great size and complex structure of the macropod stomach, the presence of an esophageal groove (first noted by Owen, 1839-47), and the relatively small cecum were fea-tures described as being similar to the ruminant digestive tract. The speci-mens examined by the early workers appear to have been mainly Macropus giganteus (eastern grey kangaroo), M. parryi (whiptail wallaby), and Petrogale penicillata (rock wallaby). Although Owen (1868) and MacKenzie (1918) noted some species-specific structural characteristics of the macropod stom-ach, the differences described were relatively minor.