Morphological features of the gastrointestinal tract of Garganey (Anas querquedula, Linnaeus 1758)-Oesophagus to coprodeum.

The present work was aimed to study the gastrointestinal tract in Garganey from the oesophagus to coprodeum by the aid of the gross morphology, scanning electron microscopy and histology. At the level of the thoracic inlet, the oesophagus had a thick part which had numerous tortuous longitudinal folds carried transverse folds on them. Histologically, the thick part had thick epithelium and appeared more folded with more and larger glands. The mucosa of the proventriculus had mucosal folds appeared as a leaf-like with rounded tips. The openings of the proventriculus glands were projected with papillae on the epithelial surface. The gizzard lined with horizontal layer of cuticle which sent vertical parts of cuticle. The duodenal villi were pentagonal in shape with sharply pointed tips, while the jejunal villi were triangular with rounded ends, and the ileal villi were wide and pentagonal in shape with pointed tips. The mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum was thrown into villi lined by simple columnar epithelium with goblet cells with difference in the form, length, density and number. The apical points of the duodenal and ileal villi appeared pointed, while the jejunal villi had rounded ends. The jejunal villi were longer and numerous than the duodenal villi, but the ileal villi appeared with different length and less numerous. The mucosa of the caecum had numerous mucous glands which surrounded by circular crypts. The rectal mucosa had longitudinal folds and semilunar and circular crypts. The mucosa of the coprodeum had longitudinal folds surrounded by crypts.