Transactions
of the Azov-Black Sea Ornithological Station
Morphometric parameters of waders' intestines (Charadrii) at migratory stopovers in the Azov-Black Sea region
I. O. Lykova, L. P. Kharchenko.
The features of the morphofunctional organization of the digestive system of waders (Charadrii) during migratory stopovers in the Azov-Black Sea region were investigated. The rich trophic base of the region contributes to the active feeding of waders and the rapid accumulation of fat. It has been established that the absorption of a large number of forages contributes to the plasticity of the digestive system of migrants. At migratory stopovers, the digestive system of waders quickly adapts to intensive nutrition and digestion, as evidenced by an increase in the total mass of the digestive system, which is due to an increase in the morphometric parameters of the stomach, liver and intestines.
The complex analysis of the morphometric parameters of the intestines of 16 species of waders using the trophic base of the Azov-Black Sea region was carried out. Analysis of the forage base of waders during migratory stopovers showed that all studied species of waders did not differ in the range of forages and the type of feeding. The results of morphometric studies of the intestines of waders confirm that they, as for most birds, are characterized by a shortened intestine. The length of the intestine exceeds the length of the trunk of the body in 2.2-4.8 times, the absolute length of the intestine depends on the size of the bird body.
Analysis of the morphometric parameters of the waders' intestines showed that its anatomical structure and relative dimensions correspond to the trophic specialization and feeding strategy of birds. It is established that the relative length of the duodenum is 11.97-24.15% of the total length of the intestine, the jejunum and ileum – 69.5-72.3%, respectively. The large intestine is represented by the rectum, the relative length of which is 2.8-9.3% of the total length of the intestine. In most of the studied species of waders, the caecum is 11.2% (G. gallinago) – 18.2% (C. alpina) of the total length of the intestine. In T. erythropus, the caecum is 4.6% of the total intestine length, with almost reduced caecum in T. glareola (2.1%) and T. nebularia (0.7%). The features in the structure of the cecum in Ph. pugnax – the presence of an ampoule-shaped extension in the area of the caecum were noted.
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