Morfologi Esofagus dan Lambung Burung Serak Jawa (Tyto alba)

Abstract

This study was aimed to describe the morphology of esophagus and stomach of barn owl (Tyto alba). Two barn owl (T. alba) were used to observed macroscopic and microscopically. The macroscopic observation was done by observing the shape and size of the esophagus and stomach. The microscopic observation was done using standard histological method with hematoksilin eosin (HE) staining. The results showed that the esophagus consist of pars cervicalis and pars thoracalis, was 9.8 centimeters in length, and possessed no crop. Mucosa of the esophagus pars cervicalis was lined with nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelial cell, and the pars thoracalis lined by simple columnar epithelial cell. The esophageal gland was mucous type distributed in a lot number along the mucosa. The external muscle consists of two layers, which were the inner longitudinal muscle and outer circular muscle. The stomach could be distinguished into proventriculus and ventriculus (gizzard). Proventriculus was a cone shape and gizzard was cuboid with an average length of the greater curvature was 6.5 cm and was 1.88 cm in diameter. The mucosa of proventriculus was lined by simple columnar epithelium. The proventricular gland was consist of superficial and profundal glands. The superficial gland produced mucous, while the profundal produced pepsinogen and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The external muscle layer consist of three layers, two longitudinal muscles in the superficial and profundal layers and circular muscle in the middle between the two of longitudinal muscles. The mucosa of gizzard was lined with simple columnar epithelial cell, with the thin cuticle. The gizzard glands consist of simple tubular gland that produced mucous. The gizzard has two very thick muscle layers composed by inner longitudinal muscle and the outer circular muscle. The characteristic morphology of the esophagus and stomach of barn owl (T. alba), was presumed to supports their behavior, which swallow a whole body of their prey.