ABSTRACT:In this report, we present a rare case of cephalothoracopagus (monocephalic dithoracic) conjoined twins with anencephaly in pig. Conjoined Polish large white piglets were born at term after an uncomplicated birth. The litter consisted of 11 piglets. The conjoined twins were born alive, but died shortly after birth and were subjected to further investigation. Blood vessels of the heart were filled with LBS 3060 latex, and then the twins were fixed in 10% non-buffered formalin. Necropsy revealed the external and internal anatomy of the affected twins. Examinations demonstrated abnormalities of skeletal, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems. The twins had a single head, neck and chest and were separated from the umbilicus caudally. They had four forelimbs and four hindlimbs. Examination of the skeleton revealed two complete vertebral columns connected with one skull. Two tongues and a cleft palate were present in the oral cavity. The conjoined twins had a single pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, part of jejunum, spleen, liver and pancreas. The remaining part of the digestive system was doubled. Each piglet had a separate urogenital apparatus. The examination revealed only one heart with structural abnormalities. Two larynxes and tracheas were identified. The right twin had the right lung while the left twin had the left lung. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first detailed report of this type of conjoined twins in the pig.

Summary. This study was conducted on 10 tongues of adult rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica), of both sexes (five females and five males). The filiform papillae of the tongue were studied, using light and scanning electron microscope. The filiform papillae were arranged on the dorsal surface of the apex and body of the tongue and on its margins. The investigation showed that there were single and complex filiform papillae on the rabbit tongue. These single filiform papillae were cone-shaped, similarly as their connective tissue cores. Complex papillae were palm-shaped and cone-shaped with three to seven processes. However, the number of processes towards the throat diminished. Connective tissue cores of these papillae had also processes. The filiform papillae consisted of an anterior and posterior epithelial cell column. The anterior epithelial cell column showed signs of parakeratinization or soft keratinization whereas the posterior epithelial cell column -hard keratinization. Between filiform papillae there was interpapillary epithelium which did not have any signs of keratinization.

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