Macroscopic Anatomy of the Lower Respiratory System in Mole rats (Spalax leucodon)

Abstract

The morphologic and morphometric features of the lower respiratory system in mole rats were examined. It was seen that the low respiratory system of this species leading a special life under highly hypoxic/hypercapnic conditions underground is structurally similar to other mammals living on land in terms of the parts examined; trachea was formed by 29.5 ± 4 oval-formed cartilaginous tracheals arranged backwards and became gradually more stenotic diameter from cranial to the caudal of the neck. The trachea was separated in two principal bronchus at the fourth thoracal intercostal spatium level. The angle between the two main principal bronchi was 60.5 ± 2.35°. The lung constituted 1.29 ± 0.03% of the body weight and the right lung was heavier than the left lung. Fissura inter-lobaris was deep and separated the lung lobes wholly, and the right lung was separated in four lobes, whereas the left lung was not separated into the lobes. Also, the medial lobe of the left lung was the lightest lobe.

Comparative morphometric analysis of lungs of the semifossorial giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) and the subterranean Nigerian mole rat (Cryptomys foxi)

“…They also resembled those of surface-and underground dwelling rodents 114,115 . The undivided left lung of C. gambianus, which was also reported in the same rodent by Ibe et al 60 , and the existence of three lobes on the left lung of C. foxi are not unique morphological features: various permutations in the lobulations of the lung occur in the mammalian lungs 61,62,113,[116][117][118][119][120][121] . Ostensibly, there is no evidence showing that lobulation of the lung is of functional consequence [122][123][124][125][126][127][128][129][130][131][132][133][134] .…”

“…www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ woodlands and rocky places in colonies which excavate extensive burrows 111,112 . While gross anatomical and histological details on the structure of the respiratory system of C. gambianus exist 60,113 , C. foxi has not hitherto been investigated. Here, it was observed that while the lobulation of the lungs of the two species differed markedly, at histological-and ultrastructural levels, the organs were quite similar.…”

Morphology of theOligoryzomys nigripesrespiratory system

“…This number is similar to the European Hamster which had 14 rings (Reznik, Reznik‐Shuller, & Mohr, ). However, They differ from other rodents like mole rats that showed 29 rings (Ilgun, Yoldas, Kuru, & Özkan, ) and the capybara who presented 43 tracheal rings (Moreto, Oliveira, Bertassoli, & Neto, ). Hare () describes that the tracheal rings of mammals vary from 29 to 60, differing of our results.…”

Morfologia comparada do aparelho respiratório de capivaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris)

“…O padrão de pulmão direito dividido em quatro lobos e o esquerdo em dois diferiu apenas do descrito em toupeiras por Ilgun et al (2014), nas quais o pulmão esquerdo não apresenta nenhuma divisão em lobos.…”