Morphological studies on Meckel's diverticulum in the duck [Ansa ansa domesticus]

ABSTRACT

This research was carried out to define the morphological features of Meckel's diverticulum [MD] in duck and to investigate whether the MD resides in a constant position along the intestinal tract. For this purpose, a total of 30 adult healthy ducks of both sexes, 50-52 weeks of age were used. After dissecting, some morphological factors such as total intestine length as well as the lengths of the intestine from the gizzard to MD [GMD], from gizzard to cloaca [GC] and from MD to the caecal opening [MDC] were measured. The weight, thickness and length of MD were then recorded. By using t-test and analysing factors between two sexes we concluded that, the location of MD in total specimens was 91.52 +/- 8.09 cm far away from the gizzard. There was no significant difference between morphological factors of MD [eight, thickness and length] in both sexes [P > 0.05]. There was significant difference [P < 0.05] between GMD, GC in both sexes. In histological studies of MD, aggregated lymphatic follicles and thin muscularis mucosa were observed in tunica mucosa