Macroanatomical and histological study of caecum of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) using light and scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the macroanatomy and histology of the caecum in guinea fowl using light and scanning electron microscopy. Six adult male and six adult female guinea fowl were used as the study material. The cavum abdominis of the animals was opened under anaesthesia, and the caeca uncovered. The height and thickness of the villi were smaller in the apex and corpus caeca than in the basis caeci. The SEM image of the guinea fowl caeca showed that the villi send finger like extensions into the lumen, and the height of the villi towards the basis caeca increases and exhibits a tight structure.Thus, in this study, the anatomy and histology of guinea fowl caeca were examined in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy, and the similarities and differences with the caeca of other poultry species were investigated.