MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF ORGANS DURING ONTOGENY OF MOOSE (ALCES ALCES) COMPARED TO DOMESTICATED RUMINANTS

• Main Authors: Petrov, Anatoley K., Plesnakov, Nicholas E., Isajenkov, J. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Lakehead University 2002
• Subjects: Alces alces
• Online Access: http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/1859

The ontogenesis of body mass, the skeleton, organs of the alimentary tract, and the endocrine system of moose (Alces alces), cattle, sheep, and goats were studied in the Ivanovo region using morphological and ontogenetic methods. We noted that changes in the rates of growth and development of body mass and some organs were connected with their functional characteristics in different periods of development. Histological studies showed that decline in growth rate of all the organs were accompanied by an increase in complexity in their structural organization. Moose had earlier formation of thyroid and adrenal glands, thymus, ossification centers in the skeleton, and of characteristic structures in the organs of the alimentary tract in comparison with domestic animals.