Comparative morphology of the adrenal gland of anuran Amphibia
Grassi Milano, E.; Accordi, F.
Journal of Anatomy 136(Pt 1): 165-174
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-8782 PMID: 6833117 Document Number: 217196
In this study, the structures of the adrenal gland of 12 spp. [Bombina variegata, Discoglossus pictus, Xenopus laevis, Ascaphus sp., Pelobates cultripes, Kalhoula pulchra, Rhacophorus leucomystax, Rana esculenta, R. latastei, R. montezumae and Hyla sp.] of anuran Amphibia are compared. Differences were observed as regards the position of the gland, the relationships with the renal blood vessels, the compactness of the adrenal tissue, the length of the gland, and some histological and cytological characteristics. Most of these features may be seen to be related to the systematic position of the studied species, so that 2 basic patterns of adrenal arrangement can be recognized: the 1st type is characteristic of primitive Anurans and the 2nd is characteristic of more specialized Anurans.