The gastrointestinal tract of the rock hyrax (Procavia habessinica). 1. Morphology and motility patterns of the tract

Abstract

The stomach of the rock hyrax (Procavia habessinica) is divided into a non glandular part with very slow movements, and a glandular part which rapidly mix the digesta. The large intestine has two fermentation chambers, the caecum, which rapidly mixes the digesta, and the colonic sac, which efficiently, but slowly, mixes digesta. Between these chambers runs the connecting colon. No retrograde transport is observed in any part of the large intestine.