Date of Award
8-23-2010
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Biology, MS
First Advisor
Stanley Trauth
Committee Members
Jennifer Bouldin; Tanja McKay
Call Number
LD 251 .A566t 2010 W35
Abstract
Rathke's glands are found in both extinct and extant turtle species, specifically in both megaorders Pleurodira and Cryptodira. The glands are homologous in all turtles and are thought to be the most ancient vertebrate integumentary gland. The anatomy of Rathke's glands in the Mississippi mud turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis, was examined in this study. Light and scanning electron microscopy were utilized, along with histochemical methods, for the examination of the glands. Museum specimens collected from eight counties within Arkansas from 1989-2009 were examined. This species has two pairs of glands, one axillary and one inguinal, which are usually bi-lobed. The glands are holocrine and externally secreting, composed of columnar epithelium, and surrounded by connective tissue and striated muscle. Two distinct types of secretory vacuoles were observed within the gland, similar to the findings of other studies performed on other turtle species. No significant differences in gland size or structure were found according to gender or maturity in the Mississippi mud turtle.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Webb, Sarah Jean, "The histology and histochemistry of Rathke's glands in the Mississippi mud turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum hippocrepis" (2010). Student Theses and Dissertations. 996.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/996
