Xenbase Image ID: 74570

Fig. 1. The tadpole gut shortens dramatically during metamorphosis. The components of the gut depicted here are as follows: es, esophagus; st, stomach; du, duodenum; il, ileum; co, colon; re, rectum. The duodenum and part of the ileum comprise the intestine's outer loops that coil in a counterclockwise direction (ventral perspective). The ileum reverses direction at the switchback point (arrowhead) and coils clockwise with the colon to form the intestine's inner loops. The rectum is the final internal structure of the gut. (A) The gut of a premetamorphic NF 54 tadpole (Inset) is shown both in situ (upper) and excised and uncoiled (lower). (B) A prometamorphic NF 58 tadpole (Inset) has a much larger and longer gut than an NF 54 tadpole. (C) In a tadpole at metamorphic (NF 62) climax (Inset), the length of the gut has begun to shorten, and the number of outer and inner coils has decreased. (D) By the end of metamorphosis (NF 66) (Inset), the gut has shortened by ≈75% of its original length. (Scale bars: 2 mm.) Image published in: Schreiber AM et al. (2005) Copyright © 2005. Image reproduced with permission of the publisher and the copyright holder. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Larger Image Printer Friendly View

Return to previous page