Morphology of the caeca of the African pied crow (Corvus albus)

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to provide basic information on the gross and histomorphology of the caeca of the African pied crow, a corvid found in close association with human settlements in many African countries. The caeca of the African pied crow appeared as small blind-ended sacs of approximately the same size, which extend from the junction between the small and large intestines. Each caecum was positioned at an acute angle with the ileum. Histology of the caeca revealed the presence of many lymphoid aggregations and glandular acini in the lamina propria mucosae and submucosa. It was concluded that the morphological features of the caeca of the African pied crow may represent structural specializations to support the role of the caeca in digestion of small food particles and more importantly, in the response of the African pied crow to invasion by antigens.