Jan Wach

Metrical features of the ventral part of the alimentary canal in Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L.).

The research was carried out on 60 mature individuals of arctic foxes (30 males and 30 females). Not only the length of the intestine was assessed, but also its specific parts. The overall length of the intestine in arctic fox amounted to 3,09 m in males and 3,02 m in females. The ratio of the body’s length to the length of the intestine was 1:4,80 in males and 1:4,73 in females. The rate of the large intestine in an overall length of the intestine was 17,26% in males, 17,80% in females.

The Arteries of the Brain in Hare (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778)

Research into course and variability of brain arteries in hare were performed on 38 adult hares of both sexes (males 23 and females 15). The arteries were filled with a synthetic latex at a constant pressure introduced with a medical syringe to the left ventricle. The source of blood supply to the brain was internal carotid arteries, whose branches formed an arterial circle of the brain, vertebral arteries, and basilar artery as the result of its anastomosis. Variability focused on a method of departure of middle cerebral arteries, which were multiple vessels in 39.5% of cases and rostral cerebellar arteries. Caudal communicating arteries in hare comprised bilateral anastomosis of internal carotid arteries and final branches of the basilar artery. It stabilized the steady flow of blood to all parts of the brain. Caudal cerebral arteries comprised final branches of the basilar artery. The largest capacity of all the arteries of the brain was observed in the main trunk of the basilar artery. The capacity of these vessels was 4.53 mm3 on average. The factor of capacity of cerebral arteries in relation to weight of the brain reaches a high value in hare. Anat Rec, 298:1774–1779, 2015.

MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SKULL OF AUROCHS (BOS PRIMIGENIUS BOJANUS 1827) FROM THE TUCHOLA FOREST

The aurochs skull was found in Tuchola Forest (the Kujawy and Pomorze Province) in the vicinity of Tuchola. The skull analyzed has come from adult male aurochs, and it is almost complete, only deprived of small fragments of a single incisive bone and the jaw. The osteometric analysis following the method by Duerst [5] was performed. The observations made and measurements taken make it possible to develop our knowledge with further information concerning that extinct species as well as provide information on the occurrence and distribution of aurochs. The measurements made will also facilitate the confrontation of craniometric parameters in aurochs from the Tuchola Forest with the skulls originated from other parts of the country.

AMINO ACID COMPOSITION IN THE WILD BOAR (Sus scrofa ferus) MEAT ORIGINATING FROM DIFFERENT PART OF CARCASS

The aim of this study was to determine the amino acid composition and its comparison in different muscles musculus longissimus lumborum (MLL) and musculus semimembranosus (MS) in wild boars with a comparable body weight and representing the same age class. The research involved 10 wild boars. Samples for testing were taken from the central part of the following muscles: MLL, MS. The content of amino acids in the samples was determined with the automatic amino acid analyzer AAA-400 (INGOs). The levels of respective amino acids in muscle MLL were within the range from 5.33 (Tyr) to 22.67 (Glu) g • kg-1, and in muscle MS – from 6.24 (Tyr) to 24.77 (Glu) g • kg-1. It was found that the total content of essential amino acids was higher in muscle MS as compared with muscle MLL. The significant differences (at p ≤ 0.05) were found for Ser, Gly, Ala, Asp, and Glu. Analyzing the differences in the amino acid composition between muscles MLL and MS, it was found that the average level of all the amino acids in MS was higher.