Authors : Ahmad Gharzi and Afsaneh Yari
Abstract: The lizard, Acanthodactylus boskianus has recently been reported from the West of Iran. The purpose of this study was to examine the morphology and histological structure of excretory system in this species. To perform this task, a number of 12 lizards (male and female) were collected from their natural habitat and transferred to the laboratory where their kidneys and excretory ducts were dissected out. The dissected samples were then processed to be prepared for histological examinations. Microscopical observations showed that in this taxon there is no evident boundary between the cortical and medullar regions of kidneys. It also demonstrated that each kidney consists of very few nephrons which do not show any loop of Henle. Each nephron is composed of a glomerulus surrounded by a doubled-walled Bowman’s capsule, the other segments are proximal tubule, distal tubule, connecting tubule and collecting duct. The epithelial tissues lining the lumen of these segments were simple cubiodal cells, cubiodal cells, columnar and tall columnar cells, respectively. A ureter is located on the ventral surface of each kidney. The ureters open into the urodaeal cavity of the cloaca with a common duct or tube. In general, this lizard as other reptiles live in such areas display few glumeruli in the kidneys and highly likely produce the urine that is hyposmotic with blood.
Ahmad Gharzi and Afsaneh Yari, 2013. Anatomical and Histological Study of the Excretory System in the Bosc`s Fringe-Toed Lizard (Acanthodactylus boskianus). Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 8: 30-34.