Authors : I.E. Ajayi, S.A. Ojo, B.I. Onyeanusi, B.D.J. George, J.O. Ayo, S.O. Salami and C.S. Ibe
Abstract: The study was carried out to elucidate on the macroscopic structure of the medulla oblongata of the grasscutter. A total of ten matured, apparently, healthy African grasscutters were used to investigate the morphologic and morphometric features of the medulla oblongata. The mean body weight and brain weight were 2600±194.95 g and 12.15±0.48 g, respectively. The ratio of the brain to body weight was approximately 1:214. The mean weight of the medulla oblongata was found to be 1.104±0.10 g and this accounted for about 9% of the total brain weight. The mean lengths of the whole brain and medulla oblongata were 4.945±0.091 and 1.376±0.082 cm, respectively. The gross anatomical features of the medulla oblongata were typical of that observed in terrestrial mammals however slight structural differences were observed.
I.E. Ajayi, S.A. Ojo, B.I. Onyeanusi, B.D.J. George, J.O. Ayo, S.O. Salami and C.S. Ibe, 2011. Gross Observations and Morphometry of the Medulla Oblongata of the African Grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus). Veterinary Research, 4: 5-8.