Abstract
Tapirs are the only group among the perissodactyls for which no recent description of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) exists. Historical depictions of the GIT of tapirs suggest a similarity to the GIT of equids, but do not resolve the question whether the isthmus at the caeco-colical junction, and at the transition from the proximal colon to the colon transversum—both evident in horses—occur in tapirs as well. Here, we describe the macroscopic anatomy of the GIT of a captive, adult lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris). While similar to equids in terms of the overall design and, in particular, the two mentioned isthmuses, the proximal colon of the tapir appeared less pronounced than in other perissodactyls, resulting in a GIT in which the caecum appeared as the most voluminous fermentation chamber. This finding is supported by the particular location of the ileo-caecal junction, which does not visibly separate the caecum from the colon, or the caecum head from the caecum body, but enters the caecum body in its upper third.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bach F, Mayer H, Poley D (1986) Sandkolik bei einem Schabrackentapir. Prakt Tierarzt 6:508–509
Bonney S, Crotty MJ (1979) Breeding the mountain tapir. Int Zoo Yb 19:198–200
Campbell ML, Colahan PC, Brown MP, Grandstedt ME, Peyton LC (1984) Cecal impaction in the horse. JAVMA 184:950–952
Chalukian SC, de Bustos MS, Lizárraga RL (2013) Diet of lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in El Rey National Park, Salta, Argentina. Integr Zool 8:48–56
Clauss M, Frey R, Kiefer B, Lechner-Doll M, Loehlein W, Polster C, Rössner GE, Streich WJ (2003a) The maximum attainable body size of herbivorous mammals: morphophysiological constraints on foregut, and adaptations of hindgut fermenters. Oecologia 136:14–27
Clauss M, Lechner-Doll M, Streich WJ (2003b) Ruminant diversification as an adaptation to the physicomechanical characteristics of forage. A reevaluation of an old debate and a new hypothesis. Oikos 102:253–262
Clauss M, Steinmetz H, Eulenberger U, Ossent P, Zingg R, Hummel J, Hatt J-M (2007) Observations on the length of the intestinal tract of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Eur J Wildl Res 53:68–72
Clauss M, Aufranc R, Hatt J-M (2008a) Fütterung und Kotkonsistenz von Flachlandtapiren (Tapirus terrestris) im Zürich Zoo (Feeding and fecal consistency of lowland tapirs at Zurich Zoo). Zool Garten NF 77:297–302
Clauss M, Hummel J, Schwarm A, Steuer P, Fritz J, Martin Jurado O, Tschudin A, Hatt J-M (2008b) An isthmus at the caecocolical junction is an anatomical feature of domestic and wild equids. Eur J Wildl Res 54:347–351
Clauss M, Wilkins T, Hartley A, Hatt J-M (2009) Diet composition, food intake, body condition, and fecal consistency in captive tapirs (Tapirus spp.) in UK collections. Zoo Biol 28:279–291
Clauss M, Lang-Deuerling S, Müller DWH, Kienzle E, Steuer P, Hummel J (2010) Retention of fluid and particles in captive tapirs (Tapirus spp.). Comp Biochem Physiol A 157:95–101
Clauss M, Steuer P, Müller DWH, Codron D, Hummel J (2013) Herbivory and body size: allometries of diet quality and gastrointestinal physiology, and implications for herbivore ecology and dinosaur gigantism. PLoS One 8:e68714
Decker RA, Randall TL, Prideaux JW (1975) Enterolithiasis in a confined Hartman’s mountain zebra. J Wildl Dis 11:357–359
Edwards MS (2013) Nutrition. In: Tapir (Tapiridae) care manual. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring MD, pp 17–22
Foose TJ (1982) Trophic strategies of ruminant versus nonruminant ungulates. PhD Thesis, University of Chicago
Home E (1814) Lectures on comparative anatomy; in which are explained the preparations in the Hunterian collection. W. Blumer and Co, London
Home E (1821) An account of the skeletons of the dugong, two-horned rhinoceros, and tapir of Sumatra, sent to England by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Governor of Bencoolen. Phil Trans R Soc B 11:268–277
Hummel J, Fritz J, Kienzle E, Medici EP, Lang S, Zimmermann W, Streich WJ, Clauss M (2008) Differences in fecal particle size between free-ranging and captive individuals of two browser species. Zoo Biol 27:70–77
Janssen DL (2003) Tapiridae. In: Fowler ME, Miller RE (eds) Zoo and wild animal medicine, vol 569–577, 5th edn. Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis
Janssen DL, Rideout BA, Edwards MS (1999) Tapir medicine. In: Miller RE, Fowler ME (eds) Zoo and wild animal medicine: current therapy IV. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 562–568
Kuehn G (1986) Tapiridae. In: Fowler ME (ed) Zoo and wild animal medicine, 2nd edn. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 931–934
Lintzenich BA, Ward AM (1997) Hay and pellet ratios: considerations in feeding ungulates. Nutr Advis Group Handb Fact Sheet 006
Lönnberg E (1910) Short comparative notes on the anatomy of the Indian tapir. Ark Zool 6:1–15
Mangini PR, Medici EP, Fernandes‐Santos RC (2012) Tapir health and conservation medicine. Integr Zool 7:331–345
Meyer K, Hummel J, Clauss M (2010) The relationship between forage cell wall content and voluntary food intake in mammalian herbivores. Mammal Rev 40:221–245
Mitchell PC (1903-6) On the intestinal tract of mammals. Trans Zool Soc Lond 17:437–536
Mortelmans J, Vercruysse J (1964) A propos du syndrome d’occlusion et obstruction intestinale chez des mammifières au Zoo d’Anvers. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd 89(Suppl 1):159–162
Murie J (1872) On the Malayan tapir (Rhinochoerus sumatranus). J Anat Physiol 6:131–169
Murphy MR, Masters JM, Moore DM, Glass HD, Hughes RE, Crissey SD (1997) Tapir (Tapirus) enteroliths. Zoo Biol 16:427–433
Oftedal OT, Baer DJ, Allen ME (1996) The feeding and nutrition of herbivores. In: Kleiman DG, Allen ME, Thompson KV, Lumpkin S (eds) Wild mammals in captivity. Principles and techniques. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp 129–138
Owen R (1830) Notes on the anatomy of the American tapir (Tapir americanus). Proc Zool Soc Lond 1830:161–164
Parker WN (1882) On some points in the anatomy of the Indian tapir (Tapirus indicus). Proc Zool Soc Lond 50:768–777
Rübel A (1992) Haltung und Todesfälle bei Tapiren (Tapirus terrestris und Tapirus indicus) im Zoologischen Garten Zürich unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Tuberkulose. Verh Ber Erkrank Zootiere 34:29–33
Schwarm A, Ortmann S, Rietschel W, Kühne R, Wibbelt G, Clauss M (2010) Function, size and form of the gastrointestinal tract of the collared Pecari tajacu and white-lipped peccary Tayassu pecari. Eur J Wildl Res 56:569–576
Stevens CE, Hume ID (1995) Comparative physiology of the vertebrate digestive system. Cambridge University Press, New York
Turner HN (1850) Contributions to the anatomy of the tapir. Proc Zool Soc Lond 1850:102–106
Van Weyenberg S, Sales J, Janssens GPJ (2006) Passage rate of digesta through the equine gastrointestinal tract: a review. Livest Sci 99:3–12
Wilson RA, Wilson S (1973) Diet of captive tapirs. Int Zoo Yearb 13:213–217
Acknowledgments
We thank Jeanne Peter for the drawing of Fig. 3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by C. Gortázar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hagen, K., Müller, D.W.H., Wibbelt, G. et al. The macroscopic intestinal anatomy of a lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris). Eur J Wildl Res 61, 171–176 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-014-0870-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-014-0870-8