ANATOMICAL STUDY OF THE ABDOMINAL ARTERIAL SYSTEM IN SORICIDS (INSECTIVORA, MAMMALIA) - FUNCTIONAL AND PHYLOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS

Background: Information on the anatomy of the abdominal arterial syste m in Insectivora is scarce, We described the origin, distribution, and variations of the visceral abdominal arteries in some Soricidae in or der to provide the first comprehensive data on this subject in Insecti vora. Results were interpreted from a functional and phylogenetic view point. Methods: The sample examined consisted of 46 shrews (25 Crocidu ra russula, 12 Sorex araneus, 5 S. coronatus, 4 S. minutus) captured i n the held, Animals were analyzed by injection of coloured latex solut ion through the left ventricle of the heart and subsequent dissection. Results: The coeliaconaesenteric trunk was the first visceral branch of the abdominal aorta. The cranial mesenteric artery supplied those p arts of the digestive tract attached to the cranial mesentery and usua lly gave rise to the colic, the caudal pancreaticoduodenal, and the je junum-ileum-colic arteries. The coeliac artery mainly vascularized the stomach, the liver and the first portion of the duodenum, and the spl een by means of several branches of the left gastric, the ''common'' h epatic, and the lienal arteries, respectively, The lienal arteries wer e double, The renal, gonadal, and median sacral arteries were also bra nches of the abdominal aorta, The caudal mesenteric artery emerged eit her from the abdominal aorta or from one of the common iliac arteries. Conclusions: Differences in the abdominal blood supply between sorici ds and more advanced mammals are basically focused on the irrigation o f the digestive tract, The presence of double lienal arteries and the absence of right gastric artery and left and right gastroepiploic arte ries are related to the primitive type of gut presented in the order a nd are thought to be the plesiomorphic condition in Eutheria. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.