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Figure 8 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Figure 8

From: Consuming viscous prey: a novel protein-secreting delivery system in neotropical snail-eating snakes

Figure 8

Histological sections of the head of Sibynomorphus mikani and S. neuwiedi . Ventral view of the skinned head of Sibynomorphus mikanii evidencing the size and location of both il1 and il2; Paraffin section, Mallory trichrome staining (A). Sagittal section of the head of Sibynomorphus mikanii showing the position of the two portions of the infralabial gland (il1 and il2); Paraffin section, Mallory trichrome staining (B). PAS histochemical reaction in a longitudinal section of the mandibular region of Sibynomorphus mikanii (MZUSP 17886) revealing the more developed portion of infralabial gland (il2) with the duct (d-il2) running towards the anterior region. Although the whole gland reacts to PAS, mucous cells (m) in the anterior region and the duct (d-il2) are much more positive; Paraffin section (C). Transverse section of the mandibular region of Sibynomorphus mikanii (MZUSP 17882) showing the infralabial gland divided in il1 and il2, and evidencing the duct of il2 (d-il2); Paraffin section, Hematoxylin-eosin staining (D). Transverse section of the head of Sibynomorphus neuwiedi (MZUSP 17225) evidencing a duct in il1; Paraffin section, Hematoxylin-eosin staining (E). Transverse section of the head of Sibynomorphus neuwiedi showing il1 and il2 separated by the bundle of the muscle levator anguli oris; Paraffin section, Hematoxylin-eosin staining (F). Abbreviations: cp, compound bone; d, dentary bone; d-il1, ducts of the lateral, mucous infralabial gland; d-il2, duct of the ventrolateral, seromucous infralabial gland; e, eye; f, frontal; Hg, Harderian gland; il1, lateral, mucous infralabial gland; il2, ventrolateral, seromucous infralabial gland; lao, muscle levator anguli oris; m, mucous cells; mx, maxillary; oc, oral cavity; oe, oral epithelium; sl, supralabial gland; slg, sublingual gland; t, tongue. Scale bar in pictures A-D and F = 1 mm and E = 50 μm. Panels at the upper right corner denote position of the section in B, C, F.

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