Study on morphology and histology of digestive tract in cultured Oplegnathus fasciatus

We observed the morphology and histology of the digestive tract of cultured Oplegnathus fasciatus by anatomy and optical microscopy. The digestive tract is composed of oral-pharyngeal cavity, esophagus, stomach, pyloric caeca and intestine. The oral-pharyngeal cavity in O.fasciatus is relatively big; the jaw teeth heal like parrot mouth; the tongue is semi-elliptical. The esophagus is short and divided into 4 layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscle and serosa, and there arefew goblet cells and mucus secretory cells in the epithelia of oesophagus. The stomach swells as V-shape and its microstructure is divided into 4 layers as the esophagus, and mucosal layer of epidermis has advanced gastric gland. Intestinal microstructure is divided into 3 layers: mucosa, muscle and serosa. The rectum structure is similar tosmall intestine. The epithelia of small intestine and rectum contain more goblet cells. Finally, we discuss the adaptive relation between the morphological and histological features of digestive tract and the feeding habit of O.fasciatus.