Anatomical and histological studies on the eyes of brown bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)

Authors: GÜLSEREN KIRBAŞ DOĞAN, SERAP KORAL TAŞÇI, SEMİNE DALGA, SERAP İLHAN AKSU

Abstract: The studied animals belong to the horribilis subspecies, Ursus arctos species, Ursidae family, and Carnivora order. The eyes of 2 brown bears were used. Anatomic examinations demonstrated that the dorsoventral length of the lens was 9.03 ± 0.37 mm for the right eye and 8.54 ± 0.11 mm for the left eye. The dorsoventral length of the cornea measured 12.58 ± 0.46 mm for the right eye and 13.16 ± 0.27 mm for the left eye. In the histological examination of the tissues, the textures of the tunica fibrosa bulbi, tunica vasculosa bulbi, and tunica interna bulbi layers were evaluated. Plenty of collagen fiber bundles were observed in the sclera, and plenty of blood vessels and intense pigment cells were observed in the choroid. Various cell layers were observed in the retina. This study was designed because there are few studies on the eyes of wild animals and there was no information on the eyes of brown bears in the literature surveyed. This study may contribute to other areas of veterinary medicine such as anatomy, histology, and clinical and surgical medicine, especially ophthalmology of wild animals.

Keywords: Anatomy, histology, ophthalmology, ursid, wild animal

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