Anatomy and histology of the babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) stomach.

Stomachs from six adult and one 12-month-old babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) were collected from zoological gardens. The babirusa stomach was larger than that of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa), and possessed a large diverticulum ventriculi. Its gastric glands were confined to a small, easily identifiable unit at the end of the corpus ventriculi, and the connections between the different stomach parts were wide and unrestricted, with the exception of the well-defined connection between the diverticulum ventriculi and the fundus ventriculi. Microscopically, the structure of the cardiac, gastric and pyloric glands was similar to that of Sus scrofa. However, the mucusproducing cardiac glands of babirusa occupied a larger area within the stomach (> 70% versus 33%). The pH in the lumen of the cardiac gland area lay between 5.3 and 6.4 and micro-organisms were found here. It was hypothesised that the babirusa is a nonruminant foregut-fermenting frugivore/concentrate selector.