Morphohistological characteristic of digestive tract of an endemic cichlid fish, Iranocichla hormuzensis Coad, 1982 (Teleostei: Cichlidae)

Objective of the curreot study was to iovestigate morpbobistology of digestive tract of Iranocichia hormuzensis, one of two oative cicblid fishes io Iran. The species preseot omoivorous feediog habits aod restricted io shallow, high temperatures aod high salinity water in the Mehran River and its drainages. This species has a terminal mouth with several rows of serrated incisive teeth, which covered the upper and lower lips. Esophagus is a short tubular between pharynx and stomach, stomach is relatively small and sac-shape, and intestine is long. Gastric wall, through the digestive tube, consists of four layers of mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa with some characters specialized for each organ, such as a well-developed mucosa layer and numerous goblet cell in the ventral section of stomach. Morphohistology of digestive tract of I horinuzensis supports its generalist diet.