Work

Does salinity make a difference—Kidney anatomy of Saimaa ( Pusa saimensis ) and Baltic ringed seals ( Pusa hispida botnica )

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As habitat salinity markedly differs between the endangered, freshwater-dwelling Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa saimensis Nordquist, 1899) and the brackish water-inhabiting Baltic ringed seal (Pusa hispida botnica Gmelin, 1788), we investigated whether this difference has resulted in morphological changes to their kidneys. We studied kidney anatomy using dissection, silicone casts, and standard histological methods. The Saimaa ringed seal had statistically significantly fewer reniculi than the Baltic ringed seal, and the mean number of reniculi was significantly smaller in both studied species than that previously reported from Arctic ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida Schreber, 1775). We described four of the most common branching patterns of the renal artery. Contrary to previous findings in other ringed seal studies, we observed veins resembling arcuate and interlobar veins in histological sections of both species.

Source: The Anatomical Record

DOI: 10.1002/ar.70097

Authors: Heini Nihtilä, Juha Laakkonen

Institution: University of Helsinki

Language: English

Topic: Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies

Subfield: Urology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,430

Funder: Itä-Suomen Yliopisto