Nasal anatomy of adult agouti based on approximately matching levels of µm-CT slices of Dasyprocta leporina and histological sections of Dasyprocta cristata. A) Three-dimensional reconstruction of the part of the nasal fossa from rostral opening to the start of the olfactory recess, with coronal cross-sections indicated by dashed lines that represent, from rostral to caudal, plates B–E. Plates B to E are matched to sections showing the same features from a different specimen in plates F to I. The most rostral level (B, F) includes the rostral extent of the maxilloturbinal (mt) and nasoturbinal (nt), as well as the nasopalatine, or incisive duct (nd). Closer to the midpoint of these turbinals, each becomes more complex by virtue of additional lamellae. Enlarged views of both the nt (J) and mt (K) reveal numerous venous sinuses (*) within the lamina propria (boxes in f and g indicate source of enlarged views). From cross-sectional levels C to E, a paranasal recess is found lateral to the nasal fossa (alr = anterolateral recess). The ALR becomes quite large by sectional level d, and the nasal fossa is thus narrowed. Also at this level, the NT merges with the semicircular lamina (H, scl). l) The adjacent surfaces of the nt and septum are lined by respiratory epithelium (re) at the level shown in H; the alr is lined by ciliated (ci) simple cuboidal epithelium. Cross-sectional level E/I reveals ethmoturbinal I (etI) at the start of the olfactory recess. Here, the lateral and medial sides of the dorsal part of etI (enlarged in N) is lined with olfactory epithelium (oe), while more ventrally etI is lined with re (enlarged in O). Stains F, G, I, J, K, N, O: Gomori trichrome; H, L, M: hematoxylin-eosin. sc, septal cartilage. Scale bars: A–E, 5 mm; F–I, 1 mm; J, 30 µm; K, 400 µm; L, 50 µm; M–O, 20 µm.

 
 
  Part of: Smith TD, Bonar CJ (2022) The nasal cavity in agoutis (Dasyprocta spp.): a micro-computed tomographic and histological study. Vertebrate Zoology 72: 95-113. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e76047