Gastrolith

Gastrolithen (Greek γαστήρ gaster, belly ',' stomach ' and λίθος lithos ' stone' ) or stomach stones are hard objects in the digestive tract of animals. In a narrower sense Gastrolithen stones that were swallowed by vertebrates and located in the stomach or were called.

Among animals alive today the behavior to swallow stones ( Lithophagie ), especially of birds, crocodiles and seals is known. One knows fossils of dinosaurs like sauropods and other reptiles such as the Tangasauriden from the Permian fossil crocodiles and plesiosaurs, which are found in the abdominal area of the skeleton stomach stones.

The function of the stones is yet fully understood only in the herbivorous ( herbivorous ) birds. With them serve swallowed stones, which are also called " grit " or " Waidkörner " in the gizzard ( ventriculus) for crushing the food. The stone capercaillie example, is absolutely dependent on gastroliths and already Dunenjunge take this on. The stone Capercaillie feeds during the winter months mainly from the budding passed Endtrieben the larch. This Endtriebe have a thick bark and Kambriumschicht. In the primary processing of Endtriebe in the stomach, these layers are rubbed with the aid of the gastroliths, so that remains of the three to five millimeters thick buds only the pith of the stem with a thickness of about one millimeter. When living in the water ( aquatic ) animals that do not have a very muscular stomach, it is discussed whether stomach stones could also serve as ballast. Perhaps most of the stones have been only accidentally ingested with food.

As " gastroliths " are formed in the interior of crustaceans calcareous crusts or mineral concretions, known as cancer eye, called to serve as a buffer for the minerals needed after molting.

In veterinary medicine is meant by the term pathological, so morbid concretions, which have arisen from food particles and gastric juices in the stomach of herbivorous mammals. These objects are also called bezoars.

Gastrolith

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