Gut region of three spot gourami, Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770): Morphology, Histology and histochemistry

Present investigation was undertaken to study the gut region of Trichopodus trichopterus. It is an important species in the field of aquaculture and aquarium. Adult specimens of Trichopodus trichopterus, commonly called as three-spot gourami were employed for histological and histochemical studies. The findings revealed distinctive intestinal structure characterized by elongated coils and prominent mucosal folds which indicated its herbivorous nature. Goblet cells within the epithelial layer exhibited positive staining for both acidic and neutral mucins. The overall results obtained during present study are important with respect to the dietary and nutritional habits of this aquatic animal.