• M.V. Kagwade

Enhydris enhydris is an inhabitant of India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, China and Malaysia found commonly in lakes, estuaries, marshes and wet fields. It is a viviparous snake that is an adaptation for aquatic habitat where parental care or protection of eggs is seldom possible. This non- poisonous snake is carnivorous, feeds on small fish and is thus an important component in the biodiversity of a lake occupying a higher trophic level. Parathyroid gland is an important endocrine gland concerned with calcium metabolism. In a water snake like E. enhydris it is interesting to understand the histopathological behaviour of parathyroid which generally has a correlation with the environmental temperature, seasonal fluctuations of calcium in lake water and also breeding season. Adult snakes were collected from the coast around Mumbai. They were maintained in tanks and acclimatised to laboratory conditions. Five males and five females were sacrificed under Nembutal anaesthesia on the same day and time every month throughout the year. The parathyroids were excised, fixed, processed in graded series of alcohol and paraffin embedding, sections cut at 6µ and stained with hematoxylin-phloxin. Nuclear diameter of the cells was measured using an ocular micrometer. The parathyroid glands show seasonal histological changes. The glands are more active in the months of November-December reflected by an increase in nuclear diameter of the cells. The nuclear diameter was lowest in the month of July and the gland also showed partial degeneration suggesting hypoactivity.

Parathyroid gland, Enhydris enhydris.

"Study of seasonal histopathological changes in the Parathyroid gland of the smooth water snake, Enhydris enhydris (Schneider)", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no.a652-a660, May-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205084.pdf

"Study of seasonal histopathological changes in the Parathyroid gland of the smooth water snake, Enhydris enhydris (Schneider)", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 5, page no. ppa652-a660, May-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205084.pdf