Development and phylogenetic significance of the fetal membranes and placenta of the African hystricognathous rodents Bathyergus and Hystrix

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Abstract
Morphogenesis of fetal membranes in African and American hystricognathous rodents is essentially the same, even in the possession of such uniquely derived features as a subplacenta and a capillary ring on the inverted yolk sac, features that are unknown in any other rodent group. This is good evidence that the African and American hystricognaths comprise a monophyletic group. Certain interesting features of the decidua, decidual giant cells, periplacental bilaminar omphalopleure, and epamnion are described in Bathyergus and Hystrix. Of special interest in Bathyergus is the widespread decidualization of the uterine connective tissue, even that of the myometrium and perimetrium; and the presence of numerous, usually binucleate, decidual giant cells.