The dorsal skin structure contributes to the surface bacteria populations of Sunda Porcupine (Hystrix javanica).

ABSTRACT

Skin becomes the largest organ in the body and protects its own inner layer. The structure and chemical composition of the skin contribute to skin condition and affect the habitat of certain bacteria. The Sunda Porcupine is one of endemic animals of Indonesia which possesses quill as the main derivate of its skin and as a defence tool against predators. The present study used nine adults (five females and four males) of Sunda Porcupine and aimed to observe the correlation of skin structure with bacterial population at the surface level. The skin was wavy due to the protrusion of quill follicle orifices on the skin surface and formed clusters. The skin of Sunda Porcupine was also wrinkled and had a lot of flakiness. Histologically, the skin was composed of epidermis, dermis, hypodermis and subcutaneous muscle. The quill follicles and their properties were the dominant structure component of the skin. No sweat gland was observed in the skin of the Sunda Porcupine, and sebaceous gland was found only around quill and hair follicles. The bacterias identified in the skin were Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Micrococcus sp. and Salmonella sp. When compared, the bacterial population was higher in the lumbosacral region than in the thoracodorsal region, but the difference was not significant. The density of quill clusters was negatively correlated to the bacterial population. It was suggested the structure of the skin has contribution to bacterial population in dorsal trunk of the Sunda Porcupine.