The infrequent mention of epipharyngeal pouches occurring in some species of bears indicates the scarcity
of morphological and functional knowledge about these structures. In order to provide precise
morphological data on the structure of these remarkable formations and to verify their taxonomic utility,
the pharyngeal regions of 1 spectacled bear and 3 brown bears were examined. All these individuals
possessed epipharyngeal pouches, which are tubular, blind-ending outpouchings of the caudodorsal
pharyngeal wall equipped with respiratory epithelium and a thick layer of elastic fibres. While the spectacled
bear and Ursus arctos syriacus possessed a single pouch on the caudodorsal wall of the nasopharynx, in
Ursus arctos and Ursus arctos beringianus 2 unequally sized pouches were present. Two additional sacs of
smaller size, representing outpouchings of the lateral pharyngeal wall, occurred in the spectacled bear. These
findings prove epipharyngeal pouches to be constant and unique morphological features of the family
Ursidae, the anatomical features suggesting involvement in the respiratory system most probably in
important aspects of ursid phonation. This is the first description of epipharyngeal pouches in the spectacled
bear.