Preparing Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu Linnaeus, 1758) for Reintroduction into the Wild: A Screening for Parasites and Hemopathogens of a Captive Population.

The reintroduction of captive animals to the wild helps restore endangered species, but it risks pathogen transmission, harming wild populations. Such transmission can impact the genetic diversity and long-term viability of these populations. This study assessed parasite diversity and load in captive Pecari tajacu, a species native to the Americas and culturally significant to Brazilian indigenous culture, prior to reintroduction. Samples from 24 peccaries were analyzed for ectoparasites, hemopathogens, and stool parasites with direct and molecular analysis. Findings showed that various parasites were present. Two peccaries (8.3%) were infested by the adult tick Amblyomma sculptum. Six (25.0%) tested positive for Trypanosoma evansi, four (16.7%) for hemobacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae, twelve (50.0%) for hemotropic Mycoplasma, and seven (29.2%) for Leishmania braziliensis. Stool samples indicated multiple parasites, with sixteen (66.7%) peccaries infected by Strongylida order parasites, Spiruridae in three (12.5%), and Ascaris suum in one (4.2%) animal. Cysts of Balantidium sp. were found in twenty (83.3%), Entamoeba polecki in five (20.8%), and Iodamoeba bütschlii in two (8.3%) peccaries. To our current knowledge, this is the first global report of Leishmania braziliensis, Iodamoeba bütschlii, and Entamoeba polecki in P. tajacu, irrespective of the environment, including both captivity and wild conditions. Some of these parasites are common in domestic animals, and others are zoonotic, indicating potential interspecies pathogen transmission.

Ticks and Rickettsia on anteaters from Southeast and Central-West Brazil.

The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) and the collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) are widespread in Brazil and found in all Brazilian biomes. These hosts frequently use domestic animal environments such as pastures, where tick and related microorganism interchange may occur between hosts. Reports of tick infestations of these animals are scattered and refer to small samples and/or are geographically restricted. We herein present data on a wide geographic distribution of ticks and their Rickettsia collected from 72 giant and 30 collared anteaters, mostly road killed, over a period of 18 years, from Southeast and Central-West Brazil encompassing four States and 46 Municipalities. Overall nine tick species (Amblyomma auricularium, A. calcaratum, A. nodosum, A. ovale, A. parvum, A. sculptum, A. triste, Rhipicephalus microplus and R. sanguineus sensu lato) were collected from anteaters. Amblyomma sculptum, A. nodosum, and A. calcaratum were the most prevalent corresponding to, respectively, 48.8%, 39.3% and 2.7% of all ticks (n = 1775). However, A. nodosum tick numbers on collared anteaters were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those on giant anteaters. At the same time, an abundance of A. sculptum adults on giant anteaters was significantly higher (Z = 2.875; P = 0.004) than that of A. nodosum and only eight A. sculptum nymphs were found on collared anteaters. DNA samples from 20 ticks from nine different animals yielded a visible amplicon in PCR targeting gltA. The PCR products targeting spotted-fever Rickettsia gene (ompA) from five adults of A. nodosum were sequenced and were shown to be 100% identical to Rickettsia parkeri strain NOD (MF737635.1). The product of one nymph and one adult of A. sculptum yielded a sequence 99% identical to R. parkeri strain NOD. Further, Rickettsia bellii genes were found in three A. nodosum adults. Ecological, behavioral and anatomical traits of anteaters are discussed to explain reported tick infestations and Rickettsia DNA found.

Ontogeny of the shell bones of embryos of Podocnemis unifilis (Troschel, 1848) (Testudines, Podocnemididae).

The aim of the present study was to investigate the sequence of shell bone formation in the embryos of the Pleurodira, Podocnemis unifilis. Their bones and cartilage were collected and cleared before staining. The shell was also examined by obtaining a series of histological slices. All the bony elements of the plastron have independent ossification centers, which subsequently join together and retain two fontanelles until the period of hatching. This turtle has a mesoplastra, which is characteristic of the Podocnemididae. The carapace begins to form concurrently with the ossification of the ribs at the beginning of stage 20. All the plates, except the suprapygal, initiate ossification during the embryonic period. The main purpose of the histological investigation was to highlight the relationship between the formation of the carapace and ribs with that of the neural plates. The costal and neural plates were found not to independent ossification centers, but to be closely related to components of the endoskeleton, originating as expansions of the perichondral collar of the ribs and the neural arches, respectively. Considering the ribs as an endoskeletal element of the carapace, the carapace and plastron begin ossification at the same stage in P. unifilis. This pattern reveals similarities with other Pleurodira, as well as evident variations, such as the presence of the seven neural bones and the presence of only one ossification center in the nuchal plate.

Anatomical and topographical description of the digestive system of caiman crocodilus (Linnaeus 1758), melanosuchus niger (Spix 1825) and paleosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier 1807) / Descripción anatómica y topográfica del sistema digestivo del caimam crocodillus (Linnaeus 1758), melanosuchus niger (Spix 1825) y paleosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier 1807)

This paper describes the digestive system of Caiman crocodilus, Melanosuchus niger and Paleosuchus palpebrosus based on anatomical and topographical inferences. The study involves two digestive systems of C. crocodilus, one of M. niger and one of P. palpebrosus, already fixed in 10 percent formaldehyde, belonging to the collection of the Wild Animal Research Laboratory (LAPAS) of the Federal University of Uberlândia. The work begins with a description of the digestive system of the aforementioned crocodilians, followed by topographical associations, aided by photographs taken with a SONY® DSC-H20 camera, X-rays of the gastrointestinal tract and a photograph of the digestive system of C. crocodilus prior to formaldehyding, which also belong to the LAPAS collection. The results indicate that the digestive system of crocodilians consists of a wide mouth, short pharynx, long straight esophagus, dilated stomach in relation to the rest of the tract, pancreas lodged between the first two ventral duodenal loops, coiled small intestine, large intestine with diameter larger than the preceding segments, and cloaca as the terminal portion of the digestive, urinary and reproductive systems. The anatomical and topographical description of the digestive system of C. crocodilus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae), M. niger (Spix, 1825) (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae) and P. palpebrosus (Cuvier, 1807) (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae) can be extended to the other crocodilians due to interspecies and intraspecific behavioral similarities.

Mediante comparaciones anatómicas y topográficas describimos el sistema digestivo de C. crocodillus, M. nigeri y P. palpebrosus. Se utilizaron dos sistemas digestivos de C. crocodillus, uno de M. nigeri y uno de P. palpebrosus, fijados en formalina al 10 por ciento y pertenecientes al laboratorio de enseñanza e investigación de fauna silvestre (LAPAS) de la Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. En primera instancia se realizó la descripción del sistema digestivo de las mencionadas especies, seguido de comparaciones topográficas. Luego, fueron tomados registros fotográficos con cámara DSC H20 SONY. Adicional a esto, nos apoyamos con radiografías del tracto gastrointestinal y fotografías del sistema digestivo de C. crocodillus antes de ser fijados en formalina. Los resultados demuestraron que el sistema digestivo de estas tres especies de caimanes está constituido por una boca grande, faringe corta, esófago alargado y rectilíneo, estómago dilatado con relación a las otras partes del tracto digestivo, páncreas alojado entre las dos primeras curvaturas duodenales ventrales, intestino delgado plegado, intestino grueso con un diámetro mayor en relación a los segmentos anteriores y una cloaca donde también terminan los sistemas urinarios y reproductor. La descripción anatómica y topográfica del sistema digestivo de C. crocodillus, M. niger y P. palpebrosus puede ser extrapolada para otros cocodrilos por la semejanza comportamental interespecies e intraespecíficas.

Anatomical Behavior of the Celiacomesenteric Artery of Pirarucu Arapaima gigas Cuvier, 1817 (Osteoglossiforme, Arapaimidae) / Comportamiento Anatómico de la Arteria Celiacomesentérica en Pirarucu Arapaima gigas Cuvier, 1817 (Osteoglosiforme, Arapaimidae)

The pirarucu, Arapaimidae family fish, is one of the most important and emblematic species of Amazon. To investigate their circulatory system anatomies features were used 10 specimens with 74 cm medium total length, from river Araguaia lakes, Sao Miguel do Araguaia, Goias, Brazil. The fishes had their celomatic cavity open with dorsal aorta artery identified and cannulation where was injected synthetic latex. Fixation of those specimens was by injection of 10% formalin. In that specie, the coeliac-mesenteric artery is the only one arterial vessel responsible to digestive tract flow and always ramified from 2nd, 3rd and 4th left efferent branchial arteries. The stomach is flowing by coeliac artery and a gastric branch of the cecal ventral artery; intestine receives coeliac-mesenteric artery branchs and cranial and caudal mesenteries arteries branchs; the dorsal and ventral cecum are supplied by cecal dorsal and ventral arteries respectively.

El pirarucu, pez de la familia Arapaimidae, es una de las especies más importantes y emblemáticas de la ictiofauna amazónica. Para estudiar las características anatómicas de su sistema circulatorio, fueron utilizados 10 ejemplares de Arapaima gigas, con un longitud total media de 74 cm, provenientes de lagos del río Araguaia, Sao Miguel do Araguaia, Goiás, Brasil. A los peces se les abrió la cavidad celomática donde se identificó y canalizó la arteria aorta dorsal, injectándose una solución coloreada de látex sintético. La fijación del material se realizó con inyecciones de formol al 10%. La arteria celiacomesentérica es responsable de la irrigación del tubo digestivo y tiene origen en las 2ª, 3ª y 4ª arterias branquiales eferentes izquierdas. El estómago está irrigado por la arteria celíaca y por una rama gástrica de la arteria cecal ventral. El intestino recibe ramas arteriales procedentes de la arteria celiacomesentérica y de las arterias mesentéricas craneal y caudal; los ciegos dorsal y ventral están irrigados por las arterias cecales dorsal y ventral, respectivamente.

Discoespondilose deformante em onça parda (puma concolor, Linnaeus, 1771) relato de um caso / Disc spondylosis deformant in a puma (Puma concolor, Linnaeus, 1771) case report

No presente relato, descreve-se um caso de discoespondilose deformante em uma onça parda (Puma concolor). O animal foi avaliado no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, apresentando prostação e paresia de membros pélvicos. Pelos exames radiográficos e laboratoriais de hemograma, pesquisa de hemoparasita e urinálise, foi possível diagnosticar discoespondilose deformante, sendo indicada realização de hemilaminectomia.

Origem e distribuição do nervo isquiático no gato doméstico (Felis catus domesticus, Linnaeus, 1758) / Origin and distribution of the sciatic nerve in the domestic cat (Felis catus domesticus, Linnaeus, 1758)

Neste estudo, verificou-se a origem e a distribuição do nervo isquiático de 30 gatos sem raça definida, 17 fêmeas e 13 machos, após fixação em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%. O nervo isquiático originou-se em 55 antímeros (91,67%) do ramo ventral do sexto nervo espinhal lombar, em 60 (100%) do ramo ventral do sétimo nervo espinhal lombar e do ramo ventral do primeiro nervo espinhal sacral e em 44 antímeros (73,33%), do ramo ventral do segundo nervo espinhal sacral. O aludido nervo cedeu ramos nervosos, em todos os animais, para os músculos glúteo profundo, piriforme, gêmio, bíceps femoral, semitendinosos e semimembranosos e, em alguns animais, para os músculos quadrado femoral (75,00%) abdutor crural caudal (78,33%), além do ramo comunicante com o nervo pudendo (71,67%). Após análise dos resultados, constatou-se diferença significativa (p<0,05) para os ramos nervosos emitidos aos músculos quadrado femoral em fêmeas profundo e quadrado femoral em machos e fêmeas.

The origin and distribution of the sciatic nerves were studied in 30 adult unknown breed cats. The sample included 17 females and 13 males. The nerves were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution. Sciatic nerves were observed to originate, in 55 sample (91.67%), from the ventral branch of the sixth limbar spinal nerve; in 60 sample (100%), from the ventral branch of the seventh lumbar spinal berve; in 60 sample (100%), from the ventral branch of the first sacral nerve and, in 44 sample (73.33%), from the ventral branch of the second sacral nerve. The sciatic nerves branched out, in all of the animals studied, to the gluteus profundus, piriformis, gemelli, biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles, and some animals, to the quadratus femoris (75.00%) and abductor cruris caudalis muscles (78.33%). The nerves also extended to the communicant branch of the pudende nerve (71.67%). Significant difference (p<0.05) was observed among branches emitted to the quadratus femoris muscles in females and the gluteus produndus and quadratus femoris in males and females.