Anatomy of the thoracic limb muscles of wild boars (Sus scrofa, Artiodactyla: Suidae).

The study of the muscular anatomy of wild boar (Sus scrofa) is important, because it allows the understanding of the locomotor and evolutionary aspects, besides the improvement of surgical techniques used by veterinarians in swine. Thus, the objective of this study was to describe the morphology and disposition of the shoulder and arm muscles of S. scrofa. Twelve young specimens of hybrid S. scrofa, six males and six females were fixed and dissected following usual anatomy techniques. The bones of two specimens were prepared to analyze the fixation points of the muscles. The shoulder muscles presented fixation at the scapula and humerus, in distinct bone accidents, and were divided on lateral and medial faces. On the lateral face, the deltoid (divided in acromial and scapular parts), supraspinatus, infraspinatus (divided in cranial and caudal parts) and teres minor (deep to the caudal part of the infraspinatus) muscles were found. In the medial face, the subscapular, coracobrachialis and teres major muscles were observed. The arm muscles were arranged essentially around the humerus and were seen largely on its medial face, namely biceps brachii (originated by a single tendon), brachialis, tensor fasciae antebrachii (fused with the long head of the triceps brachii), triceps brachii (divided in lateral, long and medial heads) and anconeus (located mostly on the lateral side) muscles. Thus, it can be concluded that the S. scrofa presented seven muscles in the shoulder region and six muscles in the arm region, all with morphological similarities to domestic and some wild animals. Some differences were found, for the most part, in the shape, division and fixation points of certain muscles.

Origin and distribution of femoral nerves in swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) fetuses from crosses of Dan Bred and AGPIC-337 lines / Origem e distribuição dos nervos femorais em fetos suínos (Sus scrofa domesticus - linneaus, 1758) do cruzamento das linhagens Dan Bred e AGPIC337

The objective of this work was to assess the origin and distribution of femoral nerves in 30 swine fetuses from crosses of Dan Bred and AGPIC-337 lines. Thirty animals­fifteen males and fifteen females­from the collection of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine's Animal Anatomy Laboratory of the Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia MG, Brazil, were used. The animals were fixed by injecting a 10% aqueous formaldehyde solution into the descending aorta artery and thoracic, abdominal, pelvic and intramuscular cavities. The specimens were then submerged in a solution with the same concentration. These animals have five to seven lumbar vertebrae. The number of lumbar vertebrae was six in 96.67% and seven in 3.33% of the animals. The femoral nerve originated from the L4 and L5 (66.67%), L5 and L6 (26.67%) and L3 and L4 (6.66%) lumbar vertebrae. It sent branches to the psoas major, psoas minor, iliac, pectineus, and quadriceps femoris muscles in all animals, to the sartorius in 43.33% and to the gracilis in 6.66% of animals. No marked differences were found in the characteristics of origin and distribution of the femoral nerve between the swine fetuses from crosses of Dan Bred and AGPIC-337 lines and the animals described in the literature.

Objetivou-se estudar a origem e distribuição dos nervos femorais em 30 fetos suínos oriundos do cruzamento das linhagens Dan Bred e AGPIC337. Foram utilizados 30 animais, quinze machos e quinze fêmeas, pertencente ao acervo do laboratório de Anatomia Animal da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia. A fixação dos animais se deu por meio de injeção de solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10% na artéria aorta parte descendente, cavidades torácica, abdominal, pélvica e intramusculares, em seguida, os espécimes foram submersos em solução contendo a mesma concentração. Esses animais possuem cinco a sete vértebras lombares. Em 96,67% dos animais o número de vértebras lombares foi seis e em 3,33% sete. O nervo femoral originou-se de L4 e L5 (66,67%), L5 e L6 (26,67%) e L3 e L4 (6,66%). Emitiu ramos para os músculos psoas maior, psoas menor, ilíaco, pectíneo, quadríceps femoral em 100% dos casos, 43,33% para o sartório e 6,66% para o grácil. Nota-se que não foram observadas diferenças marcantes nas características tanto na origem como na distribuição do nervo femoral entre os fetos de suínos oriundos do cruzamento das linhagens Dan Bred e AGPIC337 e os animais da literatura consultada

Ontogeny of the Postcranial Axial Skeleton of Melanosuchus niger (Crocodylia, Alligatoridae).

This study proposes the description of the development of the postcranial axial skeleton, including vertebrae, gastralium, ribs, sternum, and interclavicle, in Melanosuchus niger. Six nests were marked and two eggs removed from each nest at 24-hr intervals until hatching. For posthatching evaluation, 30 hatchlings were kept in captivity and one exemplar was euthanized at three-day intervals. Samples were diaphanized using potassium hydroxide (KOH), alizarin red S, and Alcian blue. A routinely generally used method was applied for histological evaluation. It was difficult to define in which vertebrae the development of cartilaginous centers began, but it was possible to observe that this condensation advanced in the craniocaudal direction. The condensation started in the vertebral arches and was visibly stronger in the cervical and dorsal regions, advancing to the lumbar, sacral and, last, to the caudal region. The atlas showed a highly different morphology compared with the other cervical vertebrae, with a short intercenter, two neural arches, and a proatlas. The ossification process began in the body of cervical vertebrae III to VIII and alizarin retention decreased in the last vertebrae, indicating a craniocaudal direction in bone development, similar to cartilage formation. In the histological sections of gastralium and interclavicles of M. niger at several development stages, it was possible to observe that these elements showed intramembranous development. Anat Rec, 301:607-623, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ontogeny of the Appendicular Skeleton in Melanosuchus niger (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae).

The objective of the present study was to analyze chondrogenesis and the ossification pattern of the limbs of Melanosuchus niger in order to contribute with possible discussions on homology and the fusion pattern of autopodial elements and phylogeny. In the Reserva Extrativista do Lago Cuniã, Rondônia, Brazil, six nests were marked and two eggs removed from each nest at 24-hour intervals until hatching. Embryos were cleared using KOH; bone tissue was stained with alizarin red S and cartilage with Alcian blue. Routine staining with HE was also performed. In the pectoral girdle, the scapula showed ossification centers before the coracoid process. In the pelvic girdle, the ilium and the ischium were condensed as a single cartilage, although ossification took place through two separate centers, forming distinct elements in the adult. The pubis developed from an independent cartilaginous center with free end, which reflects its function in breathing. In the initial stages, the stylopodium and the zeugopodium developed from the condensation of a Y-shaped cartilage in the limbs, and differentiation of the primary axis and digital arch were observed. The greatest changes were observed in the mesopodia. In their evolution, Crocodylia underwent a vast reduction in the number of autopodial elements as a consequence of fusions and ossification of some elements. This study shows that the chondrogenesis and ossification sequences are dissociated. Moreover, the differences between M. niger and other species show clear variation in the patterns for these events in Alligatoridae.