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Procyon cancrivorus is a wild mammal from the Procyonidae family, being one of the least studied Brazilian carnivores. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological aspects of the salivary glands of Procyon cancrivorus, and to compare with literature data on the morphology of domestic animals and wilds animals, such as coatis and possums. Three adult animals were collected on highways (roadkilled), fixed 10% formaldehyde aqueous solution and submitted to desiccation. The salivary glands of the crab-eating raccoon are formed by the parotid, mandibular, sublingual and zygomatic glands. The parotid gland shows irregularly triangular shape with its respective duct. The mandible gland shows rounded outline surrounded by a fibrous capsule with its respective duct. The sublingual gland is divided into two parts: the caudal part, located in the occiptomandibular region of the digastric muscle and the rostral part between the tunica mucosa of the mouth and the mylohyoid muscle with its respective duct. The zygomatic gland is small and rounded, located in the rostral part of the pterygopalatine fossa with its respective duct. The morphology of the salivary glands of crab-eating raccoon presents great similarity in shape and arrangement with the glands of dog, cat, coatis and possum.

Twenty-eight fowls (Gallus gallus domesticus) of the Red Bro Cou Nu lineage were studied. They were about 35 days old and had their arteries filled with Neoprene Latex 450", aqueous solution at 50%, stained with specific pigment (Globo S/A, Tintas e Pigmentos), and then fixed in aqueous solution of formaldehyde at 10%. The present study aimed to quantify the thymic lobes and identify the main arteries responsible for the blood supply of these lobes and their frequencies. The number of thymic lobes on the right antimere varied from two to 11, with a greater frequency of 8 lobes; and the left antimere showed a variation from one to eight, with a greater frequency of five lobes. The arteries destined to the thymus were composed by direct and indirect branches of the following arteries: left and right common vagus nerve, left and right cranial thyroid, left and right caudal thyroid, left and right ascending esophageal, right ingluvial, left and right cutaneous, and right common carotid. The right thymic lobes, regardless their origin, received from eight to 27 vascular branches, and the left thymic lobes, from eight to 24 branches.

The reproductive system of male Phrynops geoffroanus adults is macroscopically described and the variation in testicular biometry is evaluated. A pair of oval testes is connected by the efferent ductules to the epididymis, which continue as deferent ducts, which emerge in the penis. The volume of the gonads showed the highest averages during spring and summer months. GSI varied significantly throughout the year, with the highest averages observed in the months that correspond to the end of spring and the beginning of summer, when the reproduction of the species takes place, and the lowest averages were seen in winter, suggesting a cyclical testicular activity. The reproductive system of male Phrynops geoffroanus adults is macroscopically described and the variation in testicular biometry is evaluated. A pair of oval testes is connected by the efferent ductules to the epididymis, which continue as deferent ducts, which emerge in the penis. The volume of the gonads showed the highest averages during spring and summer months. GSI varied significantly throughout the year, with the highest averages observed in the months that correspond to the end of spring and the beginning of summer, when the reproduction of the species takes place, and the lowest averages were seen in winter, suggesting a cyclical testicular activity.

The dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) is a serranida species with great ecological importance and good perspectives for rearing. The investigation of the digestive tract morphology associated to the feeding activity is essential for the understanding of the biology of this species and a basic premise for research on feed requirements, feed development and appropriate feeding methods. The present study describes the anatomy and histological variations along the digestive tract of Epinephelus marginatus juveniles associating the histology with function and feeding habit. It was verified that this species possesses a high number of different cellular types along the digestive tube intimately related with the innate and adaptative immunological responses. A garoupa-verdadeira (Epinephelus marginatus) é uma espécie de serranídeo com grande importância ecológica e boas perspectivas para o cultivo. A investigação da morfologia do trato digestório, associada à atividade alimentar, é fundamental para a compreensão da biologia dessa espécie e premissa básica para pesquisas sobre requerimentos nutricionais, desenvolvimento de rações e práticas adequadas de manejo alimentar. O presente trabalho descreve a anatomia e, por meio da microscopia de luz, as variações histológicas ao longo do tubo digestório de juvenis de Epinephelus marginatus, correlacionando a histologia de cada seguimento com as respectivas funções e o hábito alimentar. Verificou-se que essa espécie possui elevado número de tipos celulares ao longo do tubo digestório que estão intimamente relacionados com a resposta imunológica inata e adaptativa, permitindo o hábito alimentar detritívoro.

To gain an understanding of the detailed anatomical aspects of Mazama gouazoubira (brocket deer), this paper describes the relationships between its spinal cord and the vertebral canal, adding information with a clinical and surgical approach. Three specimens of M. gouazoubira were prepared following the methods normally used in anatomy. The epaxial muscles and vertebral arches were removed to expose the spinal cord and the spinal nerve roots. The dimensions of the medullary segments were measured using a pachymeter with 0.05 mm precision. The spinal cord is cylindroidal, dorsoventrally flattened, with an average craniosacral length of 656.27 mm, and has two dilatations corresponding to the cervical and lumbar intumescences. The cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacrocaudal segments showed an average length of 175.07, 226.03, 123.47 and 43.63 mm, with indices of 28.02, 35.34, 19.68 and 6.93%, respectively. The medullary cone, whose average length is 46.27 mm, begins between L2 and L3 and ends between S1 and S2, with a mean index of 7.53%. The overall average distance between the nerve roots of the cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral segments was 2.23, 2.06 and 1.98 cm, respectively. To gain an understanding of the detailed anatomical aspects of Mazama gouazoubira (brocket deer), this paper describes the relationships between its spinal cord and the vertebral canal, adding information with a clinical and surgical approach. Three specimens of M. gouazoubira were prepared following the methods normally used in anatomy. The epaxial muscles and vertebral arches were removed to expose the spinal cord and the spinal nerve roots. The dimensions of the medullary segments were measured using a pachymeter with 0.05 mm precision. The spinal cord is cylindroidal, dorsoventrally flattened, with an average craniosacral length of 656.27 mm, and has two dilatations corresponding to the cervical and lumbar intumescences. The cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacrocaudal segments showed an average length of 175.07, 226.03, 123.47 and 43.63 mm, with indices of 28.02, 35.34, 19.68 and 6.93%, respectively. The medullary cone, whose average length is 46.27 mm, begins between L2 and L3 and ends between S1 and S2, with a mean index of 7.53%. The overall average distance between the nerve roots of the cervical, thoracic and lumbosacral segments was 2.23, 2.06 and 1.98 cm, respectively.

In order to determine the normal stages of formation in the sequence of ossification of the cranium of Podocnemis expansa in its various stages of development, embryos were collected starting on the 18th day of natural incubation and were subjected to bone diaphanization and staining. In the neurocranium, the basisphenoid and basioccipital bones present ossification centers in stage 19, the supraoccipital and opisthotic in stage 20, the exoccipital in stage 21, and lastly the prooptic in stage 24. Dermatocranium: the squamosal, pterygoid and maxilla are the first elements to begin the ossification process, which occurs in stage 16. However, ossification centers begin to appear in stage 17 in most of these bone elements, i.e., the frontal, jugal, postorbital, parietal, premaxilla and prefrontal, followed by the palatine and quadratojugal in stage 19 and lastly by the vomer in stage 25. The quadrate bone of the splanchnocranium ossifies in stage 23. The mandible and hyoid apparatus, the dentary, coronoid and supra-angular, show ossification centers in stage 16 and the branchial horn I in stage 17. The sequence and synchronization of ossification in P. expansa show similarities as well as differences when compared with other species of Testudines. In order to determine the normal stages of formation in the sequence of ossification of the cranium of Podocnemis expansa in its various stages of development, embryos were collected starting on the 18th day of natural incubation and were subjected to bone diaphanization and staining. In the neurocranium, the basisphenoid and basioccipital bones present ossification centers in stage 19, the supraoccipital and opisthotic in stage 20, the exoccipital in stage 21, and lastly the prooptic in stage 24. Dermatocranium: the squamosal, pterygoid and maxilla are the first elements to begin the ossification process, which occurs in stage 16. However, ossification centers begin to appear in stage 17 in most of these bone elements, i.e., the frontal, jugal, postorbital, parietal, premaxilla and prefrontal, followed by the palatine and quadratojugal in stage 19 and lastly by the vomer in stage 25. The quadrate bone of the splanchnocranium ossifies in stage 23. The mandible and hyoid apparatus, the dentary, coronoid and supra-angular, show ossification centers in stage 16 and the branchial horn I in stage 17. The sequence and synchronization of ossification in P. expansa show similarities as well as differences when compared with other species of Testudines.

This work was developed with the aim of enriching knowledge on the vascular morphology of renal and gonadal arteries of Podocnemis unifilis, thus increasing the understanding of the clinical and surgical physiology of these animals. Five Podocnemis unifilis males were used, collected according to license no. 066/2004-Ibama/RAM. The left carotid artery and right femoral vein were cannulated, and a serum solution was introduced to remove obstructions from the vascular system. A solution of Neoprene Latex “450” dye was injected. The material was fixed in a solution of 10% formaldehyde for a period of 96 hours. Next, a square-shaped central opening was made in the caudal end of the plastron and bridge, exposing the branches of the aorta that irrigate the kidneys and gonads. It was observed that the renal arteries were originated from the ventral face of the dorsal aorta artery, in a number of two pairs per kidney and, in a single case, they originated one right and two left renal arteries. The gonadal artery was originated from the renal artery, and only one pair penetrated the dorsal face of each gonad. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o intuito de enriquecer o conhecimento sobre a morfologia vascular das artérias renais e gonadais de Podocnemis unifilis, facilitando o entendimento da fisiologia clínica e cirúrgica destes animais. Foram utilizados cinco exemplares machos de Podocnemis unifilis (tracajá), coletados segundo a Licença nº 066/2004-Ibama/RAM. A artéria carótida esquerda e a veia femoral direita foram canuladas e, pelas mesmas, foi introduzida solução fisiológica para lavagem do sistema vascular; em seguida, aplicou-se solução de Neoprene Látex “450” corada com pigmento específico (Globo S/A Tintas e Pigmentos). O material foi fixado em solução de Formol tamponado a 10% por um período mínimo de 96h. Uma abertura central e de formato quadrangular foi feita na metade caudal do plastrão e casco, de forma a expor os ramos da artéria aorta que irrigam os rins e as gônadas. Observou-se que as artérias renais se originam da face ventral da artéria aorta dorsal, em número de dois pares para cada rim e, em um único exemplar, elas originaram uma artéria renal direita e duas esquerdas. A artéria gonadal surgiu a partir da artéria renal, e apenas um par penetrou pela face dorsal de cada gônada.