Topografia da papila parotídea em Cerdocyon thous (Linnaeus, 1766) e Lycalopex gymnocercus (G. Fisher, 1814).

This study aimed to determine point of opening of excretory parotid duct in the wild canids Cerdocyon thous and Lycalopex gymnocercus and compare the findings with those available for other carnivores. We analyzed 28 cadavers (56 hemiarcads) collected dead from highways, which included five males and nine females of C. thous and nine males and five females of L. gymnocercus. Thereafter, the parotid papilla was inspected and an imaginary vertical line was projected to determine its topography in relation to the premolars (P) and molars (M). Two cadavers of each species were macrodissected to determine the position of the salivary parotid gland and its duct. The parotid gland was located ventrally to the ear cartilage and its duct crossed on lateral surface of the masseter muscle, opening in the buccal region of the oral vestibule. When considered hemiarcades, the opening of the duct in C. thous predominated at the level between P4 and M1 (53.6% of cases), followed by opening opposite to the M1 (46.4%). Males of C. thous presented the duct opening in a significantly (p-value = 0.0006) caudally level when compared to females. In L. gymnocercus half of hemiarcades showed the opening at the level between P4 and M1 and the other half opposed to M1, with no significant difference between genders. It could be concluded that these two species have parotid papilla in a caudal position in relation to the reports concerning domestic dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]