BLOOD CELL MORPHOLOGY AND LEUKOCYTE DIFFERENTIAL OF MORELET'S CROCODILE (Crocodylus moreletii) (CROCODYLIDAE) / Morfología de células sanguíneas y recuento leucocitario del cocodrilo de Morelet (Crocodylus moreletii) (CROCODYLIDAE)

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to determine the morphological characteristics of peripheral blood cells (erythrocytes, leukocytes, thrombocytes) and the leukocyte differential count (heterophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, azurophils) of captive Morelet's crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii) from Veracruz, Mexico. Peripheral blood from 80 apparently healthy farmed crocodiles (39 subadults [19 females, 20 males] and 41 adults [18 females, 23 males]) was examined for morphology through stained blood smears and manual count was used for the leukocyte differential. Blood was collected during the non-breeding (n = 42) and breeding (n = 38) seasons. Blood examination indicated similar morphological characteristics of blood cells in subadult and adult individuals and in females and males in both seasons. Erythrocytes were the largest blood cells and lymphocytes the smallest. The leukocyte differential count showed that lymphocytes were the most abundant leukocytes and basophils the least numerous. The percentages of some leukocytes showed difference by season (non-breeding and breeding) in subadult and adult males (p < 0.05) and by size (subadults and adults) in males and females but only in the non-breeding season (p < 0.05). The leukocytes that showed the greatest variation were lymphocytes, heterophils and eosinophils. The knowledge of blood cell morphology and the leukocyte differential count in healthy farmed Morelet's crocodiles will allow the accurate diagnosis of some diseases of captive and wild individuals.

RESUMEN El objetivo del estudio fue determinar las características morfológicas de células sanguíneas periféricas (eritrocitos, leucocitos, trombocitos) y el conteo diferencial de leucocitos (heterófilos, eosinófilos, basófilos, linfocitos, monocitos, azurófilos) del cocodrilo de Morelet (Crocodylus moreletii) mantenido en cautiverio en Veracruz, México. Se examinó sangre periférica de 80 cocodrilos aparentemente sanos criados en granja (39 subadultos [19 hembras, 20 machos] y 41 adultos [18 hembras, 23 machos]) mediante frotis sanguíneos teñidos para determinar la morfología celular y mediante conteo manual para el diferencial de leucocitos. La sangre se recolectó durante las temporadas no reproductiva (n = 42) y reproductiva (n = 38). El examen sanguíneo indicó similar morfología de células sanguíneas en individuos subadultos y adultos, así como en hembras y machos, en ambas temporadas. Los eritrocitos fueron las células sanguíneas más grandes y los linfocitos las más pequeñas. El conteo diferencial de leucocitos mostró que los linfocitos fueron los leucocitos más abundantes y los basófilos los menos numerosos. Los porcentajes de algunos leucocitos mostraron diferencia por época (no reproductiva y reproductiva) en machos subadultos y adultos (p < 0,05) y por talla (subadultos y adultos) en machos y hembras sólo en temporada no reproductiva (p < 0,05). Los leucocitos que tuvieron la mayor variación fueron linfocitos, heterófilos y eosinófilos. El conocer la morfología de las células sanguíneas y el conteo diferencial de leucocitos en individuos sanos de cocodrilo de Morelet criados en granja permitirá diagnosticar con precisión algunas enfermedades de individuos manejados en cautiverio y también de individuos silvestres.

Comparação da contenção farmacológica com cetamina e xilazina, administradas pela via intramuscular no membro torácico ou pélvico, em jacarés-do-papo-amarelo juvenis / Comparison of pharmacological restraint with ketamine and xylazine, administered intramuscularly in the forelimb or hindlimb, in broad-snouted caiman juveniles

Os répteis possuem um sistema porta-renal, o qual pode desviar parte do sangue proveniente das porções caudais do corpo aos rins antes que a mesma atinja a circulação sistêmica. Em vista disto, vem sendo aconselhada a administração de medicamentos injetáveis nos membros torácicos, para que se evite a filtração imediata pelo parênquima renal, causando redução do efeito esperado. O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar aspectos qualitativos e quantitativos da associação de cetamina (30 mg/kg) e xilazina (1 mg/kg), injetada no membro torácico ou pélvico, em jacarés-do-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris) juvenis. Oito animais machos com peso médio (±DP) de 1,3 (±0,3) kg e, aproximadamente, dois anos de idade foram anestesiados em duas ocasiões distintas com intervalo de sete dias. Em cada ocasião, os animais receberam, de forma aleatória, a associação anestésica por via intramuscular em membro torácico (tratamento MT) ou pélvico (tratamento MP). Foram avaliados os intervalos de tempo entre a administração do tratamento e a perda do reflexo de endireitamento (período de indução), entre a perda e o retorno desse reflexo (duração do efeito clínico importante) e entre o retorno do reflexo de endireitamento e os primeiros movimentos de deambulação (duração do efeito residual), as frequências cardíaca e respiratória e as temperaturas ambiental e cloacal. Os escores de sedação/anestesia foram avaliados através de uma escala com variação de 0 (alerta/consciente) a 10 (anestesia profunda/sobredosagem). No tratamento MP, dois animais não apresentaram perda de reflexo de endireitamento. Considerando somente aqueles que apresentaram a perda desse reflexo, o tempo de indução (21±9 e 17±5 minutos) e a duração do efeito clínico importante (35±19 e 43±21 minutos) e residual (28±31 e 12±11 minutos) foram similares entre os tratamentos MT e MP (média±desvio padrão)...

Reptiles possess a renal portal system which can divert part of the blood from the caudal portions of the body to the kidney before it reaches the systemic circulation. In view of this, it has been recommended the administration of injectable medications in the forelimbs, in order to avoid immediate glomerular filtration, which might result in a reduction of the expected effect. The aim of this study was to compare qualitative and quantitative aspects of the pharmacological restraint provided by the combination of ketamine (30mg/kg) and xylazine (1mg/kg), injected into the forelimb or hindlimb, in broad-snouted caiman juveniles (Caiman latirostris). Eight male animals, with a mean weight (±SD) of 1.3 (±0.3) kg, and aged about 2 years old, were anesthetized on two separate occasions with an interval of 7 days. On each occasion, the animals were randomly assigned to receive the anesthetic combination intramuscularly into the forelimb (FL treatment) or hindlimb (HL treatment). The time intervals between administration of treatment and loss of the righting reflex (induction time), between the loss and return of this reflex (duration of important clinical effect), and between the return of the righting reflex and first movements of ambulation (duration of residual effect) were measured as well as heart and respiratory rates and cloacal and environmental temperatures. Sedation/anesthesia scores were evaluated using a scale ranging from 0 (alert/conscious) to 10 (deep anesthesia/overdose). In the HL treatment, loss of righting reflex was not observed in two animals. Considering only those animals whose loss of righting reflex was observed, the induction time (21±9 and 17±5 minutes), the duration of important clinical effect (35±19 and 43±21 minutes), and the duration of residual effect (28±31 and 12±11 minutes) were similar between the FL and HL treatments, respectively (mean±SD). Sedation/anesthesia scores were significantly higher than at baseline...

Aerobic bacterial microflora of Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) oral cavity and cloaca, originating from Parque Zoológico Arruda Câmara, Paraíba, Brazil / Microflora bacteriana aeróbica da cavidade oral e cloaca de jacaré-de-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris) procedentes do Zoológico de João Pessoa, PB, Brasil

The objective of this study was to isolate and identify the aerobic bacterial microflora from the oral cavity mucosa and cloaca's samples, collected from Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris), born and bred in captivity at Parque Zoológico Arruda Câmara, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. The most common bacteria were Staphylococcus sp. (14.74%), Corynebacterium sp. (13.68%), Escherichia coli (13.68%) and Shigella sp. (11.58%), and the less common were Citrobacter sp. (1.05%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1.05%) and Salmonella sp. (1.05%).This emphasizes the importance of these microorganisms' participation in infectious processes (sepsis) and injuries caused by crocodilians.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo isolar e identificar a microflora bacteriana aeróbica presente na mucosa da cavidade oral e da cloaca de exemplares de jacarés-de-papo-amarelo(Caiman latirostris) nascidos e criados em cativeiro no Parque Zoológico Arruda Câmara, localizado na cidade de João Pessoa - PB. As bactérias mais freqüentes foram Staphylococcus sp.(14,74%), Corynebacterium sp. (13,68%), Escherichia coli (13,68%) e Shigella sp. (11,58%), e as menos prevalentes foram Citrobacter sp.(1,05%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1,05%) e Salmonella sp. (1,05%). Ressalta-se a importância da participação desses microrganismos em processos infecciosos (septicemias) e em feridas provocadas por crocodilianos.

Parentage test in broad-snouted caimans (Caiman latirostris, Crocodylidae) using microsatellite DNA

In this study, microsatellite markers, developed for Alligator mississipiensis and Caiman latirostris, were used to assess parentage among individuals from the captive colony of Caiman latirostris at the University of São Paulo, in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Many of the females in the colony were full siblings, which made maternal identification difficult due to genotypic similarity. Even so, the most likely mother could be identified unambiguously among offspring in most of the clutches studied. Two non-parental females displayed maternal behavior which would have misled managers in assigning maternity based on behavior alone. This set of variable loci demonstrates the utility of parentage testing in captive propagation programs.