Heart anatomy and topography of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus, 1758).

INTRODUCTION: The morphological study of wild animals serves as a base for more advanced studies in clinical medicine, surgery, and pathology. Due to an urgent need and demand for professionals specialized in this area, studies of this nature have become indispensable and so the objective of the present study was to describe the heart morphology of Callithrix jacchus. METHODS: Ten anatomic pieces of common marmoset were used. The hearts were removed and dissected for better visualization and thus to makes a detailed description of the structures of the organ of the C jacchus species. RESULTS: The C jacchus heart is similar to that of other mammals, with small anatomical modifications such as division of the apex by the interventricular grooves, shallow fossa ovalis, and less salient intervenous tubercle. CONCLUSIONS: This study may serve as taxonomic base for research and also as a basis for clinical and surgical procedures with the C jacchus.

Trachea and lung anatomy applied to clinical and surgical procedures in Sapajus libidinosus (Spix, 1823).

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to study the anatomy of the respiratory system of Sapajus libidinosus. METHODS: Ten corpses of adult animals were used. To analyze the bronchial tree, transparent acetic silicone was injected and then dissected. RESULTS: The trachea presented a mean of 32 rings. These spaces were delimited for tracheostomy and tracheotomy between the 1st and 3rd ring or between the 9th and 11th ring, and for thoracocentesis at the 7th or 8th intercostal space. For tracheostomy and tracheotomy, the best access point was in the ventral region of the neck and transverse incision of the rings. For thoracocentesis, cranioventral insertion of the catheter is recommended in the 8th intercostal space. CONCLUSIONS: The trachea and lung anatomy applied to clinical and surgical procedures the robust capuchin monkey is similar to both wild and domestic carnivores.

Prevalence of scrotum bipartition in sheep in the Paraiba backwoods, Brazil.

Goats and sheep have morphological characteristics for adaptation to desert and semiarid regions. The appearance of scrotum division known as scrotum bipartition has already been reported in goats. This anatomy increases the surface of each testicle exposed to environmental temperature, favoring heat dissipation and improving reproductive efficiency. Considering that there are already studies on the goat species demonstrating the presence of this characteristic as an influence on reproductive parameters, the prevalence of scrotum bipartition was estimated in the sheep herds reared in the municipality of Patos, Paraiba backwoods, Brazil. A total of 331 rams were examined from farms in four municipalities in the micro-region of Patos, Paraiba, Brazil, and the same study was also carried out at the municipal slaughterhouse in this city, where 456 animals were examined. According to the analysis, 66.67% of the farms visited presented one or more sheep with scrotum bipartition, with a prevalence of 11.48% on the farms and 14.47% at the slaughterhouse. The degree of bipartition was 9.59 ± 1.035% of the total scrotum length for the animals in the field and 12.89 ± 0.749% for those from the slaughterhouse, characterizing bipartition of less than 50% of the scrotum length. The variables intensive rearing (OR = 16.6) and the Dorper breed (OR = 6.91) were identified as factors associated to the presence of scrotum bipartition. It was concluded that scrotum bipartition is a characteristic present in sheep reared in the municipality of Patos in the semiarid region of Paraiba state, northeastern Brazil, and high prevalence was observed of farms with bipartition sheep, but a low number of animals with scrotum bipartition was identified.

Greater rhea (Rhea americana) external morphology at different stages of embryonic and fetal development.

Knowledge of wild species embryonic development is important for their maintenance in captivity or the wild. The objective of the present study was to characterize the external morphology and define the biometry of greater rhea embryos and fetuses at different stages of development. A total of 41 embryos and fetuses were analyzed to describe their external morphology using a stereoscopic microscope. The crown-rump (CR), total length (TL), cephalocaudal length (CCL), biparietal diameter (BPD), beak, humerus and tibio-tarsal lengths were measured by digital pachymeter, millimetric scale ruler and cotton thread. The weight of the embryos and fetuses was measured on digital scales. The greater rhea embryos at 5, 6 and 7 days incubation presented a "C" shape. At 9, 10 and 11 days the eyes were big and pigmented. At 11, 12 and 13 days the eyelid covered more than half the eye, resulting in an oval slit. In 14 and 15 day-old embryos, the skin was still thin and the ribs evident, but at 18 days this structure was thicker. In embryos at 21 and 27 days of development closed eyelids were observed forming an eyelid slit, and the eye ball was less pronounced at 27 days. Weight gain presented an exponential growth curve, while measurements such as TL, DBP, beak, humerus and tibio-tarsal length had linear growth over time. Thus it was possible to characterize the greater rhea embryos and fetuses at several incubation ages using their external morphology and morphometric analyses.

Identification of parasites in Puffinus puffinus (Birds, Procellariiformes) from Northeastern Brazil.

Studies on the parasitic fauna of migratory sea birds of the Puffinus genus are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify parasites of 16 specimens of Puffinus puffinus (Procellariiformes, Procellariidae) that died during the period of June 2011 to December 2011 at the Wildlife Screening Center (CETAS) of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA) in Cabedelo, Paraíba. During necropsy, biting lice and/or gastrointestinal helminths were collected in seven (43.7 %) birds. Lice were collected in five (31.2 %) birds, and the species identified were Halipeurus diversus, Trabeculus aviator, Austromenopon paululum), Saemundssonia sp. and Naubates sp. The prevalence of helminths was also 31.2 %. The nematodes species were Seuratia shipleyi and Contracaecum sp., and cestodes were Tetrabothrius sp. This is the first record in Brazil of Naubates sp., Seuratia shipleyi, Contracaecum sp., and Tetrabothrius sp. in Puffinus puffinus.

Morphological and morphometric characterization of agoutis' peripheral blood cells (Dasyprocta prymnolopha, Wagler, 1831) raised in captivity.

Thirty adult agoutis (Dasyprocta primnolopha) from the Nucleus of Study and Preservation of Wild Animals at the Federal University of Piauí were used. Blood scrubs of these animals were colored by the Leishman method and analyzed in light microscopy. The cells had been measured using programs that analyze images (Leica QWin - Image Processing and Analysis Software). Mature erythrocytes, basophil reticulocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils, monocytes, and thrombocytes were identified. Agoutis' erythrocytes presented elliptical form, without nucleus with an average diameter of 5.64 micromeres ± 0.38. The lymphocytes are spherical cells with scarce cytoplasm, dense and with a very centralized rounded nucleus measuring an average diameter of 13.20 micromeres ± 0.35. The monocytes are slightly basophilic, with a spherical nucleus, central constriction, and an average diameter of 20.59 micromeres ± 0.32. The neutrophils are spherical, with a polymorphic lobulated nucleus, with an average diameter of 11.2 micromeres ± 0.20. The eosinophils are spherical with lobulated nucleus and with an average diameter of 14.25 micromeres ± 0.36. Only five basophils were observed, with abundance of cytoplasmic granules with 9.8 micrometers of diameter ± 0.30. Thrombocytopenic pleomorphism was frequent. There were similarities in the cellular constituents in peripheral blood of agoutis and of other rodents and humans. The cellular types from the peripheral blood, the morphology, and morphometry of the blood's cells did not vary according to sex.