Squamous cell carcinoma of the footpad with systemic metastasis in a captive crowned solitary eagle (Buteogallus coronatus).

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are one of the most common tumors of the tegument that can have a misdiagnosis of chronic skin wounds. An adult captive crowned solitary eagle presented an indolent wound-like ulcer on the footpad and a fatal outcome. An infiltrating tumoral mass in the foot and multiple tumoral metastatic nodules in visceral organs were detected. The neoplasm was composed of atypical squamous cells with strong positivity for cytokeratin, "keratin pearl" structures, and marked invasion of tissues confirming a diagnosis of metastatic SCC. This might be the first report of an SSC with metastasis on the footpad in a captive Chaco eagle, which is one of the endangered species of birds of prey.

Nasal Melanophoroma in a Captive Green Iguana (Iguana Iguana).

Green iguanas are arboreal lizards, common as pet animals and in captivity. Knowledge of neoplasms in iguanas is scarce, and a challenge to their prevention, treatment, and prognosis. A captive green iguana showed a pigmented nasal exophytic neoplasm. Tumor cells were spindle-shaped to epithelioid with a variable amount of dark-brown or black granular melanin within the cytoplasm, and also presented cytoplasmic positivity for Melan-A and S100. Transmission electron microscopy evidenced intracytoplasmic melanosomes and premelanosomes and provided a definitive diagnosis of a nasal melanophoroma. Full characterization of the clinicopathological and ultrastructural features of the melanophoroma may contribute to the limited knowledge concerning cutaneous neoplasms in green iguanas.

Intra-puparial development of the Cochliomyia macellaria and Lucilia cuprina (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

ABSTRACT The intra-puparial development of the blowflies Cochliomyia macellaria (n = 310) and Lucilia cuprina (n = 470), was studied under controlled conditions in laboratory. The 3rd instar larvae were reared until they stopped feeding, and the pre-pupae were separated according to the size in larval length and degree of pigmentation and of the cuticle. We observe a set of five continuous events or phases: (1) pupariation, (2) larva-pupa apolysis, (3) cryptocephalic pupa, (4) phanerocephalic pupa and (5) pharate adult. The total time of the intra-puparial development, larva-pupa apolysis to pharate adult, lasted for 120 h (5 days) to C. macellaria and 210 h (8.75 days) to L. cuprina.

Ultrastructure of in vitro oocyte maturation in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

The objective of the present study was to describe ultrastructural changes in the nucleus and cytoplasmic organelles during in vitro maturation (IVM) of buffalo cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The structures were collected by ovum pick-up (OPU). Some COCs, removed from maturation medium at 0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h, were processed for transmission electron microscopy. The average number of COCs collected by OPU/animal/session was 6.4, and 44% of them were viable. Immature oocytes had a peripherally located nucleus, Golgi complex and mitochondrial clusters, as well as a large number of coalescent lipid vacuoles. After 6 h of IVM, the oocyte nucleus morphology changed from round to a flatter shape, and the granulosa cells (GC) lost most of their contact with zona pellucida (ZP). At 12 h the first polar body was extruded and the aspect of lipid droplet changed to dark, probably denoting lipid oxidation. Cortical granules were clearly visible at 18 h of maturation, always located along the oocyte periphery. At 24 h of IVM the number of cortical granules increased. Ultrastructure studies revealed that: (1) immature oocytes have a high lipid content; (2) the perivitelline space (PS) increases during IVM; (3) Golgi complexes and mitochondrial clusters migrate to oocyte periphery during IVM; (4) 6 h of IVM are enough to lose contact between GC and ZP; (5) the oocyte lipid droplets' appearance changes between 6 and 12 h of IVM.

An ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis in two species of Sitophilus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The spermiogenesis of Sitophilus zeamais and Sitophilus oryzae, the maize and the rice weevil, respectively, was studied by light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Sitophilus spp. is the most widespread and destructive primary pest of stored cereals in the world. The spermiogenesis occurs within cysts. There are approximately 256 germ line cells per cyst. Inside each cysts, all the spermatids are in the same stage of maturation. The ultrastructure of the spermatozoa of S. zeamais and S. oryzae is similar to that described for other beetles. The head is formed by a three-layered acrosome with the perforatorium, the acrosomal vesicle, the extra-acrosomal layer and the nucleus. The flagellum has the typical axoneme formed by a 9+9+2 microtubules arrangement, two mitochondrial derivatives and two accessory bodies. The typical pattern for Curculionidae spermatozoa described here may provide useful information for future phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily Curculionoidea.