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Year 2015 - Volume 35, Number 12
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Evaluation of the oropharyngeal cavity of Giant South American turtle Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger, 1812), 35(12):1002-1008
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ABSTRACT.- Silveira T.B., Agostinho E.S., Santos F.G.A., Oliveira A.C.P., Medeiros L.S., Carvalho Y.K. & Miglino M.A. 2015. [Evaluation of the oropharyngeal cavity of Giant South American turtle Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger, 1812).] Avaliação da cavidade orofaríngea da tartaruga da Amazônia Podocnemis expansa (Schweigger, 1812). Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 35(12):1002-1008. Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Natureza, Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Acre, Campus Universitário, BR-364 Km 4, Distrito Industrial, Rio Branco, AC 69920-900, Brazil. E-mail: ykaracas@yahoo.com.br
Turtles are important as food and economic resources for the Amazon communities and there is a large demand on its meat and eggs. Podocnemis expansa (Giant South American turtle) is the largest freshwater chelonian of South America. This turtle is a widely distributed specie, however its anatomical features are poorly described. The objective of this study was to describe the oropharyngeal cavity of the turtle. Twelve heads of 3 to 8-year-old female and male P. expansa turtles with an average body weight of 7.5kg were used. P. expansa has a sharp and well developed rhamphotheca, which together with a powerful jaw muscles and a large tongue uniformly distributed on the oropharynx floor works for the apprehension and swallowing of food, what ensures good adaptation in different environments. |
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