PESQUISA VETERINÁRIA BRASILEIRA

Abstract in English:

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.

• Podocnemis expansa oral cavity Giant South American turtle cavidade orofaríngea tartaruga da Amazônia

Abstract in Portuguese:

RESUMO.- 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 Os quelônios são importantes como fonte alimentar e econômica para as comunidades da região amazônica. Sendo assim, a caça, a pesca e a procura por ovos destes animais tem ocorrido frequentemente. Podocnemis expansa (Tartaruga da Amazônia) é o maior quelônio de água doce da América do Sul. É uma espécie largamente distribuída, porém, nota-se que aspectos anatômicos da espécie são insuficientemente descritos. O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever a cavidade orofaríngea desses quelônios. Foram utilizadas 12 cabeças de P. expansa adultas, de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 3 a 8 anos, com peso corpóreo de 5 a 22kg (média de 7,5kg). P. expansa conta com a presença de rafontecas afiadas e bem desenvolvidas que, associadas à musculatura potente da mandíbula e à língua volumosa e bem distribuída no assoalho da orofaringe, atuam na apreensão e deglutição do alimento, garantindo uma maior adaptação em diversos ambientes.

Abstract in English:

Amorim S.L., Oliveira A.C.P., Riet-Correa F., Simões S.V.D., Medeiros R.M.T. & Clementino I.J. 2005. [Nutritional muscular dystrophy in sheep in Paraíba.] Distrofia muscular nutricional em ovinos na Paraíba. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 25(2):120-124. Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, UFCG, Campus de Patos, 58700-000 Patos, PB Brazil. E-mail: riet@cstr.ufcg.edu.br An outbreak of nutritional muscular dystrophy is reported in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil affecting 3-4 months old Dorper sheep. The animals, weighing 30-40 kg, were fed ad libitum with milk, concentrated ration, Tifton hay, and a mineral mixture. Six out of 70 lambs were affected and died in the first 48 hours after the onset of the outbreak. Clinical signs were fever of 40-41ºC, incoordination followed by paralysis and recumbence, depression, prostration with decreased pupillary and corneal reflexes, decreased tonus of the tongue and maxilla, salivation, submaxillar edema, and increased cardiac and respiratory rates. Death occurred after a clinical manifestation period of 6-12 hours. At necropsy of three animals, skeletal muscles were pale, the liver was yellowish and enlarged, the parotid, submaxillary, retropharyngeal, prescapular and mediastinal lymph nodes were enlarged with red surface, and red areas were observed on the lung surface. On histology, segmental muscular necrosis was observed in all skeletal muscles examined. The liver had centrilobular fatty degeneration, and congestion was observed in the lung and lymph nodes. From 48-96 hours after the begin of the outbreak, another 3 animals were affected. They were treated with Vitamin A, E and D complex; two of them died and one survived. On the same farm, a flock of 20 Santa Inês sheep of the same age as the affected animals, fed with the same food, but no milk, and another 900 sheep of different ages were not affected. The over nutrition of sheep with fast growing rates, and the stress caused by two days of water restriction to improve milk consumption had been predisposing factors for the occurrence of the disease. It is also possible that some of the minerals supplemented interfered with selenium availability.

• Nutritional muscular dystrophy muscular segmental necrosis selenium and vitamine E deficiency sheep.

Abstract in Portuguese:

Amorim S.L., Oliveira A.C.P., Riet-Correa F., Simões S.V.D., Medeiros R.M.T. & Clementino I.J. 2005. [Nutritional muscular dystrophy in sheep in Paraíba.] Distrofia muscular nutricional em ovinos na Paraíba. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 25(2):120-124. Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, UFCG, Campus de Patos, 58700-000 Patos, PB Brazil. E-mail: riet@cstr.ufcg.edu.br An outbreak of nutritional muscular dystrophy is reported in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil affecting 3-4 months old Dorper sheep. The animals, weighing 30-40 kg, were fed ad libitum with milk, concentrated ration, Tifton hay, and a mineral mixture. Six out of 70 lambs were affected and died in the first 48 hours after the onset of the outbreak. Clinical signs were fever of 40-41ºC, incoordination followed by paralysis and recumbence, depression, prostration with decreased pupillary and corneal reflexes, decreased tonus of the tongue and maxilla, salivation, submaxillar edema, and increased cardiac and respiratory rates. Death occurred after a clinical manifestation period of 6-12 hours. At necropsy of three animals, skeletal muscles were pale, the liver was yellowish and enlarged, the parotid, submaxillary, retropharyngeal, prescapular and mediastinal lymph nodes were enlarged with red surface, and red areas were observed on the lung surface. On histology, segmental muscular necrosis was observed in all skeletal muscles examined. The liver had centrilobular fatty degeneration, and congestion was observed in the lung and lymph nodes. From 48-96 hours after the begin of the outbreak, another 3 animals were affected. They were treated with Vitamin A, E and D complex; two of them died and one survived. On the same farm, a flock of 20 Santa Inês sheep of the same age as the affected animals, fed with the same food, but no milk, and another 900 sheep of different ages were not affected. The over nutrition of sheep with fast growing rates, and the stress caused by two days of water restriction to improve milk consumption had been predisposing factors for the occurrence of the disease. It is also possible that some of the minerals supplemented interfered with selenium availability.