A cutia é um roedor, que se distribui geograficamente por quase toda América Latina, sendo apreciada pelo sabor da sua carne. Neste trabalho objetivou-se descrever a vascularização arterial da base do encéfalo de cutias, caracterizando o comportamento, origem e distribuição das artérias componentes. Foram utilizados 10 animais do Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres (CEMAS/UFERSA), pesquisa aprovada pela Comissão de Ética no Uso de Animais (CEUA/ UFERSA- n° 02/2010) e pelo SISBIO (N°32413-1). Após eutanásia, os animais foram incisados na cavidade torácica para injeção de Neoprene látex 650 corado na cor vermelha e posterior abertura da calota craniana. Os encéfalos foram extraídos do crânio para análise da sua face ventral e logo fixados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%. A vascularização arterial do encéfalo da cutia apresenta dois componentes principais, o sistema carótico e o vértebro-basilar. O sistema carótico na cutia é responsável pela vascularização do cérebro anterior em quase sua totalidade. O sistema vértebro-basilar é responsável pela vascularização do cérebro posterior (medula oblonga, pirâmide, corpo trapezóide, o cerebelo e ponte e parte do terço caudal do cérebro anterior), através das artérias cerebrais caudais, originárias dos ramos terminais da artéria basilar. As principais artérias presentes na superfície do encéfalo incluem a basilar que é ímpar, e as pares: artérias vertebrais, cerebelar caudal, trigemial, cerebelar rostral, ramo terminal da basilar, cerebral caudal, ramo comunicante caudal da carótida cerebral, carótida cerebral, ramo comunicante rostral da carótida cerebral, corióidearostral, ramo medial do ramo comunicante rostral, oftálmica interna, cerebral média e artéria cerebral rostral.

Due to the absence of literature on the brachial plexus in the Spix's yellow-toothed cavy, this study was conducted to examine the origin and neural distribution of this rodent's brachial plexus. Ten adult animals obtained from previous experiments were thawed, fixed in 10% formalin solution for 72 h and then dissected. Cotton blocks soaked in 2% hydrogen peroxide were placed on the ventral roots of the plexus. Photographs of the most representative specimens were taken and schematic sketches were prepared to illustrate the results. The Spix's yellow-toothed cavy's brachial plexus primarily originated from the ventral roots of the sixth (C 6 ), seventh (C 7 ) and eighth (C 8 ) cervical nerves and from the first two thoracic nerves (T 1 , T 2 ), and less frequently from C 6 -T 1 or C 6 -T 3 . The peripheral nerve trunks of the Spix's yellow-toothed cavy's brachial plexus are the following: suprascapularis (C 6 -C 7 ), axillaris (C 6 -C 7 ), subscapulares (C 6 -C 7 ), cranial pectoral (C 6 -C 7 ), musculocutaneous (C 7 -C 8 ), radialis (C 7 -T 2 ), medianus (C 7 -T 2 ), ulnaris (C 7 -T 2 ), pectorales caudales (C 7 -C 8 ), thoracicus longus (C 7 -C 8 ), thoracicus lateralis (C 7 -T 2 ) and thoracodorsalis (C 7 -T 2 ).Keywords: anatomy; brachial plexus; nervous system; rodent; Galea spixii List of abbreviations C 6 = ventral root of C 6 ; C 7 = ventral root of C 7 ; C 8 = ventral root of C 8 ; T 1 = ventral root of T 1 ; T 2 = ventral root of T 2 ; T 3 = ventral root of T 3

Resumo Para o estudo foram utilizados 20 animais, que estavam em freezer no Centro de Multiplicação de Animais Silvestres (CEMAS/UFERSA). Os animais foram descongelados, a cavidade abdominal aberta e a aorta torácica canulada no sentido caudal para injeção de solução de látex Neoprene 650 corado de vermelho e, em seguida, fixados em solução de formaldeído a 10%, por um período mínimo de 48 horas, para que pudessem ser dissecados, fotografados e os resultados analisados. A artéria celíaca originou-se da aorta abdominal e emitiu as artérias gástrica esquerda, lienal e esplênica. A artéria gástrica esquerda emitiu de dois a três ramos à região da curvatura menor do estômago. A artéria lienal emitiu quatro ramos ao parênquima do baço, de seis a doze ramos pancreáticos e a artéria gastroepiplóica esquerda. A artéria hepática emitiu de um a dois ramos pancreáticos e bifurcou-se em um curto tronco formado pelas artérias gástrica direita e hepática própria e ainda na artéria gastroduodenal, que originava a pancreaticoduodenal cranial e gastroepiplóica direita. O comportamento de trifurcação da artéria celíaca do preá assemelha-se ao encontrado em roedores, como o nutria, a cutia, o hamster e os ratos, o que sugere que este seja o padrão para a ordem.

Studies on wild animal morphology serve as theoretical basis for the management and conservation of different species, because they provide necessary information for measures to keep these animals in captivity, in their natural habitat or even to reintroduce them into their original habitat. Studies about the morphology of the red-rumped agouti, Dasyprocta leporina, approach the various organic systems, but not a single study refers to topography and structure arrangement of their salivary glands. Thus, this paper aimed to gross and microscopic description of the larger salivary glands of red-rumped agouti. Ten adult D. leporina were used to study the macroscopic aspect of the glands, as well as the microscopic aspects with light microscopy, scanning and transmission electronic microscopy. Four larger salivary glands were identified: parotid glands, mandibular glands, zygomatic glands and sublingual glands. The tubuloacinar glands contained in their parenchyma ducts of extremely varied sizes. With exception of the strictly serous parotid glands, the others were mixed, and only the mandibular glands had granulous ducts. The red-rumped agouti with four pairs of larger salivary glands may be a model for studies concerning the anatomical changes in rodents for adaptation to various habitats. INDEX TERMS: Salivary glands, rodent, red-rumped agouti, Dasyprocta aguti, macro and microscopy.

ABSTRACT:The cloacal bursa is an organ in fowls, which triggers lymphocyte maturation and transference to other tissues. Since there is scanty information on its morphology in wild species in spite of its importance in the fowls´ immunological system, current analysis describes the arterial vascularization of the cloacal bursa in the greater rhea. Twenty juvenile rheas (male and female), which died of natural causes, were obtained from the Center for the Multiplication of Wild Animals (CEMAS/UFERSA). The animals were dissected and their thoracic aorta cannulated and red-stained Latex Neoprene 650 was introduced. The cloacal bursa was irrigated from the terminal branches of the abdominal aorta similar to the caudal mesenteric artery and to the right and left internal iliac arteries. The right and left internal pudenda arteries originated from the right and left internal iliac arteries which, in their turn, gave rise to cloacalbursa arteries and to the right and left cloacal arteries in all studied animals. The caudal mesenteric artery contributed to the arterial blood of the cloacal bursa in almost all studied animals through the anastomosis of right or left internal pudenda artery, with direct branches to the cloacal bursa. The cloacal bursa of the greater rhea is irrigated by cloacal-bursa arteries and cloacal right and left and also by the mesenteric caudal artery, with small variations with regard to the number and layout of the anastomoses and branches from the arteries. The latter are specific characteristics and differentiate them from standards perceived in other fowls.

Background: Fetal attachments, placentation and embryonic development have been widely discussed in rodents such as agoutis and cavies, as well as research on glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in rats and rabbits. Moreover, studies on buffalo, cattle and sheep are described in ruminants, and work has also been reported in sheep with GAGs in placentoma. However, further studies are needed in this regard, since there are reports of economic losses associated with reproductive failures described for cattle such as changes in the chorion and allantois, and in sheep in which changes between the transition from vitelline to allantois circulation have been discussed.  Review: In relation to embryonic development, detailed studies have been described in rodents such as rats (12 days old), desert mouse (15 days old) and agoutis at 30 days. Macroscopic structures such as the cephalic region, nose, optic vesicle, cervical curvature, thoracic and pelvic limbs were observed, as well as microscopic structures such as the pituitary, lung, heart, brain cavity, liver, retina, and ossification regions. There are reports of buffalo and cattle studies in ruminants describing early embryonic development. However, the research in the case of sheep is limited, meaning there is only the ultrasound examination, such as gestational diagnosis and morphometric measurement of the embryonic vesicle. Still, studies with umbilical funicular and placental development of sheep with different gestational ages can be highlighted. Regarding extraembryonic annexes, four important structures which contribute to embryonic maintenance have been reported. These are called the chorion, amnion, allantois and yolk sac, respectively, and are responsible for originating the placenta, embryonic protection, collecting metabolic waste and early embryonic nutrition. In addition, correlating the annexes gives rise to the placentation process, which were described two models; the first is transient, called chorioviteline, and the second is called chorioallantoid, which represents the definitive model. Allied to the gestational process, the importance of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteoglycans are worth mentioning, as they are essential components of the extracellular matrix. They are related in the implantation process, tissue organization during gestation, and also in placental angiogenesis, as described in ruminants (i.e. involved in the vascular growth that accompanies the development of the placenta), which in turn causes an increase in blood flow in this organ, and constitutes a determining factor for fetal development. Conclusion: Such studies regarding the embryonic development of ruminants are still limited to sonographic description and some information is only available in the context of extraembryonic membranes. For glycosaminoglycans, chondroitin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid are identified in the reproductive tract and placenta. We intend to produce important information for the reproductive and sanitary management of ruminants with the information in this article, providing data to stimulate new studies aiming to minimize the occurrence of embryonic death and economic losses. In addition, further studies on GAGs are needed to better understand their true correlation with gestation, so they can intercede through supplementation and minimize reproductive losses.

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The spleen is a secondary lymphoid organ with importance in clinical surgery. Due this and the lack of data in the literature, the current paper analyzes the organ´s morphology and segmentation in collared peccaries. Twenty animals were used at the Center for the Multiplication of Wild Animals of the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró RN Brazil. The spleen was removed with the splenic pedicle preserved, identifying the lineal artery and vein. Fragments from four spleens were harvested to be examined under light microscopy. They were fixed in a paraformaldehyde solution 4% and buffered with sodium phosphate 0.1M, pH 7.4. Routine histological techniques were performed: the spleens were dehydrated in increasing ethanol concentrations; diaphanized in xylol; soaked in paraffin; 7µm cuts were obtained and stained by hematoxylin-eosin or Gomori trichrome technique. The intraparenchemal vascularization of sixteen spleens were analyzed by latex or vinilite acetate perfusal of the lineal artery and vein and the organ fixed, respectively, in a water solution of formaldehyde 10% or immersed in a solution of sulfuric acid 30%. The collared peccary´s spleen had a tongue-like shape. Under the microscope, the spleen featured an intermediary type, with a great amount of white pulp, a predominance of red pulp and few trabeculae. The spleen´s segments had three different regions, namely dorsal, middle and ventral, in irrigation terms with a possible surgical removal of the dorsal region. Knowledge on the angio-architecture and segmentation of the spleen will be a contribution for surgical procedures in wild species, having a great relevance when partial splenectomy is required.