Maintenance and breeding of Thrichomys (Trouessart, 1880) (Rodentia: Echimyidae) in captivity

Abstract

South American histricognath rodentsBio-medical research is critically dependent on availability of adequate animal models. Progress in understanding of fundamental principles of physiology, endocrinology, development, reproductive and behavioral biology of mammals would be impossible without the use of various strains of mice, rats, hamsters, and other now common laboratory species. Studies in these model animals have made possible breakthroughs in treatment of many hereditary and infectious human diseases (Kumar et al. 2002, Belal et al. 2004, Bogdanovich et al. 2004, Garzoni et al. 2004. However, studies of the biology of many parasitic diseases lack appropriate animal models. These diseases involve very species-specific host-parasite interactions, which can not be studied on common models such as mice, rats, and hamsters. We are in great need of new models for studies of natural cycles of transmission of parasitic diseases. Recently, some of these models using wild small mammals have been successfully developed (D'Andrea et al. 1996, Hingst et al. 1998, Gonzalez & Claramunt 2000, Magalhães-Santos et al. 2004.In this paper we report our results in captive maintenance and breeding of two species of South American rodent, the punaré: Thrichomys (Trouessart, 1880) (Histricognathi: Echimyidae). These species are potentially important models for studies of the transmission of Chagas disease since several species of this genus have been shown to be natural reservoirs of its causitive protozooan agent Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909) (Herrera et al. 2004b(Herrera et al. , 2005. They are also involved in the transmission cycle of T. evansi (Steel, 1885), an agent of neurological disease affecting horses and some wild animals (Herrera et al. 2004a).The presence of histricognath rodents in South America dates to at least 35 million years before the present, making them very ancient potential hosts of T. cruzi. Recently a strong association of the genotype TCII of T. cruzi with histricognath rodents has been postulated (Briones et al. 1999). Thus, parasitological studies using captive breed colonies of Thrichomys may clarify many still unknown aspects of the interaction of T. cruzi with their natural mammal hosts.Species of Thrichomys have been found in various biomes of Brazil: savannahs ("cerrado"), white shrub ("caatinga"), and marshland ("pantanal") (Neiva & Penna 1916, Alho 1982, Streilen 1982. Punarés often invade peri-domestic area and may play an important role in the transmission of Chagas disease (Herrera et al. 2005). Taxo (Thomas, 1904) from Piauí, Ceará and Pernambuco, among others. In our study we used T. pachyurus from Mato Grosso do Sul and T. a. laurentius from Piauí. MATERIALS AND METHODSThe colony of T. a. laurentius was derived from 9 males and 38 females captured in the National Park Serra da Capivara and surroundings in southeastern Piauí (Caatinga biome). T. pachyurus colony was derived from 9 males and 34 females captured in municipality of Corumbá, in southwestern Mato Grosso do Sul (Pant...

Chorioallantoic and yolk sac placentation in Thrichomys laurentinus (Echimyidae) and the evolution of hystricognath rodents

“…The genus chosen here, the punaré Thrichomys , TROUESSART 1880, includes small‐sized, ground‐dwelling and crepuscular spiny rats native to Brazil and Paraguay, including savannah areas, the Pantanal and xeric shrub lands as the Caatinga (Moojen, '52; Alho, '82; Pinheiro et al, '89; Eisenberg and Redford, '99). They have been maintained in captivity (Roberts et al, '88; Teixeira et al, 2005). The fur is soft (spineless spiny rat), the body mass is 350 g and mean litter size is 3, born with open eyes and a well developed fur (Mares et al, '82; Roberts et al, '88; Teixeira et al, 2005).…”

“…They have been maintained in captivity (Roberts et al, '88; Teixeira et al, 2005). The fur is soft (spineless spiny rat), the body mass is 350 g and mean litter size is 3, born with open eyes and a well developed fur (Mares et al, '82; Roberts et al, '88; Teixeira et al, 2005). The long gestational range of 95 days (Teixeira et al, 2005) and the extended generation time are regarded as adaptations for reproduction in harsh environments (Roberts et al, '88).…”

Variation in the helminth community structure ofThrichomys pachyurus(Rodentia: Echimyidae) in two sub-regions of the Brazilian Pantanal: the effects of land use and seasonality

“…Thrichomys pachyurus is a widespread rodent from Paraguay to western Brazil, occurring in the Pantanal biome (Bonvicino et al , 2002; Braggio & Bonvicino, 2004). The species has a long gestation period of approximately 3 months and small litter size, with an average of 2.5 ± 0.9 offspring (Teixeira et al , 2005). Recent parasitological studies of Thrichomys in the wild have shown its involvement in the transmission cycles of Trypanosoma cruzi (L. Herrera et al , 2005; Xavier et al , 2007).…”

Variation in the skull morphometry of four taxonomic units of Thrichomys (Rodentia: Echimyidae), from different Neotropical biomes

“…These cytogenetic studies were complemented by morphological analyses, which played a pivotal role in disentangling the diversity found within Thrichomys apereoides, by revealing significant phenotypic discontinuities over geographic space (Bandouk, dos Reis, & Bordin, 1996;Bandouk & Reis, 1995;Basile, 2003;dos Reis, Duarte, Monteiro, & Von Zuben, 2002a, 2002bDuarte, Monteiro, Von Zuben, & dos Reis, 2000;Duarte, Von Zuben, & dos Reis, 1998;Monteiro, Duarte, & dos Reis, 2003;Monteiro, Lessa, & Abe, 1999;Neves & Pessôa, 2011;Pessôa et al, 2004). In some cases, distinct life-history strategies and genetic incompatibilities between Thrichomys karyomorphs reinforced the case for the specific status of some forms (Borodin, Barreiros-Gomez, Zhelezova, Bonvicino, & D'Andrea, 2006;Teixeira et al, 2005).…”