Anatomical description of the origin and distribution of the brachial plexus to the antebrachium in one puma (Puma concolor) (Linnaeus, 1771)

Abstract

The knowledge of the anatomy of the brachial plexus in animals is of great importance due to its applicability in clinical, diagnostic and surgical procedures. The objective of the present study was to describe the anatomy of the brachial plexus in the puma. The results demonstrate a broad anatomical similarity with other felines; however, some differences were found. The formation of the brachial plexus in the puma occurred from the ventral interconnections of the last three cervical nerve segments and the first thoracic (C6, C7, C8 and T1). The N. suprascapularis emerges from C6, innervating the M. supraspinatus, the M. infraspinatus, and also the M. cleidobrachialis, the latter by a smaller branch. We found an independent branch emerging from C6 that innervates the M. serratus ventralis cervicis, not reported in other species. The innervation territory of the N. axillary includes the M. cleidobrachialis. The M. teres major was not innervated by the axillary nerve, but by an entirely independent branch that came from C6 and C7, and that also innervated the most caudal part of the M. subscapularis.

Origin and distribution of the brachial plexus in kinkajou (Potos flavus– Schreber, 1774)

“…vulpes (Haligur & Ozkadif, 2021), F. catus (Hakki-Nur et al, 2020) and L. geoffroyi (Souza-Junior et al, 2018). The n. suprascapularis innervates the same muscles in all carnivoran species where supply for the muscles was reported (Barone & Simoens, 2010;Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021;Budras et al, 2007;Demiraslan et al, 2015;Dyce et al, 2012;Evans & De Lahunta, 2013;Ghoshal, 1982;Hakki-Nur et al, 2020;Pinheiro et al, 2013;Souza et al, 2010;Souza-Junior et al, 2014. Although it has been reported that also innervates the trapezius muscle in F. catus (Hakki-Nur et al, 2020), which differs from that reported in other carnivorans.…”

“…In the other species of caniformes, there are no contributions from C5 or T2, and the only contribution comes from C6-T1, such as in three members of the family Canidae as C. thous (Pinheiro et al, 2014;Souza-Junior et al, 2014), A. microtis (Pinheiro et al, 2013) and L. gymnocercus (Souza-Junior et al, 2017); one member of the family Otariidae as A. australis (Souza et al, 2010); and two members of the family Mustelidae as M. foina (Demiraslan et al, 2015) and N. vison (Backus et al, 2016). In most members of the suborder Feliformia and family Felidae, there are no contributions from C5 or T2, such as in F. catus (Aubert et al, 2004;Barone & Simoens, 2010;Ghoshal, 1982;Hakki-Nur et al, 2020;König, 1992), L. pardalis (Chagas et al, 2014), P. onca and P. concolor (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021;. Whereas in L. geoffroyi the contribution comes mainly from C5-T1 (83.3%) (Souza-Junior et al, 2018).…”

“…and C7, similar to other carnivores such as C. l. familiaris (Allam et al, 1952;Evans & De Lahunta, 2013;Ghoshal, 1982), C. thous (Pinheiro et al, 2014;Souza-Junior et al, 2014), L. gymnocercus (Souza-Junior et al, 2017), V. vulpes (Haligur & Ozkadif, 2021), M. foina (Demiraslan et al, 2015), A. australis (Souza et al, 2010), F. catus (Ghoshal, 1982;Hakki-Nur et al, 2020;König, 1992;Sebastiani & Fishbeck, 2005), L. pardalis (Chagas et al, 2014) and L. geoffroyi (Souza junior et al, 2018). On the other hand, the unique contribution from C6 also can occur in A. microtis (Pinheiro et al, 2013), N. vison (Backus et al, 2016) and P. concolor (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021); or from C7 in C. thous (Souza-Junior et al, 2014), L. gymnocercus (Souza-Junior et al, 2017), C. l. familiaris (Evans & De Lahunta, 2013), F. catus (Koizumi, 2021) and P. concolor (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021). These nerves only innervate the subscapular muscle in A. microtis (Souza-Junior et al, 2014), L. gymnocercus (Souza-Junior et al, 2017), C. thous (Pinheiro et al, 2014;, C. l. familiaris (Barone & Simoens, 2010;Budras et al, 2007;Evans & De Lahunta, 2013) and F. catus (Hakki-Nur et al, 2020;Roos & Vollmerhaus, 2005), which also occurred in P. flavus.…”

“…Therefore, an independent branch from the brachial plexus to the teres major muscle can be present in F. catus, similarly to P. flavus. P. concolor also may have an independent branch from the brachial plexus, but this branch innervates the subscapularis and teres major muscles (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021), which also may occur in F. catus (Koizumi, 2021). And on the other side, the teres major muscle may not be innervated by the axillary nerve in P. concolor (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021), such as occurred in P. flavus.…”

“…Commonly, the brachial plexus originates from the last three cervical spinal nerves (C6, C7 and C8) and the first thoracic spinal nerve (T1), and their main function is for mobility and sensitivity of the thoracic limb and adjacent regions (Barone & Simoens, 2010;Dyce et al, 2012;Evans & De Lahunta, 2013). The brachial plexus has been studied in some carnivorans, such as Canis lupus familiaris (Allam et al, 1952;Barone & Simoens, 2010;Dyce et al, 2012;Evans & de Lahunta, 2013;Ghoshal, 1982), Cerdocyon thous (Pinheiro et al, 2014;Souza-Junior et al, 2014), Atelocynus microtis (Pinheiro et al, 2013), Lycalopex gymnocercus (Souza-Junior et al, 2017), Vulpes vulpes (Haligur & Ozkadif, 2021), Arctophoca australis (Souza et al, 2010), Neovison vison (Backus et al, 2016), Martes foina (Demiraslan et al, 2015), Felis catus (Aubert et al, 2004;Barone & Simoens, 2010;Ghoshal, 1982;Hakki-Nur et al, 2020;König, 1992;Roos & Vollmerhaus, 2005;Sebatiani & Fishbeck, 2005), Leopardus pardalis (Chagas et al, 2014), Leopardus geoffroyi (Souza-Junior et al, 2018), Panthera onca and Puma concolor (Barreto-Mejía et al, 2021;. However, according to the authors' knowledge, there are no studies about the brachial plexus in P. flavus.…”