Nerve endings of filliform, fungiform and vallate papillae of dorsal tongue mucosa of White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari): Neurohistological observations

The neurohistologic observations were performed using the specimens prepared by Winkelmann and Schmitt silver impregnation method. The tissues were fixed in 10% formalin solution and sections of 40µm thickness were obtained by Leica Cryostat at -30ºC. The sections of dorsal mucosa of White-lipped peccary tongue showed numerous filliform and fungiform papillae, and two vallate papillae on the caudal part. The epithelial layer revealed queratinized epithelial cells and the connective tissue papillae of different sizes and shapes. Thick nerve fiber bundles are noted into the subepithelial connective tissue of the papillae. The connective tissue of fungiform and vallate papillae contained numerous sensitive nerves fibers bundles forming a complex nerve plexus.

Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Wild White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari) From Peru

In the Peruvian Amazon, the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecan) is a desirable game species and is important for the local rural economy. Blood samples from 101 white-lipped peccaries from Peru were collected from 3 different conservation areas located in the municipalities of Manu and Tambopata, southeastern region of the Peruvian Amazon. Antibodies were assayed using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut of value of 25). Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were found in 89.1% (90 of 101) of animals, with titers of 1:25 in 9, 1:50 in 25, 1:100 in 20, 1:200 in 14, 1:400 in 12, 1:800 in 9, and 1:3,200 in 1; 87.7% and 89.2% of males and females, respectively, tested positively, and no association (P >= 0.05) with gender and occurrence of antibodies was observed.

Nerve endings of filliform, fungiform and vallate papillae of dorsal tongue mucosa of White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari): Neurohistological observations

The neurohistologic observations were performed using the specimens prepared by Winkelmann and Schmitt silver impregnation method. The tissues were fixed in 10% formalin solution and sections of 40µm thickness were obtained by Leica Cryostat at -30ºC. The sections of dorsal mucosa of White-lipped peccary tongue showed numerous filliform and fungiform papillae, and two vallate papillae on the caudal part. The epithelial layer revealed queratinized epithelial cells and the connective tissue papillae of different sizes and shapes. Thick nerve fiber bundles are noted into the subepithelial connective tissue of the papillae. The connective tissue of fungiform and vallate papillae contained numerous sensitive nerves fibers bundles forming a complex nerve plexus.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) and cross-amplification in collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu)

White-lipped peccaries, Tayassu pecari, are neotropical ungulates whose populations have been declining in numerous locations within their geographical distribution. Here we describe 16 microsatellite loci isolated from T. pecari and their cross-amplification in collared peccaries, Pecari tajacu. In 30 individuals of T. pecari, a total of 32 alleles were found in ten polymorphic loci, ranging from 2 to 8 alleles per locus with a mean of 3.2. The expected and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.143 to 0.802 and from 0 to 0.704, respectively. Two loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In P. tajacu, nine loci were polymorphic with a mean of 3.2 alleles per locus. These molecular markers will be useful to study the genetic status of peccary populations and, consequently, to help their conservation.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) and cross-amplification in collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Population genetic structure and dispersal in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) from the Brazilian Pantanal

In many mammals social organization promotes genetic structuring, which can be influenced by the dispersal pattern of the species. We analyzed the population genetic structure and dispersal of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecan) from the Pantanal, Brazil. We genotyped 100 individuals at 7 microsatellite loci from 2 adjacent locations with no obvious geographic barrier between them. We found a significant but low F(ST) value, and the Bayesian analysis indicated a unique cluster. No significant differences were observed between mean assignment indices of resident males and females from both locations, and the probability of being born at the location sampled of > 30% of the individuals analyzed was lower than average. Mean relatedness between resident female, male, and opposite-sex pairs was not statistically different in both locations. These results suggest a low degree of genetic differentiation between the locations analyzed, and dispersal by both sexes (contrary to the predicted male-biased dispersal of most mammalian species).

How to not inflate population estimates? Spatial density distribution of white-lipped peccaries in a continuous Atlantic forest

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Population genetic structure and dispersal in white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) from the Brazilian Pantanal

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aspectos macroscópicos e morfométricos dos testículos em catetos e queixadas

Aspectos macroscópicos e morfométricos dos testículos em catetos e queixadas. Este trabalho objetiva fornecer dados macroscópicos e morfométricos dos testículos dos catetos e queixadas. O material utilizado consistiu de catetos e queixadas oriundos da Fazenda Devaneio Pró-Fauna, Iguape, SP (Reg.1/3593/08480). em 33 queixadas e 20 catetos, após o abate, os testículos foram colhidos e tomados dados morfométricos como: comprimento, largura e espessura (com o auxílio de um paquímetro). Os testículos são ovalados, localizados na região pélvica, inclinados dorso-caudalmente e possuem posição intermediária. O mediastino testicular esta no centro do testículo, ligeiramente desviado para a margem epididimária deste, e termina na extremidade capitata. Os queixadas adultos possuem em média 30,92 ± 3,82 kg de peso corporal e 78,89 ± 4,77 cm de comprimento corporal, enquanto os jovens apresentam 22,93 ± 2,07 kg e 71,57 ± 3,95 cm de comprimento. Os resultados demonstram que no grupo de queixadas adultos estudado o testículo direito teve comprimento, largura e espessura médios de 5,36 ± 0,64cm; 3,64 ± 0,64cm e 3,30 ± 0,52cm respectivamente, enquanto que o esquerdo teve 5,45 ± 0,77cm; 3,68 ± 0,59cm e 3,32 ± 0,54cm. Nos queixadas jovens os valores encontrados foram de 3,20 ± 0,44cm, 2,12 ± 0,26cm e 2,11 ± 0,40cm, e de 3,23 ± 0,47cm; 2,21 ± 0,39cm e 1,99 ± 0,36cm, para a largura, comprimento e espessura dos testículos direito e esquerdo respectivamente. Já para os catetos o testículo direito teve comprimento, largura e espessura de 4,36 ± 0,38cm; 2,74 ± 0,27cm e 2,33 0,46cm respectivamente, enquanto que o esquerdo teve 4,19 ± 0,36cm; 2,68 ± 0,31cm e 2,34 ± 0,28cm. Os dados analisados não tiveram diferenças significativas (p<0,05) entre os valores encontrados para os testículos direito e esquerdo pelo testes de Qui-dradado.

Morfologia dos ovários, tubas uterinas e útero em catetos (Tayassu tajacu, Linnaeus, 1758) e queixadas (Tayassu pecari, Link, 1795)

Estudaram-se a morfologia externa, a sintopia e os dados métricos dos ovários, tubas uterinas e útero em 14 fêmeas adultas de cateto (12 adultas, uma prenhe e uma jovem) e em sete fêmeas de queixada (três jovens e quatro adultas), e o material, após fixação em solução aquosa de formol a 10%, foi dissecado. O material foi obtido na Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) - Campus Palotina e na Universidade Estadual Paulista - Campus de Ilha Solteira. Os ovários apresentaram-se ovalados e de superfície irregular, quando havia corpo lúteo ou folículo. As tubas uterinas mostraram-se longas, finas e enoveladas e terminando numa extremidade ovárica com fímbrias; a comunicação com o útero ocorreu de maneira contínua. Uma bolsa ovárica parcial, com um largo orifício, contém o ovário. O útero, bicórneo, apresentou um corpo curto e uma cérvix longa, com projeções anulares para o canal cervical, conferindo-lhe luz espiralada. Os cornos uterinos mostraram-se curtos, voltados ventralmente e em forma de hélice.

Vascularização dos ovários, tubas uterinas e útero em catetos (Tayassu tajacu, Linnaeus, 1758) e queixadas (Tayassu pecari, Link, 1795)

Estudou-se a vascularização arterial em nove fêmeas adultas de cateto, incluindo uma jovem e uma gestante, e em seis fêmeas de queixada (três jovens e três adultas). Para este estudo as artérias foram injetadas com solução de látex Neoprene 650 corado e após fixação de formol foram dissecadas. O material foi obtido na Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU) - Campus Palotina e na Universidade Estadual Paulista - Campus de Ilha Solteira. As artérias responsáveis pela irrigação sangüínea dos ovários, tubas uterinas e útero são as artérias útero-ováricas, que emitem as artérias uterinas e ováricas, e as artérias vaginais, estando presentes em todas as amostras, porém variando suas origens. As artérias ováricas emitiram ramos para os ovários, tubas uterinas (ramos tubáricos) e extremidades craniais dos cornos uterinos (ramos tubo-uterinos) e as artérias uterinas enviaram ramos para os cornos uterinos, corpos uterinos e porções craniais da cérvix uterina. As artérias vaginais enviaram ramos para a cérvix e a vagina.

Jaguar (Panthera onca) food habits in Atlantic rain forest of southeastern Brazil

Between January and December 1996, the food habits of a relict population of jaguars were studied in 220 km(2) Linhares Forest Preserve, which comprises much of the remaining old-growth Atlantic Forest of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Fecal analysis indicated opportunistic feeding on 24 prey species (N = 101 scats). Mammals represented 87 percent of the total items, followed by reptiles (9.8%) and birds (2.8%). Considering prey weight, 23.4 percent of the items weighed 1-3 kg, 40.5 percent were 3-10 kg, and 27.7 percent weighed more than 10 kg. Analysis of relative prey frequency and biomass indicated that the diet was concentrated in two prey types: long-nosed armadillo and white-lipped peccary. Literature data suggest that forest jaguars rely on the same mammal prey over their entire geographic range.

Mammal defaunation as surrogate of trophic cascades in a biodiversity hotspot

Preserving large tracts of natural habitats is essential to maintain biodiversity. Nevertheless, even large areas may still suffer from less visible impacts such as loss of ecological processes. Because mapping ecological processes over large scales is not practical, an alternative is to map surrogate species that are key for those processes. In this study, we chose four species of Neotropical large mammals (the largest apex predator: jaguar - Panthera onca; the largest herbivore: tapir - Tapirus terrestris; the largest seed predator: white-lipped peccary - Tayassu pecari; and the largest arboreal seed disperser: muriqui - Brachyteles spp.) in an ecosystem with an old history of human impact (the Atlantic Forest) to test whether areas with native forest still harbor ecological processes that may guarantee long-term ecosystem maintenance. We gathered 94 locations with recent presence of the four species to map current ranges and model suitable areas. Our results reveal that 96% of the remaining Atlantic Forest is depleted of at least one of the four surrogate species and 88% is completely depleted of all four surrogate species. We also found that only 16% is still environmentally suitable for all four, and 55% is completely unsuitable to all four of them. Our study highlights the importance of looking beyond land cover to fully depict intactness of natural areas, and suggests that ecosystems with a long history of human impact (such as the Atlantic Forest) may be suffering from ecological impacts not seen at a first glance. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Defaunação e efeitos-cascata sobre a diversidade vegetal em uma ilha semi-defaunada na Floresta Atlântica

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) - IBRC