Avaliação ultrassonográfica do aparelho reprodutor em serpentes vivíparas da família Boidae

Abstract

The reproduction is part of the animal life cycle allowing the perpetuation and conservation of the species. In snakes, there is a shortage of technical information about the reproductive cycle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproductive tract by ultrasonography in captive viviparous snakes of the Boidae family, allowing diagnose of the different reproductive stages. Eleven adult snakes of four species of the Boidae family were sonographically evaluated, Eunectes murinus, Boa constrictor constrictor, Corallus hortulanus and Epicrates cenchria belonging to the Biological Museum's collection of the Instituto Butantan, Sao Paulo Brazil. For the sonographic evaluation, snakes were contained physically with herpetologic hook and then manually for about 15 minutes. The evaluation was done by applying acoustic gel on the skin and positioning the transducer on the right and left side-ventral line, in the medial region of the body in the skull tail sense. Ultrasonography allowed the evaluation of the whole reproductive cycle in snakes. In sonographic evaluations of females were defined the stages of ovarian and ovidutal development. The ovarian follicles during the pre-vitellogenic phase were visualized as homogeneous and anecogenic, in a "bunch of grapes" distribution. In the vitellogenic stage follicles were larger and more echogenic, following each other as a "string of pearls". When there was no copula, the follicles were reabsorbed in the ovary returning to pre-vitellogenic phase. In the post ovulatory phase were seen three well-defined stages of fetal development within the oviduct: 1) just after ovulation (and fertilization), only the vitellus was visualized; 2) occupied 60% of the vitellus fetus and 40% egg and 3) the fetus was formed and no vitellus. In males, the testicles were seen as a homogeneous and hypoechoic image during the reproductive stage. When the males were not on a reproductive state, it was impossible to visualize the testicle due to its size. The sonographic evaluation of the reproductive tract of snakes proved to be a safe diagnostic technique, noninvasive and allows the monitoring of reproductive phases.

Avaliação ultrassonográfica de estruturas reprodutivas, fígado e vesícula biliar de Boa constrictor (Linnaeus, 1758) ex situ

“…Habita principalmente as regiões temperadas e tropicais, estando amplamente distribuída na América Central e América do Sul (1,5,7,(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Tanto machos quanto fêmeas não atingem a maturidade antes dos cinco anos de idade, porém, estudos feitos por outros autores demonstraram que machos e fêmeas se tornam adultos quando atingem dois metros de comprimento (14).…”

“…Ambos os folículos se encontram agrupados em forma de cachos de uva ou colar de contas. Em fêmeas imaturas, apenas folículos em vitelogênese primária são encontrados (4,8,14,16,17,(19)(20)(21).…”

“…Entretanto, o uso do ultrassom em serpentes pode ser um desafio, principalmente quando o médico veterinário não possui experiência quanto à anatomia topográfica e aos padrões ecográficos dos órgãos a serem avaliados. O que interfere diretamente na avaliação e interpretação dos resultados (1)(2)(3)(4)8,10,14,16,21,(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28).…”

Identification of microchips through diagnostic imaging helps to determine the longevity of the golden lancehead (Bothrops insularis) in captivity

“…Diagnostic imaging has been of great importance in reptile medicine. A precise physical exam is difficult to perform, but radiography and ultrasonography have allowed more detailed studies aiming at a better knowledge of organs, bones, and tissues of several snake species (Garcia et al, 2015). This work reports the use of diagnostic imaging (radiography and ultrasound) to identify the presence of microchips and, consequently, estimate the age of a captive B. insularis.…”

>b<Avaliação do crescimento e maturidade sexual de >i<Boa constrictor constrictor>/i< (Jibóia) em cativeiro (Linnaeus, 1758)>/b<

“…A Jibóia (Boa constrictor) faz parte da família Boidae, sendo o grupo com registro das maiores serpentes da América Neotropical. No Brasil, essa família apresenta quatro gêneros: Boa, Eunectes, Epicrates e Corallus, sendo todos vivíparos(GARCIA, 2015). Podendo chegar aos 4m de comprimento, as jiboias são consideradas animais de médio à grande porte, cabeça triangular, pupilas verticais (característica de animais noturnos, porém também apresentam hábitos diurnos), corpo cilíndrico e volumoso (musculatura constritora) com leve achatamento lateral, evidenciando um hábito semi-arborícula, sua dieta é constituída de pequenos mamíferos e algumas aves (MARQUES; ETEROVIC; SAZIMA, 2001).…”