Bone fractures in roadkill Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana (Mammalia: Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae) in Costa Rica

Abstract

Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana is one of the most common roadkill species encountered on Costa Rican highways. Ten roadkill Northern Tamanduas were collected along different roads in Costa Rica and moved to a veterinary facility where appendicular radiologic studies were undertaken. The number of fractures present in each individual varied from zero to five (mean=2.6), with only one animal sustaining no fractures at all. Most fractures were present in the humerus (31%), followed by the ulna and ilium (both 19%), whilst the cranial portion of the body represented the highest number of fractures (61%). These data can contribute, not only to establishing causes of animal-road-mortalities, but also to the future understanding and decision-making of clinical actions for animals injured on the roads.

Anatomical and radiographic study on the appendicular skeleton of the Tamandua mexicana

“…When comparing figure 12 to the lateral radiographic projection of the right pelvic limb taken by Arguedas et al (2019) and Sesoko (2012), the same bone articular disposition is seen, which means that imagenologist of HEMS, for her help with the radiographs taken. To Roy Alfaro Quesada, student at the School of Veterinary Medicine (UNA), for his collaboration in the dissection of the exemplars used.…”

“…Vélez-García et al (2019) expressed that from a mediolateral point of view, the secondary scapular spine could be seen in a radiographic take; Arguedas et al ( 2019) also took a radiography on this same view of a T. mexicana thoracic limb, and the accessory spine could be seen as well. However, on the radiographic take shown as figure 10, though the T. mexicana is on the same previously mentioned decubitus, the secondary spine isn't easily visible, this discrepancy is probably due to an angle difference that affected the x-ray incidence (Arguedas et al, 2019;Vélez-García et al, 2019).…”

“…As in Arguedas et al (2019) and Vélez-García et al ( 2019) thoracic limb radiographs, shows the coracoid process as well as the hamatus process of the acromion as radiolucent structures in their research. The coracoid process is where the coracobrachialis muscle originates; this muscle is the main protagonist of thoracic limb retraction and femoral head stabilization during said retraction motion (Matsuo et al, 2019).…”

“…The patella is also easy to find in figure 12 and both radiographs taken by Sesoko (2012) and Arguedas et al (2019), since it is a very short and solid bone that faces outwards (Sesoko, 2012;Arguedas et al, 2019). The fibula looks like a small, long, and radiopaque bone that is obliquely positioned towards the tibia (Arguedas et al, 2019).…”

Evolutionary adaptations in the flexor digitorum profundus muscle in Tamandua mexicana (Xenarthra, Myrmecophagidae)

“…T. mexicana feeds on ants, termites (Sandoval‐Gómez, Ramírez‐Chaves, & Marín, 2012), and palm fruits (Brown, 2011). The species is categorized as a least‐concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (Ortega Reyes et al, 2014), even though it has a low population density owing to the destruction of its habitat, deforestation, indiscriminate hunting for profit, commercialization as pets, use as a source of food by certain indigenous populations from the areas it inhabits (García‐Herrera, Ramírez‐Fráncel, & Reinoso‐Flórez, 2019; Ortega Reyes et al, 2014), roadkill on highways (Arguedas, López, & Ovares, 2019), and injuries due to farmers.…”