Aplicação da Termografia Infravermelha para Determinar os Padrões de Temperatura da Bolsa Escrotal de Catetos (Tayassu tajacu Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

Collared peccaries possess an important ecological function because they belong to the trophic chain as part of the diet of great felines. Therefore, the populational decrease of collared peccaries, as well as the possibility of their local extinction can interfere on the local biodiversity, since the presence of those animals can assure the existence of other species. So, the aim of this study was to test the use of infrared thermography in the evaluation of the scrotal temperature of collared peccary, listing seminal and scrotal thermography parameters, aiming the achievement of a precise and rapid technique of reproducer selection. To do this, we used 12 adult male to do the semen collection, then data of their scrotal thermography was obtained. However, the data showed that there was observed no relationship between the seminal quality pattern and the thermography. Furthermore, the animals presented a scrotal thermography pattern (31.5 °C) different from other mammalians. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to perform more studies with more animals and also using animals with testicular alteration to certify the use of thermography as a tool of reproducer selection of collared peccary. Abstract Collared peccaries possess an important ecological function because they belong to the trophic chain as part of the diet of great felines. Therefore, the populational decrease of collared peccaries, as well as the possibility of their local extinction can interfere on the local biodiversity, since the presence of those animals can assure the existence of other species. So, the aim of this study was to test the use of infrared thermography in the evaluation of the scrotal temperature of collared peccary, listing seminal and scrotal thermography parameters, aiming the achievement of a precise and rapid technique of reproducer selection. To do this, we used 12 adult male to do the semen collection, then data of their scrotal thermography was obtained. However, the data showed that there was observed no relationship between the seminal quality pattern and the thermography. Furthermore, the animals presented a scrotal thermography pattern (31.5 °C) different from other mammalians. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to perform more studies with more animals and also using animals with testicular alteration to certify the use of thermography as a tool of reproducer selection of collared peccary.