Gêmeo parasito univitelino em jacaré-do-pantanal (Caiman yacare) (Daudin, 1802)

Abstract

One of the methods used for the conservation of the South American caimans is ranching, a technique for the sustainable management and conservation of the species. It includes environmental and population studies which are followed by the collection of eggs from nature after authorization by the relevant agencies, which are then incubated artificially and fattened for commercial purposes. This process may lead to alterations in the eggs that cause different degrees of congenital anomalies that affect the future life of the animal to a greater or lesser extent. Eggs collected in the natural environment may suffer unfavorable thermal variations, which in certain phases of embryonic development may lead to the appearance of a teratogen. In this work we describe the finding of a parasitic univithelial twin in Caiman yacare. The possible causes of this anomaly and a review of congenital anomalies in crocodiles are described.