Morphological aspects of the salivary glands of Crab-eating racoon ( Procyon cancrivorus )

Kleber Fernando Pereira,Lorraine Silva Ferreira,Carla Helrigle,Daiane Rodrigues Souza,Eugênio Gonçalves De Araújo,Pâmella Rosa Chela

doi:10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i1.12675

Kleber Fernando Pereira, Lorraine Silva Ferreira + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i1.12675

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Abstract

Procyon cancrivorus is a wild mammal from the Procyonidae family, being one of the least studied Brazilian carnivores. The aim of this study was to describe the morphological aspects of the salivary glands of Procyon cancrivorus, and to compare with literature data on the morphology of domestic animals and wilds animals, such as coatis and possums. Three adult animals were collected on highways (roadkilled), fixed 10% formaldehyde aqueous solution and submitted to desiccation. The salivary glands of the crab-eating raccoon are formed by the parotid, mandibular, sublingual and zygomatic glands. The parotid gland shows irregularly triangular shape with its respective duct. The mandible gland shows rounded outline surrounded by a fibrous capsule with its respective duct. The sublingual gland is divided into two parts: the caudal part, located in the occiptomandibular region of the digastric muscle and the rostral part between the tunica mucosa of the mouth and the mylohyoid muscle with its respective duct. The zygomatic gland is small and rounded, located in the rostral part of the pterygopalatine fossa with its respective duct. The morphology of the salivary glands of crab- eating raccoon presents great similarity in shape and arrangement with the glands of dog, cat, coatis and possum.

Highlights

Brazil’s biodiversity is poorly known, it is considered the largest in the world
The sublingual gland is divided into two parts: the polystomatic gland, which is diffuse, opening up by several small ducts in the mouth and the monostomatic gland, which is compact and drained by a single duct (DYCE et al, 2004)
The present study describes the salivary glands of P. cancrivorus and the location of their ducts for comparison with data from literature of the salivary glands of domestic and wild carnivores

Summary

Introduction

Brazil’s biodiversity is poorly known, it is considered the largest in the world. The diversity of mammals in Brazil reaches significant numbers, becoming one of the largest in the world. 22 orders of mammals worldwide were known, of which 11 were found in Brazil, represented by 524 species (REIS et al, 2006). Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon) belongs to the phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Carnivora, and grouped in the Procyonidae family. This family has six genera with at. Biological Sciences least 13 species, all of the new world. The morphological data of this species are few (MORATO et al, 2004)

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