Morfologia, ultraestrutura e morfometria do tegumento da paca (Cuniculus paca Linnaeus, 1766) criada em cativeiro

Considerando-se a falta de informações detalhadas sobre a morfologia da paca, sendo o segundo maior roedor da fauna brasileira, de excelente qualidade de carne e, dada a importância do tegumento comum, inclusive para o bom manejo em cativeiro, e até mesmo estudos como uma opção de animal de experimentação, descreveu-se a morfologia, morfometria e a ultraestrutura da pele de oito pacas (Cuniculus paca) machos e fêmeas, mediante a análise comparativa de segmentos cutâneos das regiões cervical, dorsal e medial do carpo. Observaram-se macroscopicamente as características da pelagem. Parte dos segmentos das regiões cutâneas foi analisada à microscopia de luz e parte, à microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Mensuraram-se as espessuras da derme, epiderme, camada córnea, perfis das fibras de colágeno da derme reticular e a área dos perfis das células das glândulas sebáceas repletas. Analisaram-se os resultados pela estatística descritiva e teste "T" (p<0,001). A coloração da pelagem da paca é castanho avermelhado com cerdas organizadas em grupos. A arquitetura da cútis e os anexos cutâneos se assemelham aos dos mamíferos em geral, embora haja ausência de glândulas sudoríparas. De acordo com a analise morfométrica, pôde-se inferir que a arquitetura da cútis de pacas machos e fêmeas apresenta diferenças quando comparada entre os sexos e também em um mesmo animal, diferenciando-se entre diversas regiões corpóreas

Isolation, characterization and PCR multiplexing of polymorphic microsatellite markers in the threatened murine rodent, Leopoldamys neilli

Leopoldamys neilli is a threatened murine rodent species endemic to limestone karsts of Thailand. Twelve microsatellite loci were identified using the method of microsatellite-enriched libraries. Polymorphism was assessed in samples (N=62) from four geographically distinct populations in Thailand. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 9 to 15 (average 11.6). Observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.28 to 1.0 and from 0.44 to 0.91, respectively. There was no evidence for linkage disequilibrium, however, four loci showed evidence of departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in one population. Presence of null alleles was not detected in all the 12 loci. These first microsatellites primers developed for L. neilli will provide information on the fine-scale genetic structure of this threatened species and will help in the development of future conservation policies

On the Trail of the Kouprey Or Indo chinese Forest Ox (Bibos Sauveli)

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Diversity and endemism of Murinae rodents in Thai limestone karsts

This study aims to investigate the species diversity of rodents living in karst ecosystems of Thailand. A survey has been conducted throughout Thailand, 122 karsts sampled and 477 Murinae rodents live-trapped. Phylogenetic reconstructions were carried out using two mitochondrial markers (cytb, COI). A sequence-based species delimitation method completed by the analysis of the level of genetic divergence was then applied to define species boundaries within our dataset. The phylogenetic position of Niviventer hinpoon was also investigated and sequences obtained from the holotype specimen of this species were used to reliably identify samples of N. hinpoon. A total of 12 described Murinae species, corresponding to 17 deeply divergent genetic lineages, were encountered in limestone karsts of Thailand. Our study revealed an important genetic diversity within the traditionally recognized species Maxomys surifer (four highly divergent genetic lineages), Leopoldamys neilli (two highly divergent genetic lineages) and Berylmys bowersi (two highly divergent genetic lineages). These species could be considered as species complex and require further taxonomic work. This study also provides valuable information on the distribution of the two rodent species endemic to limestone karsts of Thailand, L. neilli and N. hinpoon. Leopoldamys neilli was the most abundant species encountered in Thai karsts during our survey. However, L. neilli specimens from western Thailand are genetically highly divergent from the remaining populations of L. neilli and could represent a separate species. Niviventer hinpoon, phylogenetically closely related to N. fulvescens, is much rarer and its distribution limited to central Thailand. Most of the other captured species are typically associated with forest ecosystems. This study suggests that limestone karsts play a key role in the preservation of the rodent species endemic to such habitat, but they would also provide refuges for the forest-dwelling Murinae rodents in deforested regions