Morfologia do tegumento do tracajá (Podocnemis unifilis troschel, 1848)

Abstract

Currently in Brazil the creation of reptiles as pets has grown and chelonians are part of this class in evidence. The Yellow-spotted River Turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), a common chelonium in the rivers and lakes of the north and central-west region, is very consumed by the population. In order to reduce the impacts of illegal fishing, its commercial creation in tanks is legalized, but due to the agglomeration of animals and inadequate environment these animals are commonly affected by dermatological problems, being important the knowledge of the morphology of the skin to assist in the treatment of these animals . This work describes the characteristics of the skin and the attachments of eight Yellow-spotted River Turtle being four young males and four adult females that were studied in macro and microscopic form through light microscopy and scanning electron. Macroscopic results showed differences between females and males. Microscopically, the skin showed highly keratinized rigid structures in both sexes. The integument had two layers: the epidermis and the dermis, the first consisting of a stratified keratinized epithelium, divided into three strata - basal stratum, granular stratum and stratum corneum. The basal stratum was formed by layers of cuboidal cells with predominance of keratinocytes; in the granular stratum the keratinocytes were smaller and the stratum corneum, the outermost layer, varied in thickness between the analyzed regions, appearing larger in the palmar, plantar and corneal beak regions. The dermis was divided into papillary layer, rich in fibroblasts, collagen fibers, melanocytes and blood vessels. The macroscopic description assists in the identification and genre of the species reflecting in its preservation while the microscopic description of the structures that make up the skin increase the knowledge for future dermatological treatments.