Radiographic anatomy aspects and gastrointestinal transit time in Podocnemis unifilis troschel, 1848 (Testudines, Podocnemididae) - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i4.5082

• Published in: Acta scientiarum. Biological sciences Vol. 32; no. 4
• Main Authors: André Luiz Quagliatto Santos, Carlos Gomes Ferreira, José Guilherme Souza Pinto, Cirilo Antônio Paula Lima, Lucélia Gonçalves Vieira, Fernando Moraes Machado Brito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Maringá 01-10-2010
• Subjects: chelonian; diet; digestive tract; Radiology
• ISSN: 1679-9283; 1807-863X
• DOI: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v32i4.5082

The present study analyzed the radiographic anatomy and determined the gastrointestinal transit time of Podocnemis unifilis. We used ten animals belonging to LAPAS from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The animals were orally fed with a barium sulphate suspension at 10 mL kg-1 mixed with mineral oil, at a ratio of 70% of barium sulphate for 30% of mineral oil. Afterwards, the animals underwent radiography in a dorsum ventriloquoal position, with the X-ray device adjusted at 72 Kv and 200 mA, in time intervals to follow the permanency of contrast in the organism. Five minutes after the contrast was supplied, the stomach was filled. After sixteen hours the contrast advanced to the small intestine. In 48 hours, the whole small intestine and part of the colon were fulfilled. On the 9th day the stomach was empty and the contrast advanced to the colon. On the 11 th day, the colon was totally fulfilled, and the contrast was close to cloaca. On the 18th day all contrast was eliminated by the animal. Total time for contrast elimination was, in average, 17.6 ± 2.4 days, with the minimum of 12 and maximum of 22 days, with temperature at 27°C. The digestion of the food was slower in the duodenum, and faster in the colon-rectum, which presents lower indices of repletion.