Notes on the gross anatomy of the heart of the broad‐snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802)

The broad‐snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802), is one of the six crocodilian species from Brazil. The topography, morphology and morphometry of the broad‐snouted caiman heart were studied. Data were obtained from the necropsy of four adult animals, three females and one male. The heart...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anatomia, histologia, embryologia histologia, embryologia, 2021-03, Vol.50 (2), p.350-359
Main Authors: Oliveira Lima, Mariana, Nóbrega, Yhuri Cardoso, Deus Santos, Marcelo Renan, Carvalho Nunes, Louisiane, Figueiredo, Rodrigo Giesta, Silva, Maria Aparecida
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anatomy
Aorta
Arteries
blood
Caiman latirostris
circulatory system
Fetuses
Heart
Mediastinum
Morphology
Morphometry
Muscles
Necropsy
Pericardium
physiology
reptiles
Skull
Sternum
Topography
Ventricle
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Summary:The broad‐snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802), is one of the six crocodilian species from Brazil. The topography, morphology and morphometry of the broad‐snouted caiman heart were studied. Data were obtained from the necropsy of four adult animals, three females and one male. The hearts were removed from the coelomic cavity and fixed in 10% formalin for 48 hr for morphological and morphometric description. The heart is in the cranial mediastinum. It is caudally involved by the liver cranial margins, and ventrally by the ribs, intercostal muscles, and sternum and dorsally by the lungs. The four‐chambered morphology is typical with two (right and left) atria and ventricles. Right and left aortic, pulmonary and subclavian arteries branch from the truncus arteriosus. Gubernaculum cordis is present as ligamentous folds uniting the heart apex to the pericardium. Main morphometric means are the apex‐to‐base length (49.86 mm), circumference (105.25 mm) and heart weight (45.03 g). The right atrium is craniocaudally longer with thicker walls, whereas the left ventricle is narrower. The topography, morphology and morphometry of the heart of C. latirostris are consistent with the anatomy of other crocodilian species.
ISSN:0340-2096
1439-0264
DOI:10.1111/ahe.12636