Pesq. Vet. Bras. 36(10):1014-1020, outubro 2016 DOI: 10.1590/S0100-736X2016001000016 Morphology of the testes and epididymal ducts in the pampas cat Leopardus colocolo (Molina, 1782)1 Mahmoud Mehanna2 3, Adelina Ferreira3 2* ABSTRACT.- , André L.S. Ferreira and MorphologyRegina C.R. Pazof the testes and epididymal ducts in the Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo (Molina, 1782). Pesquisa Veterinária Mehanna Brasileira M., Ferreira 36(10):1014-1020. A.L.S., Ferreira A. & Paz R.C.R. 2016. - Laboratório de Pesquisa em Animais de Zoológico, Faculdade de Agronomia,[email protected] Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Fede ral deThe Mato pampas Grosso, cat Avenida Leopardus Fernando colocolo Corrêa (Molina, da Costa 1782) 2367, is a Bairrospecies Boa of Esperança,the Felidae Cuiabá, family, MT 78060-900, Brazil. E-mail: - mation,widely distributed the objective in ofSouth this America,study is to included describe on morphologically CITES Appendix the II testesand classified and epididymal as Near ductsThreatened of pampas on the cat. IUCN The Redanimal, List, coming with population from the Federal trend decreasing. University Basedof Mato on Grosso this infor Zoo, Brazil, had died after anesthesia procedure and the male reproductive system was dissec- ted to collect the testicles. The samples taken were fragmented and histologically exami- - ned. From the microscopic analysis of the testes were identified: vaginal and tunica albu andginea, coated formed internally by dense by connectivespermatogenic tissue epithelium modeled consistingwith large ofamount Sertoli of cells, collagen surrounded fibers. byThe a tunica basement albuginea membrane fibrous in septa the presence emits into of the myoid body. cells. The seminiferousThe interstitial tubules tissue are between coiled the seminiferous tubules, is composed of loose connective tissue, blood and lymph vessels, - mnar epithelium with secretory cells of which stereocilia design, situated on a basement and Leydig cells in polyhedral shape. The epididymal ducts showed pseudostratified colu design stereocilia toward the lumen of the epididymal duct. membrane filled by myoid cells. This epithelium has principal and basal cells, the main cell Leopardus colocolo, histology, morphol- ogy, Felidae. INDEX TERMS: Testicles, epididymis, pampas cat, RESUMO.- [Morfologia dos testículos e ductos epididi- base nessas informações o objetivo deste estudo é carac- mários do gato-palheiro Leopardus colocolo (Molina, terizar morfologicamente os testículos e ductos epididi- 1782).] O gato-palheiro Leopardus colocolo (Molina, 1782) mários de L. colocolo é uma espécie da família Felidae, com ampla distribuição na América do Sul. Está incluido no Appendix II da CITES . O animal, oriundo do Zoológico da- - culinoUniversidade foi dissecado Federal para de coletaMato Grosso,dos testículos. Brasil, Asveio amostras a óbito lha da IUCN, apresentando população em decrescimo. Com retiradasapós procedimento foram fragmentadas anestésico e e o histologicamentesistema reprodutor exami mas- e classificada como Próxima da Extinção na Lista Verme 1 Received on October 2, 2015. pornadas. tecido A partir conjuntivo das análises denso modelado, microscópicas com grandedos testículos quanti- 2 foram identificados: a túnica vaginal e albugínea, formada Accepted for publication on May 30, 2016. Laboratório de Pesquisa em Animais de Zoológico (LPAZ), Faculdade sãodade enovelados de fibras de e colágeno.revestidos A internamentetúnica albugínea por emite epitélio septos es- de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal regina- fibrosos para o interior do órgão. Os túbulos seminíferos- [email protected] Mato Grosso (UFMT), Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa 2367, Bairro Boa Esperança,3 Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil. *Corresponding author: lulas somáticas de Sertoli, envolvidos por uma membrana - basaltratificado com presença constituído de célulaspor células mioides. espermatogênicas O tecido intersticial, e cé Laboratório de Análises Morfológicas e Morfométricas, Instituto de - Biociências, UFMT, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa 2367, Bairro Boa Espe rança, Cuiabá, MT 78060-900, Brazil. entre os túbulos seminíferos, é constituído de tecido con 1014 Morphology of the testes and epididymal ducts in the Pampas cat Leopardus colocolo (Molina, 1782) 1015 juntivo do tipo frouxo com vasos sanguíneos e linfáticos, e - of Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. In the IUCN (International - UnionPampas for Cat Conservation is listed as Vulnerable of Nature byand the Natural national Resources) Red Lists docélulas com decélulas Leydig secretoras em formato dos poliédrico. quais projetam Os ductos estereocílios, epididi situadosmários apresentaram sobre uma membrana epitélio cilíndrico basal repleta pseudoestratifica por células - cheriniRed List et of al. Threatened2015). Species (2015) is listed by Near cujas células principais projetam estereocílios em direção ThreatenedThe pampas (ND) cat with is a population small feline trend that looksdecreasing similar (Lu to mióides. Este epitélio apresenta células principais e basais, the domestic cat, whose length of the head and body has an average of 52 cm, the tail is short, with 27 cm and wei- ao lúmen do ducto epididimário. Leopardus colocolo, histologia, morfologia, Felidae. TERMOS DE INDEXAÇÃO: Testículos, epidídimo, gato-palheiro, general color of the coat is predominantly light brown or ght ranges around 3.5 kg (Oliveira & Cassaro 2005). The INTRODUCTION grayish brown, with long dark hair in the dorsal region; triangular ears; dimmed present stripes on the sides of the Felines are top predators in the food chain and some authors body and the legs have transverse stripes, characteristic of the species (Nascimento 2010). species, since their disappearance would cause damage at This feline is nightly, terrestrial and solitary habits. It is define them as ecosystem health indicators calling them key all trophic levels of the food chain (Soulé 2000, Muller-Filho a carnivore, feeds mainly on small vertebrates like rodents, 2000). The cats are strict carnivores, representing the lar- gest predators of tropical forests, with great expression in and insects (Bagno et al. 2004). Gestation lasts about 80 the control of other vertebrates (Balarini 2008). daysground and birds the (Romopup’s number 1995), reptilesper litter (lizards is typically and snakes)two or - rance of key species can induce changes in ecosystem struc- Considering the perpetuation of a species, especially tureAccording and biodiversity to Miller loss, & Rabinowiz as these animals, (2002), regulatingthe disappea the wildthree cats, (Fajardo the reproductive & Pacheco 2011). system is possibly the most im- population of their prey and can affect the behavior of the same. Thus, although there is the conservation and mana- portant. The female role is to provide place for a concep- gement of populations of wild cats in free life, there is still tion, embryo development and release of a viable cub. But the need to maintain some species in captivity in order to the male has the responsibility to produce and transport reintroduce the pups born to the nature, aiming to prevent There are no data in the literature about pampas cat Many felid species exhibit polymorphism for melanism maleviable reproduction; sperm (Vidis 2014).however, the domestic cat can be used butthe extinctionthe relative of theseroles playedspecies by(Swanson genetic 1998).drift, natural se- as a model. Sexual maturity in domestic cats occurs betwe- lection, and interspecies hybridization remain uncertain. en eight and twelve months coinciding with the appearance Schneider et al. (2015) analyzing three wild cat species of sperm in the ejaculate. Males maintained in controlled showed points to unique evolutionary histories for each lighting do not exhibit seasonal reproductive behavior, and species, with a strong selective sweep in the pampas cat. animals kept in subtropical or tropical climate are fertile These results reveal an important role for natural selection. The Leopardus colocolo, popularly known by pampas Knowledge of the reproductive function of this specie cat, it’s kind of the Felidae family (currently divided into isand important sexually activebecause throughout there is great the year similarity (Paz 2013). between the - reproductive anatomy of the domestic cat (Felis catus) and nera and 40 species), with wide distribution in South Ame- most of the wild felines, so many studies can be performed rica,two subfamiliesextending from - Felinae the Ecuadorian and Pantherinae, Andes andto the has south 14 ge of using them as valuable biological model for physiology fe- line reproduction, especially for other endangered species and Central portions and southern Brazil (Cossios et al. (Wildt et al. 2007).Argentina, including Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay 2001). The regions where exist records of Leopardus colocolo In this sense, 1986, studiesGoodrowe related et al. to1989, the Pukazhenthigonads of males et al. include different habitats such as pastures and plains, den- se rain forests and mountains with poor vegetation in very morphological aspect, where exist few data in the literature high altitudes, as well as ecosystems such as southern gras- onof thisthe histologyspecies has of wildscientific cats testicles,relevance, and particularly in order to in com the- slands, riparian forests and savannas with a predominan- plement it is that purport to histological analysis and des- cription thereof to obtain information that might