Comparative morphology of the respiratory organs of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris)

ABSTRACT:

The capybara, a wild rodent typical of the South American continent, is a source of food in all regions of its occurrence and is an important component in the diet of indigenous people and the rural population of Brazil. Knowledge of morphology is basic for the biological management of wild animals. Due to the scarcity of literature on morphological and anatomical studies of the respiratory tract of capybara, the aim of this study is to analyze the organs of this apparatus, macro and microscopically, so we can acquire better basic knowledge and compare it with that of animals of the same suborder (Histricomorpha) and with other species of mammals. We have seen that the respiratory tract of capybara is formed through the nostrils, nasal, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, phisarynx, larynx, trachea and lungs. The nose is located in nasal plan with nostrils arranged laterally. The largest part of the nasal cavity of the capybara is occupied by the turbinates, which performe as spiral-shaped structures, with their respective meati. The larynx is bounded by cartilage and in communication with the trachea. The trachea is a flexible cartilaginous and membranous tube, with incomplete rings in the shape of a “C”, which is bifurcated in its terminal part, forming the tracheal carina. The lungs of capybaras are in pairs, right (with four lobes) and left (with two lobes), located in the chest cavity. The bronchial tree of capybara is formed by primary bronchi and by a sequence that includes intrapulmonary bronchi, bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, and respiratory bronchioles.

INDEX TERMS:
Capybara; Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris; rodents; anatomy; histology; respiratory tract