Femorotibiopatelar anatomy of the joint and the meniscus of Paca(Cuniculus paca, Linnaeus 1766)

• Grant number: 10/17920-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2010
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal researcher: Marcia Rita Fernandes Machado
• Grantee: Camila Meulman
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Few are the knowledge detailed of the morphology of the paca (Cuniculus paca), the second largest rodent in our environment and studies on these animals have attracted the interest of researchers in order to obtain new experimental models and also for the establishment of its rational economic exploitation and consequent preservation of the species. Thus, the objective of this study is to describe the anatomy of the joint femorotíbiopatelar and menisci of Paca (Cuniculus paca, Linnaeus 1766), identifying the ligaments of this articulation by dissecting and applying the technique of clearing followed by staining with Alcian Blue and Alizarin Red in meniscus in order to verify the occurrence of bone structure in its conformation.