Gastroesophageal tube of the Iguana iguana (Iguanidae): histological description, histochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of 5-HT and SS cells

The work aims were to describe the histological and histochemical structure of the gastroesophageal tube of Iguana iguana and verify the occurrence and distribution of immunoreactive serotonin (5-HT) and somatostatin (SS) cells. Fragments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of five iguanas were which underwent standard histological and immunohistochemistry technique. Immunoreactive cells for 5-HT and SS were quantified using the STEPanizer. The oesophagus has ciliated columnar pseudostratified epithelium with staining Alcian blue (AB) + and goblet cells highly reactive to periodic acid Schiff (PAS). In the cervical oesophagus, the numerical density of 5-HT cells per unit area (QA [5-HT cells]/µm2) was 4.6x10-2 ± 2.0 and celomatic oesophagus presented QA = 4.0x10-2 ± 1.0. The epithelium of the stomach is simple columnar, PAS and AB +. The cranial and middle regions of the stomach presented (QA [5-HT cells]/µm2) = 6.18x10-2 ± 3.2 and the caudal region, QA = 0.6x10-2 ± 0.2. The SS cells were only observed in the caudal stomach, with numerical density (QA [SS cells]/µm2) = 1.4x10-2 ± 0.9 In I. iguana, variation was observed in terms of the distribution of mucus secretions and the pattern of occurrence of serotonin and somatostatin-secreting enteroendocrine cells in the TGI, which possibly will result in an interspecific adaptive response.

Florida's Introduced Reptiles: Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

This is one in a series of similar EDIS documents summarizing general knowledge about Florida's introduced reptiles.

Coagulopathy secondary to chronic hepatopathy in three lizards

Liver disease is prevalent in reptiles, but the understanding of the secondary consequences of liver disease in reptile patients is far from understood. This case series details three lizards that developed coagulopathy secondary to hepatopathies. Two green iguanas (Iguana iguana) both diagnosed with severe hepatic fibrosis experienced coagulopathies—one with fatal exsanguination from a broken toenail and the second case with acute pulmonary hemorrhage. A Mali uromastyx (Uromastyx maliensis) diagnosed with severe hepatic lipidosis experienced acute severe respiratory distress secondary to acute tracheal hemorrhage. The occurrence of pulmonary or tracheal hemorrhage in two patients appears notable, however, more cases are needed to determine significance. All three cases had hepatopathies diagnosed by computed tomography, prior to the coagulation related complications. Based upon the cases presented here, it is recommended that coagulopathic sequelae of liver disease be considered in lizards with hepatopathies.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE KOMODO DRAGON (Varanus komodoensis) AND THE GREEN IGUANA (Iguana iguana) SKULL BY THREE DIMENSIONAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC RECONSTRUCTION

The purpose of this paper was to do a comparative evaluation of the skull of two species of lizards, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), by three-dimensional computed tomographic reconstruction. Images provided by this method give excellent anatomic detail of the skull. Therefore, essential differences in the configuration of the orbit and the lateral bones of the neurocranium were visualized in lateral and dorsal reconstructed images. The images obtained by tridimensional computed tomographic reconstruction can be a valuable diagnostic aid for the clinical evaluation of several head disturbances in lizards.Key words: computed tomography; 3D reconstruction; anatomy; skull; lizardsPRIMERJAVA LOBANJ KOMODOŠKEGA VARANA (Varanus komodoensis) IN ZELENEGA LEGVANA (Iguana iguana) S POMOČJO TRIDIMENZIONALNE RAČUNALNIŠKE TOMOGRAFSKE REKONSTRUKCIJEIzvleček: Namen prispevka je bil s tridimenzionalno računalniško tomografsko rekonstrukcijo opraviti primerjalno oceno lobanje dveh vrst kuščarjev, komodoškega varana (Varanus komodoensis) in zelenega legvana (Iguana iguana). Slike, pridobljene s to metodo, prikažejo odlične anatomske podrobnosti lobanje. Zato so bile na stranskih in dorzalnih rekonstrukcijah slik vidne bistvene razlike v zgradbi orbitalnega področja in stranskih kosti nevrokranija med obema vrstama kuščarjev. Slike, pridobljene s tridimenzionalno računalniško tomografsko rekonstrukcijo, so lahko dragocena diagnostična pomoč pri klinični oceni večih napak glave pri kuščarjih.Ključne besede: računalniška tomografija; 3D rekonstrukcija; anatomija; lobanja; kuščarji

Uso y conocimiento de la fauna silvestre de la comunidad q’eqchi’ de Santa Lucía Lachuá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala: un abordaje etnozoológico

Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo sistematizar información etnozoológica de los usos y elementos del conocimiento local de la comunidad q’eqchi’ de Santa Lucía Lachuá, Alta Verapaz, en relación al sexo y grupo etario de los habitantes. La metodología consistió en realizar entrevistas semiestructuradas, con un muestreo por conveniencia a 41 personas, 21 hombres y 20 mujeres, entre adultos y adultos mayores, a quienes se les mostraron fotografías de especies de vertebrados para su reconocimiento. A partir del Índice de valor de uso (IVU), se calculó el número de especies reconocidas por las personas entrevistadas. Los mamíferos fueron de los vertebrados más reconocidos y aprovechados por la comunidad, seguido por las aves, reptiles y anfibios y por último los peces. Las especies con mayor valor de uso por la comunidad q’eqchi’ son Odocoileus virginanus (0.4759), Dasypus novemcinctus (0.4747) Cuniculus paca (0.4735), Amazona farinosa guatemalensis (0.4462) Iguana iguana (0.4747), y Parachromis friedrichsthalii (0.4700). No se observó una diferencia en el conocimiento adquirido por sexo y grupo etario. Se resalta la importancia de continuar con los estudios etnozoológicos en la ecorregión Lachuá y otros territorios del país para fortalecer los procesos de gestión y conservación de la diversidad biocultural.

Fatal Disseminated Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection in a Captive Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

Infections with various bacteria, especially gram-negative aerobes, are a well-recognized problem in captive cold-blooded animals with immunocompromised health status, or in those kept under poor conditions. Pseudomonas is one of the most represented genera. Here, we present a case of fatal disseminated infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a captive green iguana kept at the “Pionirska dolina” Zoo in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. At necropsy, severe stomatitis, pneumonia, hepatitis and nephritis, accompanied with focally extensive dermatitis were observed. Histopathology revealed multifocal necrosis in various visceral organs. Culture and subsequent MALDI-TOF MS analysis were conducted to identify the isolate as P. aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed a wide susceptibility of the isolate, however applied therapy was instilled too late in the presented case. This case demonstrates the significance of timely and accurate identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates implicated in the pathology of captive reptiles. The importance of monitoring the adequate environmental conditions (enclosure temperature, humidity and conformation), health status and possible clinical signs of illness are highlighted.