title: Ossification Pattern of Estuarine Dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) Forelimbs, from the Coast of the State of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
abstract: The estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, is one of the most abundant cetacean species in Brazil. Determination of age and of aspects associated with the development of this species is significant new studies. Counts of growth layer groups in dentin are used to estimate age of these animals, though other ways to evaluate development are also adopted, like the measurement of total length (TL). This study presents a procedure to evaluate the development of the estuarine dolphin based on the ossification pattern of forelimbs. Thirty-seven estuarine dolphins found in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, were examined. Age was estimated, TL was measured and ossification of epiphyses was examined by radiography. We analyzed results using the Spearman correlation. Inspection of radiographs allowed evaluation of the significance of the correlation between age and development of the proximal (r = 0.9109) and distal (r = 0.9092) radial epiphyses, and of the distal ulnar epiphyses (r = 0.9055). Radiographic analysis of forelimbs proved to be an appropriate method to evaluate physical maturity, and may be a helpful tool to estimate age of these animals in ecological and population studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphology and Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Anna Paula Martins
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphology and Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Juliana Ywasaki
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphology and Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Carolina Torres
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ecology and Marine Megafauna Conservation Studies, EcoMega, College of Oceanography, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors.forename: Silvina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphology and Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Fábio Ferreira
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: de Queiroz
authors.affiliation: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Adélia Sepúlveda
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Instituto Consciência Ambiental, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lupércio de Araújo
authors.initials: Lde A
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Morphology and Animal Pathology, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: Leonardo Serafim
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: da Silveira
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004289:Dolphins / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D005552:Forelimb / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D010012:Osteogenesis