title: Reproductive morphology of female Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis).
abstract: The reproductive morphology of cetaceans is poorly studied and, despite the large number of strandings, reports on this subject are scarce due to access to carcasses mostly in an advanced state of decomposition. The present study aimed to describe histological characteristics of the female genital tract of Sotalia guianensis, in order to assist in future studies on the reproductive biology of these animals. Females of different ages, from stranding events on beaches in northeastern Brazil, were used. Fragments of all organs were collected and processed for light and scanning electron microscopy. Histological analyses showed that these structures were similar to those found in terrestrial mammals, with some peculiarities, such as the presence of differentiated cells in the vulvar subepidermal layer, not described in the literature on cetaceans. Reproductive studies with a morphological description of the female genital organs are extremely important, since they would enable a better understanding of the species reproductive physiology and assist in the development of new strategies for the species conservation.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Estella Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Becegato
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Janaina P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Juliana P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudo dos Efeitos Antropogênicos nos Recursos Marinhos, Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos, Aracaju, SE, BR.
authors.forename: Jociery E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vergara-Parente
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Maria Angelica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miglino
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.
authors.forename: Fernanda M de Oliveira e
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004289:Dolphins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning