Descrição anatômica dos tratos e aptérios em papagaio verdadeiro (Amazona aestiva, Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

Birds represent one of the most significant contingents among vertebrates found in Brazilian territory. The blue fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva) belongs to the family Psittacidae, it is very adapted for all Brazilian biomes. The surface of the skin is covered by feathers, however there are not feathers on all surface. The feathers are found in specific regions called tracts and the regions with out feathers are called apteria. The aim was to study descriptive and topographically blue fronted parrot 's (Amazona aestiva) tracts and apteria of a total of 43 adult birds (39.5% males and 60.5% females) that were donated by the superintendence of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources - IBAMA in Pernambuco. The birds were fixed by subcutaneous, intramuscular and intracavitary application of 10% aqueous formaldehyde solution and immersed in the same preservation solution. Feathers have been sectioned near the follicle using surgical instruments, leaving from 0.2 to 0.3 cm for better visualization and recording of the tracts and apteria. The species Gallus gallus was used as a comparative morphological standard. The study demonstrated anatomical variations in the alular tracts, caudal of the hand and distal caudal in 20.9% of the samples. The results showed that the tracts and apteria represent the morphological pattern of the species.