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Rocha ELB, da Silva LGVP, Barreto INR, Magalhães MDS, Dias LC, Matias de Oliveira RE, Braz JKFDS, de Oliveira MF, de Moura CEB. Gonadal Morphology of Stillborn Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Hatchlings. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2024; 30:169-177. [PMID: 38252589 DOI: 10.1093/micmic/ozae002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate sexual dimorphism in stillborn hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) through gonadal morphological characterizations. Macroscopic, light microscopy, and transmission electron analyses were performed for 30 gonad-mesonephros complexes. Female gonads were spindle-shaped and present a translucent whitish appearance with a grainy texture. Male gonads were approximately ovoid with a smooth opaque white surface. A primary sexual difference concerns different marrow structures, with females presenting organized cellularity featuring oocytes, lacunae, and blood vessels, while males presented a distinct organizational medulla pattern marked by testicular cords extending throughout the gonad length. Ultrastructurally, female's stroma presented interstitial cells and an abundant cytoplasm rich in electrodense droplets and large oval germline cells, with a conspicuous and noncentral nucleus. Males, on the other hand, presented testicular cord cells containing small amounts of heterochromatin and approximately triangular apical and basal cytoplasms with an evident nucleolus characteristic of support cells. Additionally, there were cells with a large spherical nucleus compared with the cell size and a relatively scarce cytoplasm, identified as gonocytes. These findings indicate that macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural evaluations are effective and reliable techniques for the sexual identification of stillborn E. imbricata hatchlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Lucas Bezerra Rocha
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Avenida Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas Gabriel Verissimo Pinheiro da Silva
- Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Avenida Senador Salgado Filho, 1559, Tirol, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte 59015-000, Brazil
- Associação de Proteção e Conservação Ambiental Cabo de São Roque (APC Cabo de São Roque), Rua da Praia de Caraúbas, 150, Praia de Caraúbas, Maxaranguape, Rio Grande do Norte 59580-000, Brazil
| | - Isadora Natália Rocha Barreto
- Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Avenida Senador Salgado Filho, 1559, Tirol, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte 59015-000, Brazil
- Associação de Proteção e Conservação Ambiental Cabo de São Roque (APC Cabo de São Roque), Rua da Praia de Caraúbas, 150, Praia de Caraúbas, Maxaranguape, Rio Grande do Norte 59580-000, Brazil
| | - Marcela Dos Santos Magalhães
- Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida General Octávio Jordão Ramos, 1200, Campus Universitário Setor Norte, Coroado, Manaus 69067-005, Brazil
| | - Lucas Castanhola Dias
- Department of Morphology, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida General Octávio Jordão Ramos, 1200, Campus Universitário Setor Norte, Coroado, Manaus 69067-005, Brazil
| | - Radan Elvis Matias de Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Avenida Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Janine Karla França da Silva Braz
- Multicampi School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Rua José Evaristo, s/n, Penedo, Caicó, Rio Grande do Norte 59300-000, Brazil
| | - Moacir Franco de Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Avenida Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59625-900, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo Bezerra de Moura
- Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Avenida Francisco Mota, 572, Costa e Silva, Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59625-900, Brazil
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