Teratologia em filhotes jiboia (Boa constrictor): estudo de caso.

Abstract

Teratology is the science that studies congenital malformations and the reasons behind them. It is a relatively new branch of science, and consequently, literature involving this field of study is still scarce in information, especially in the reptile group, due to the difficulty of monitoring their reproductive habits in the wild. The objective of this study is to report and describe a case of a litter of Boa constrictor. The total number of the litter was 36 offspring with signs of teratogenesis, where 26 were stillborn, 2 died shortly after birth, and 8 survived. All offspring were collected and subsequently described through morphometric measurements, where their deformities were characterized and identified through bibliographic references, as well as illustrated through photographs. The possible causes of the case were also listed. All collected offspring that didn’t survive exhibited some type of anomaly in the vertebral column, and a portion of them had tail anomalies. Among the plausible reasons for the occurrence of teratogenesis discussed were: pollution in the animal's habitat, stress and/or the female's age, a high number of follicles compared to the size of the animal, consanguinity, and temperature and humidity of the habitat. Confirmation of the exact cause of the malformations was not possible due to the difficulty of obtaining information about the snake's habits. However, the most likely reasons were listed and a portion was discarded, while the study served to record the unusual occurrence and contribute to future research as bibliographic support.