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. 2023 Feb 10;13(4):621.
doi: 10.3390/ani13040621.

Anatomical Description of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) Skull by Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Reconstruction and Maximum Intensity Projection Images

Jose Raduan Jaber Mohamad  1 , Eligia González-Rodríguez  2 , Alberto Arencibia  1 , Soraya Déniz  2 , Conrado Carrascosa  1 , Mario Encinoso  2
Affiliations

Anatomical Description of Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) Skull by Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Reconstruction and Maximum Intensity Projection Images

Jose Raduan Jaber Mohamad et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

The growing interest in reptiles has posed a challenge to veterinary clinicians due to the lack of a standardized system to perform anatomical studies similar to those used for dogs and cats. In this paper, we have attempted to describe, employing computed tomography and subsequent three-dimensional reconstructions, the normal anatomical features that comprise the skulls of two species of reptiles: the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the green iguana (Iguana iguana). Computed tomography (CT) and subsequent image processing allowed the identification of the bony structures that comprise the head of these species. As a result, and based on previous articles, we propose the most significant anatomical differences and similarities between these species.

Keywords: anatomy; computed tomography; lizard; maximum intensity projection; reptiles; skull; turtle; volume rendering.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Measurements of the loggerhead turtle and green iguana Head. (A) Example of HH in a loggerhead turtle lateral VR image. (B,C) Examples of HL and HW in loggerhead dorsal VR images. (D) Example of HH in a green iguana lateral VR image. (E,F) Examples of HL and HW in green iguana dorsal VR images.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Head of Caretta caretta. (A) Rostral VR image. (B) Rostrotransversal MIP image. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. PrF: Prefrontal bone. F: Frontal bone. Po: Postorbital bone. O: Orbit. Of: Orbital fossa. J: Jugal bone. QJ: Quadratojugal. Mx: Maxillary bone. SO: Scleral ossifications. P: Parietal bone. EPt: Epipterygoid bone. V: Vomer. Pa: Palatine bone. Ns: Nasal sinuses. Oc: Oral cavity. D: Dentary. San: Surangular.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Head of Caretta caretta. (A) Lateral VR image. (B) Medial MIP image. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. Mx: Maxillary bone. PrF. Prefrontal bone. F: Frontal. Po: Postorbital. J: Jugal. SO: Scleral ossifications. QJ: Quadratojugal. Q: Quadrate. Sq: Squamosal. Boc: Basioccipital. Pt: Pterygoid. EPt: Epipterygoid. Pa: Palatine. P: Parietal. Soc: Supraoccipital. Pro: Prootic. C: Coronoid. O: Orbit. Of: Orbital fossa. D: Dentary. A: Angular. San: Surangular. Part: Prearticular. Art: Articular. Ha: Hyoid apparatus. C1: First cervical vertebra. C2: Second cervical vertebra.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Head of Caretta caretta. (A) Ventral VR image. (B) Ventral MIP image. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. Mx: Maxillary bone. J: Jugal. V: Vomer. Pa: Palatine. PtP: Pterygoid palatine process. BPt: Basipterygoid. Pt: Pterygoid. PtQ: Pterygoid quadrate process. SO: Scleral ossifications. Sq: Squamosal. Q: Quadrate. QJ: Quadratojugal. Bsp: Basisphenoid. AP: Articular process of Bsp. Boc: Basioccipital. Soc: Supraoccipital. Exoc: Exoccipital. M: Mandible. D: Dentary. A: Angular. Ha: Hyoid apparatus. C1: First cervical vertebra. C2: Second cervical vertebra.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Head of Caretta caretta. (A) Dorsal VR image. (B) Dorsal MIP. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. Mx: Maxillary bone. nar: Nares. PrF: Prefrontal. F: Frontal. Po: Postorbital. J: Jugal. O: Orbit. SO: Scleral ossifications. Sq: Squamosal. Pt: Pterygoid. Bsp: Basisphenoid. P: Parietal. Exoc: Exoccipital. Soc: Supraoccipital. Ha: Hyoid apparatus. C1: First cervical vertebra. C2: Second cervical vertebra.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Head of Caretta caretta. (A) Caudal VR image. (B) Caudal MIP image. P: Parietal bone. PIP: Procesus inferior parietalis. Po: Postorbital. Sq: Squamosal bone. Soc: Supraoccipital bone. Exoc: Exoccipital bone. Boc: Basioccipital bone. OP: Opisthotic bone. FM: Foramen magnum. PBsp: Parabasisphenoid bone. SO: Scleral ossifications. Q: Quadrate. Art: Articular. Ha: Hyoid apparatus.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Head of Iguana iguana. (A) Rostral VR image. (B) Rotral MIP image. N: Nasal. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. Mx: Maxillary bone. PrF: Prefrontal. F: Frontal. PsF: Postfrontal. Po: Postorbital. J: Jugal. Q: Quadrate. P: Parietal. O: Orbit. Pt: Pterygoid. Ec: Ectopterygoid. Art: Articular. C: Coronoid. D: Dentary. San: Surangular.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Head of Iguana iguana. (A) Lateral VR image. (B) Lateral MIP image. Pmx: Premaxillary. Mx: Maxillary bone. N: Nasal. PrF: Prefrontal. L: Lacrimal. F: Frontal. PsF: Postfrontal. Po: Postorbital. SO: Scleral ossifications. J: Jugal. Q: Quadrate. Sq: Squamosal. Ec: Ectopterygoid. Pt: Pterygoid. EPt: Epipterygoid. Cp: Cultriform process. PBsp: Parabasisphenoid. P: Parietal. St: Supratemporal. D: Dentary. A: Angular. San: Surangular. Art: Articular. C: Coronoid. Ha: Hyoid apparatus. C1: First cervical vertebra. C2: Second cervical vertebra.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Head of Iguana iguana. (A) Ventral VR image. (B) Ventral MIP image. (C) Ventral VR image without Hyoid apparatus. D: Dentary bone. An: Angular bone. Art: Articular bone. V Vomer. Pa: Palatine bone. Pt: Pterygoid bone. Ec: Ectopterygoid. PtP: Pterygoid palatine process. PtQ: Pterygoid quadrate process. BPt: Basipterygoid process. PBsp: Parabasisphenoid bone. Cp: Cultriform process. OC: Occipital condyle. Ha: Hyoid apparatus. AP: Alar process.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Head of Iguana iguana. (A) Dorsal VR view. (B) Dorsal MIP view. Pmx: Premaxillary bone. Mx: Maxilla. N: Nasal. PrF: Prefrontal. F: Frontal. PsF: Postfrontal. Po: Postorbital. J: Jugal. Pt: Pterygoid. Ec: Ectopterygoid. Q: Quadrate. Sq: Squamousal. St: Supratemporal. P: Parietal. Soc: Supraoccipital. Art: Articular. Ha: Hyoid apparatus.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Head of Iguana iguana. (A) Caudal VR image without hyoid apparatus. (B) Caudal MIP image. Sc: Occipital sagital crest. Soc: Supraoccipital. P: Parietal. Ot: Otoccipital. FM: Foramen magnum. Pt: Pterygoid. Po: Postorbital. Sq: Squamosal. St: Supratemporal. Boc: Basioccipital. Ppo: Paroccipital process. Pbo: Parabasioccipital process. Fo: Otoccipital facet. An: Angular. Art: Articular. Ha: Hyoid apparatus.
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