Anatomy of the buccopharyngeal cavity of trairão, Hoplias Lacerdae Miranda Ribeiro, 1908 (Characiformes, Erythrinidae)

Abstract

We studied the buccopharyngeal cavity anatomy of 20 male and female trairão, Hoplias lacerdae (Miranda Ribeiro, 1908) specimens, with 24.41cm average standard-length, fixed in 4% formalin aqueous solution and/or diaphanized and colored with alizarin and alcian blue. The anatomical characteristics of the H. lacerdae buccopharyngeal cavity are: thin lips adherent to the respective maxilla; oral dentition consisting of canine and conical teeth, implanted in the premaxillary, maxillary and dentary arches, and conical teeth in the ectopterygoid and accessory ectopterygoid; smooth tongue, with free apex; dentigerous plates, with conical teeth covering gill arches on the external and internal faces; few gill rakes in gill arch I, with denticles; pharyngeal dental apparatus developed, with conical teeth implanted in the II, III and IV pharyngobranchial and V ceratobranchial cartilage; mucosal layer without significant relief. These characteristics confirm the trairão as being carnivorous in habit, preferentially ictiophagous.

Keywords

• anatomy
• buccopharyngeal cavity
• dentition
• Pisces
• Teleostei