ORIGEM E RAMIFICAÇÕES DAS ARTÉRIAS MESENTÉRICAS CRANIAL E CAUDAL DO CÁGADO – DE- BARBICHA Phrynops geoffroanus (TESTUDINES; CHELIDAE)

The purpose of this study was to describe the origin and branching of the cranial and caudal mesenteric arteries in geoffroy's side-necked turtle and to provide support on medical and surgical procedures. Five turtles from the Phrynops geoffroanus specie, from the Laboratory ofResearch in Wild Animals, which died of natural causes were used. The aorta artery was cannulated and filled with synthetic latex, and the plastron was removed to visualize the turtles´internal structures. The cranial mesenteric artery arises from the aorta and it branches into jejunal artery, ileocolic artery and caudal pancreaticoduodenal artery. The caudal mesenteric artery divides into two branches, a cranial one and a caudal one, and it also has its origin in aorta artery. The cranial branch structure binds itself to the ileocolic artery on the dorsal surface of the colon-rectum.