Causas de morte de espécies de Pitheciidae (ordem: Primata) mantidos sob cuidados humanos

Pereira, Asheley H.B.Barbosa, Bruna E.P.Alves, Arthur C.T.McIntosh, DouglasMoreira, Silvia B.Pissinatti, AlcidesUbiali, Daniel G.

ABSTRACT: Brazilian pitheciids include some of the world's most endangered nonhuman primate species. Despite current efforts to conserve wild populations, no retrospective studies have described the causes of death in members of the Pitheciidae family kept under human care. Herein, we describe the spontaneous causes of mortality in pitheciids maintained under human care in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To this end, the post mortem reports of the Anatomy Pathology Sector of Federal University Rural of Rio de Janeiro (SAP/UFRuralRJ) from January 2019 to December 2024 were reviewed. During this period, we performed 497 necropsies and histopathological examinations in nonhuman primates, of which 26 were Pitheciidae. All individuals were adults; 61.5% (16/26) were females and 38.5% (10/26) were males. A conclusive diagnosis of the cause of death was made in 76.9% (20/26) of the cases. Regardless of the process category, the hepatobiliary system was the most affected in this study. The deaths were attributed to infectious causes in 55% (11/20) of the cases, noninfectious in 25% (5/20), and inflammatory with no specific etiology in 20% (4/20). Parasitic diseases were important causes of pitheciid illness in the captive scenario, mainly due to metazoan and protozoan infections. This translational study provides important information on the dynamics of diseases that affect pitheciids and may serve as a tool to improve these species' prevention, management and conservation strategies.