Resumo A lagochilascaríase é uma doença parasitária causada por nematoides do gênero Lagochilascaris. Com distribuição neotropical, este parasito tem como hospedeiros definitivos animais silvestres, canídeos e felídeos domésticos e, acidentalmente, seres humanos. Registra-se a primeira ocorrência de Lagochilascaris minor em um felídeo silvestre no Brasil.

Abstract Lagochilascariasis is a parasitic disease caused by nematodes of the genus Lagochilascaris. These parasites occur in the neotropical region and their definitive hosts are wild animals, domestic dogs and felids and, accidentally, humans. Here, infection by Lagochilascaris minor is recorded for the first time in a wild felid, in Brazil.

Descreve-se a ocorrência e analisa-se as causas de anomalias dentárias em Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) e A. fimbriatus Gray, 1838 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) provenientes de populações do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, sul do Brasil. São discutidas, com base no material examinado e em ampla revisão da literatura, as variações quanto à presença dos terceiros molares superior e inferior entre diferentes espécies de Artibeus Leach, 1821. Foram analisados 104 crânios de A. lituratus e 44 de A. fimbriatus quanto à fórmula dentária. Em A. lituratus ocorreram dois casos de dentes extranumerários, um incisivo superior e um terceiro molar superior direito, e um de agênese dentária dos terceiros molares inferiores. Em A. fimbriatus constatou-se a ocorrência de um segundo pré-molar superior direito extranumerário. As ocorrências do terceiro molar superior em A. lituratus e do segundo pré-molar superior em A. fimbriatus são casos de atavismos. Em Artibeus (Artibeus) ocorrem variações quanto à presença do terceiro molar superior, de maior ou menor intensidade, em praticamente todas as espécies. Estas variações ocorrem tanto a nível intrapopulacional quanto geográfico. Já o terceiro molar inferior está ausente em baixa freqüência em várias populações de diferentes espécies. Os terceiros molares superiores e inferiores estão em processo de desaparecimento na linhagem dos Artibeus (Artibeus). O fato destes dentes já não ocorrerem em algumas espécies, terem ocorrência variável em outras e serem sempre estruturas reduzidas e simplificadas, sem função na mastigação, são indicativos deste processo evolutivo. A variação intensa observada quanto à ocorrência do terceiro molar superior inviabiliza o seu uso como caráter útil na identificação de espécies.

This paper describes and analyzes the causes of dental formula anomalies in the bats Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) and Artibeus fimbriatus Gray, 1838 (Phyllostomidae) belonging to populations inhabiting the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Based on material examined and descriptions reported in the literature, is presented a general discussion on variation in the presence or absence of the third superior and inferior molars within members of the genus Artibeus (Leach, 1821). Of the 104 A. lituratus skulls examined was found one with an extra upper incisor and one with an extra upper right third molar, along with one case of lower third molar agenesis. In the 44 A. fimbriatus skulls examined was found one with an extra upper right second premolar, a tooth which is usually absent in this species. The occurrence of the extra molar in A. lituratus and the second premolar in A. fimbriatus are atavistic, probably reflecting the ancestral A. lituratus in the case of the extra molar and, for the premolar, an even more ancient ancestor which lived before the divergence of the Phyllostomidae family. Regarding the genus as a whole, there is variation in the presence or absence of the third superior molar in practically all Artibeus species, such variation occurring at both the intrapopulational level and geographically. There is also already a low frequency of absent third inferior molars in various Artibeus species. Both superior and inferior third molars are in the process of exclusion from the dentition of Artibeus and do not occur in some species, and, when present, are always reduced in size and extremely simplified in their cuspidal pattern and do not participate in food processing: indicating a clear evolutionary trend to the loss of these teeth. Such variation is important because variability in the presence and absence of third molars means that these teeth are not appropriate characteristic for the identification of Artibeus species.

A male specimen of Mirounga leonina Linnaeus, 1758 age estimated betvveen 7-8 years old, collected at Santa Vitória do Palmar, Rio Grande do Sul State, soutiiernmost Brazil (32º44'S and 53º22'W) is presented. Ali the skeleton was recovered except the rostral region. It shows an advanced osteomyelitis in the lefl dentary, extending from the synfisis until the middle portion of the body; as well as Scheuermann disease at lumbar vertebrae. Such diseases could explain its presence at that locality, where rt was shot. The bullct was recovered from the rostrum, and might be responsible for death. This is the first vhlually complete skeleton of M. leonina recovered from Brazilian coast.

The studied species were Arctocephalus australis (Zimmermann, 1783) and Arctocephalus tropicalis (Gray, 1872), (five specimens of each one). Anomalies were discussed under the light of theories which relate the ancestry of pinnipeds with the Ursidae; as well as concerning the evolutionary trends supposed for the Otariidae. Pathologies were related to alimentary and reproductive habits.