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Fourteen hard palates of neotropical primates were studied (Cebus apella), fixed on formaldehyde (10%) and preserved in ethylic alcohol (70%), collected according to the International Bioethics Committee. The animals were supplied by the Medicine College Veterinary Medicine and Zootecnica of the University of São Paulo in 1994. They originated from the São Paulo Zoo. They had died naturally. Measurement (in centimeters) of the viscerocranium (8 adults and 6 young animals) was made, including palatine length (PL), interpremolar distance (ID), intermolar distance (ID), interorbital distance (IDi), and midface height (MH). The palatine anatomy showed complete right crests (7.64 to 1.22), complete left crests (8.07 to 1.71), incomplete right crests (1.71 to 1.43), and incomplete left crests (1.64 to 1.3). The diasten between the lateral incisive teeth was the main anatomical landmark for the anterior end of the crest, and the landmark for the posterior end was the second molar teeth for all the specimens. The palate is very peculiar: mild concave, from the dental arcade to the median line, covered by the non-pigmented mucous tissue, with osseous structure composed of horizontal layers of the maxilar and palatine bones; sub mucous tissue attached to the periosteum and mucous tissue showing relatively prominent palatine crests. The crests appear as a rigid elevation of the mucous tissue, with some variations at the antimers. It may be concluded that the length of the hard palate is strongly related to the maturity of the animal, relative to the interorbital distance, and that the latter is also related to the length of the palate and the labial opening. |
