Gluteal nerves in Crab-eating fox

Abstract Introduction: The Crab-eating fox is a medium-sized South American canid. Although there are several studies regarding this species, especially in epidemiology and parasitology studies, only few data regarding the morphology has been reported. The aim of our study was to describe the gluteal nerves of the Crab-eating fox and compare them with the domestic dogs for homology concerns and surgical application. Materials and Methods: We used four pelvic limbs of Crab-eating foxes fixed with 10% formalin and injected with red neoprene latex. Muscles, arteries and nerves were anatomically dissected. Results: The Cranial gluteal nerve supplied the Middle gluteal, Deep gluteal and Tensor Fasciae Latae muscles, while the Caudal gluteal nerve supplied the Middle Gluteal, Superficial Gluteal, Pirirformis, Gemilli and Coccygeus muscles. Conclusions: Our results presented a variable relation between muscles and nerve supplies between the Crab-eating fox and the domestic dogs. The indings also suggested morphological differentiation in lumbosacral plexus during canids species evolution. Finally, for surgical approaches to hip joint and pelvis, the domestic dog can be used as model for the Crab-eating fox.