Behnaz Asadi Ahranjani - Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Bahador Shojaei - Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Zahra Tootian - Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Madjid Masoudifard - Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Amir Rostami - Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Euphrates turtle is the only soft shell turtle of Iran, and unfortunately is in danger of extinction due to multiple reasons. Imaging techniques, in addition to their importance in diagnosis of injuries to animals, have been used as non-invasive methods to provide normal anatomic views. A few studies have been conducted to understand body structure of the Euphrates turtle. Since there is only general information about the anatomy of turtle limbs, the normal skeleton of the Euphrates limbs was studied. For this purpose four adult Euphrates turtles were used. Digital radiographic examination was performed by computed radiographic (CR) in dorsoventral (DV) and lateral (L) positions. Spiral CT-scanning was done and ۳D images of the bones were reconstructed for anatomical evaluation. For skeletal preparation, the skeleton was cleaned by a combination of boiling and mealworm methods and limbs’ bones were examined anatomically. In the present study, simultaneous anatomic, radiographic and CT studies of bones in individual turtles made us possible to describe bones anatomically and provided comparable and complementary conditions to represent the abilities of the radiography and CT for better understanding of the anatomy. Arrangement and the number of carpal and tarsal bones are used in turtles’ classification. Among the studied species, Euphrates turtle carpal and tarsal bones show the most similarities to the Apolone spinifera.

anatomy, Euphrates turtle, Limb skeleton, Radiography