Ultrasonographic Ocular Biometry of the Greater Caribbean Manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).
de Oliveira REM, Attademo FLN, Oliveira RKM, Dos Santos RP, de Oliveira Luna F, Mignucci-Giannoni AA, Cabrias-Contreras LJ, de Sá FB, Silva FJL, Freire ACDB, de Oliveira MF · Veterinary Ophthalmology · 1 March 2026
B-mode ultrasonography provides reproducible ocular biometry reference values for manatee ophthalmologic evaluation.
This study established baseline ocular biometric parameters for the Greater Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) using B-mode ultrasonography across three age groups (calves, juveniles, and adults). Twenty-two animals were evaluated for five key ocular measurements: corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth, axial lens length, vitreous chamber depth, and axial globe length. Results demonstrated that corneal thickness, vitreous chamber depth, and axial globe length remained relatively stable across age groups, while anterior chamber depth and axial lens length showed age-related increases. Positive correlations between body length and ocular parameters were significant only in calves, suggesting growth patterns stabilize with maturity. The study validates B-mode ultrasonography as an effective, safe, and reproducible diagnostic tool for ophthalmic examinations in manatees, providing essential reference values for clinical assessment and research in this marine mammal species.
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