The Arterial Circle of the Brain in the Bawean Deer (Axis kuhlii)

The Bawean deer (Axis kuhlii) is a small deer species endemic to the island of Bawean in Indonesia. The species is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List. The current population is assessed to be less than 500 adults living in the wild. The cerebral arterial circle (also called the circle of Willis) is an anastomosis of arteries that supply the brain. The aim of this study was to describe the arterial vascularization of the brain in this species. Three different methods were used to obtain a complete arterial pattern of this region—latex injection, corrosion cast, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography. The arterial vascularization of the brain was described. The pattern of the arterial vessels supplying the brain in this species was similar to that described previously by ruminants. The vessel with the biggest lumen branching off from the circle of Willis was the medial cerebral artery. The basilar artery is a vessel with a narrow lumen and does not mediate the delivery of blood to the encephalon from the caudal side. The results of the study may be useful in creating veterinary protocols for treating vascular diseases in this species and further studies from the field of pathophysiology or pathology.