Combination of retinography and RFID (Rtn+EID) for an advanced imaging identification in mouflons (Ovis orientalis musimon, Gmelin, 1774).

Reference about retinographic peculiarities in mouflons lack important descriptions of specific pictures normally used nowadays as a fine tool in neurophtalmic semiology in many animal species. A total of 30 mouflons, firstly electronically identified by means of transponders HDX 134.2 kHz, ISO 11784-11785 contained in endoruminal ceramic boluses (75 g. 70x21 mm RUMITAG bolus®), were investigated by 12 retinographies (Kowa RC–2 retinograph fundus camera con Kodak Elitechrome film, 100 asa) on both eyes, after 2 - 3 drops of tropicamide (Visumidriatic 0,5%) to allow adequate pupil dilation. The detection and record of transponder’s electronic code (EIC) were performed by a handy reader (static reading) and by a fixed reader (dynamic reading), together with real time download on a notebook of transponder’s electronic codes. As far as vascularization, retinographic pictures were characterized by the presence of 3 main arteries: one emerges from the papilla following a dorsal direction; 2 follow lateral directions and veins behave as satellites of arteries, often twisted to the correspondent artery. The retinographic pictures observed, as emergence, number, pathways and distribution, according to the respective topographic relationships of vessels in the fundus of the eye, allowed to recognize for each single mouflon one own individual retinographic picture as a biologically originated fingerprint for the identification of each animal. The integrated system (retinography & RFID) opens interesting fields of investigation for future chances of development of new softwares in the Advanced Imaging Technology that is increasing for human applications and that will presumably involve also the animal sector in the next years.