Morphometric Studies on the Skull in Three Marsupial Species (Koala, Wombat, Wallaby) | ||
| Journal of Veterinary Anatomy | ||
| Article 8, Volume 7, Issue 2, October 2014, Pages 117-131 PDF (603.97 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jva.2014.44816 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Ashraf Sobhy Mohamad Saber* 1; B. Gummow2 | ||
| 1Department of Anatomy & Embryology. Fac. Vet. Med., University of Sadat City, EGYPT & Discipline of Veterinary Sciences, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia | ||
| 2Dicipline of Veterinary Sciences, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia & Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Although many gross anatomical studies are published on Phascolarctos cinereus (Koala), Vombatus ursinus (Wombat) and Macropus greyi (wallaby) there appear to be no morphometric studies on the skull of these species. Traditional morphometric data are useful when either absolute or relative sizes are of particular interest, such as in studies of growth. These data are also useful when size measurements are of theoretical importance in studies of functional morphology. Three koala, two wombat and threeGrey’s wallaby skulls were used inthis traditional morphometric study. All estimated morphometric data were expressed as means±SD with the maximum and minimum values. The skull weight (with mandible) was 44.4±8.1 g, 224.5±50.2 g, 55.7±23.1 g & the skull length was 12.0±0.9 cm, 16.6±0.8 cm, 13.2±1.4 cm & the cranial length was 8.7±1.1 cm, 10.4± 0.5 cm, 7.7±0.4 cm. The skull index was 58.333, 77.71, 56.06, cranial index 60.92, 50.96, 54.55, facial index 186.11, 148.44, 114.29 and orbital index 90.00, 85.294, 91.304, and cranial capacity 20.0±2.4 cc, 61.7±11.8 cc, 33.5 ±3.7 cc in the koala, wombat and wallaby respectively. These results were discussed in terms of the usage of these morphometric measurements in several basic and clinical applications as well as in evaluating the intelligence status of these species. Two tables and four figures supported the results of this study. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Marsupials; Koala; Wombat; Wallaby; cranial capacity; Morphometry; skull | ||
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