Anatomical, Histological, and Morphometrical Investigations of the Auditory Ossicles in Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus from Saint Kitts Island

Abstract

Otological studies rely on a lot of data drawn from animal studies. A lot of pathological or evolutionary questions may find answers in studies on primates, providing insights into the morphological, pathological, and physiological aspects of systematic biological studies. Our study on auditory ossicles moves from a pure morphological (macroscopic and microscopic) investigation of auditory ossicles to the morphometrical evaluation of several individuals as well as to some interpretative data regarding some functional aspects drawn from these investigations. Particularities from this perspective blend with metric data and point toward comparative elements that might also serve as an important reference in further morphologic and comparative studies.