ON THE SKULL MORPHOLOGY OF RACCOON DOG (NYCTEREUTES PROCYONOIDES) AND RED FOX (VULPES VULPES)

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this work was to perform analysis of the skull morphology of red fox and raccoon dog and to examine their frontal sinuses (sinus frontalis) with the help of the methods of comparative anatomy and computed tomography. A total of 71 skulls of adult animals were used, 38 of red fox (22 male and 16 female) and 33 of raccoon dogs (21 male and 12 female). The most distinct morphological features were found in cranium bones, especially in frontal and occipital bones. The mandible was found to have four distinctive morphological features concentrated in the mandibular ramus (ramus mandibulae). The frontal sinuses in raccoon dog, unlike in red fox, occupy the entire surface of the zygomatic processes and are divided into small cavities by well-developed osseous partitions that are very thin in red fox. Computed tomography performed for the sagittal skull area revealed two prominent osseous partitions in the median part of the frontal sinuses in raccoon dogs and one partition in red fox. The maximum length, width and height of the frontal sinus cavity are larger in red fox than in raccoon dog (p < 0.001).

Computed tomography and cross‐sectional anatomy of the head in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes)

“…It has been shown that the frontal sinus of the Japanese wolf (Endo et al, 1997) is divided into small divisions by osseous partitions. In this respect, Jurgelėnas et al (2007) reported that the frontal sinus of red fox is divided by a very thin osseous partition while that of raccoon dog is divided by two well-defined osseous partitions. The latter authors added that the frontal sinus of red fox does not extend into the zygomatic process of frontal bone.…”

“…To investigate the anatomy and communications of the paranasal sinuses, three additional heads were macerated. The frontal sinus was exposed after removal of the osseous plate of the frontal bone (Jurgelėnas et al., 2007). To expose the maxillary recess, resection of the zygomatic arch was done followed by removal of the osseous plate at the junction of the lacrimal, zygomatic and maxillary bones.…”

“…Previous studies have investigated the craniometric measurement of the red fox head (Jaslow, 1987; Onar, Belli, & Owen, 2005). Moreover, the morphology of the red fox skull has previously been studied by CT (Jurgelėnas, Daugnora, Monastyreckienė, & Balčiauskas, 2007), but there are no studies to our knowledge that have compared 3D reconstructed CT scans of the red fox head and evaluated their correlation with gross anatomy from similar planes of section. It is important for veterinarians and surgeons of zoo animals and wildlife to have a basic anatomical knowledge of the animals that they are responsible for treating, including the red fox.…”

Comparative Craniometric Measurements of Two Sympatric Species of Vulpes in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, Mongolia

“…Specifi cally, we observed a more developed external sagittal crest, wider more arched foramen magnum, deeper and wider masseteric fossa, and better developed mandibular notch and angular process in red foxes than in corsac foxes. Jurgelenas et al (2007) and Frackowiak et al (2013) found similar patterns in their comparison of the skulls of the red fox, raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides; Hidaka et al 1998) and arctic fox. Our study showed diff erences in the almost all measurements of both species particularly length of the molar row of maxilla and mandible.…”

Variability of skull morphometric characters in Nycetereutes procyonoides

“…Literature on comparative skull morphology of raccoon dogs is limited. Measurements of 71 skull, 38 of red fox and 33 of raccoon dogs, were analys ed for skull morphology and their frontal sinuses (sinus frontalis) using comparative anatomy and computed tomography by Jurgelėnas et al (2007). Jurgelėnas et al (2011) studied skulls of raccoon dogs and red foxes based on determination of differences in the skull shape between sexes and species and did not find differences between form of skull of female and male raccoon dogs and red foxes.…”