BIOL 425, Mammalogy
Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Antlers and Horns, Aging (horns & teeth)
Oct. 12, 2010
Orders: Artiodactyla (even-toed), (Handout Ch. 27)
* know to species, know all listed Orders, Suborders, and Families
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Cervidae
*Cervus elaphus Elk
- antlers have large main beams that sweep back towards posterior
- lower incisors distinctively differentiated in size and form
- canines present (0/3, 1/1, 3/3, 3/3)
*Alces alces Moose
- antlers large and palmate
- lower canines incisor like
- nasals short, premaxillary region greatly lengthened
- dental formula: 0/3, 0/1, 3/3, 3/3
- dewlap present
* Rangifer tarandus Caribou
- maxillary canine usually present
- lower incisors relatively small
- posterior lobe of last molar small
- main hooves large, almost circular when held together
- lateral hooves functional
- dental formula: 0/3, 1/1, 3/3, 3/3
Odocoileus hemionus Mule or black-tail deer
- black tip on tail
- dental formula: 0/3, 0/1, 3/3, 3/3
- antlers branch in separate forks instead of points originating
from a main beam as in white-tailed deer
Odocoileus virginianus White-tailed deer
- dental formula: 0/3, 0/1, 3/3, 3/3
- wide distribution through temperate and semi-tropical NA
- antler points originate from main beam
Hydropotes inermis Chinese water deer
- large upper canines
- found in China and Korea, introduced to England and France
Family: Antilocapridae
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*Antilocapra americana Prognhorn (not an antelope!)
- keratinous horn sheaths are shed annually
- fastest New World mammal, 80+ kmph
Family Bovidae
* Bison bison bison
- horns smooth and conical
- paraoccipital process widely separated from condyles
* Oreamnos americanus mountain goat
- lacrimal pits absent
- horns less than 6 inches around at base
* Ovibos moschatus muskox
- horns “parted” and extend ventrally along skull forming “J”
shape
- paraoccipital process not widely separated from condyles
*Ovis dalli Dall’s sheep
- lacrimal pits present
- horns of males may form full curls at maturity, females posses
smaller horns
Suborder Suiformes
Family: Suidae Pigs and warthogs
Phacochoerus aethiopicus warthog
- large paraoccipital processes, modified canines form tusks
Babyrousa babyrussa babirusa
- large paraoccipital processes, modified canines form tusks
Family: Tayassuidae
Tayassu tajacu collared peccary or javelina
- broad zygomatic arch, straight dagger-like canines
Be familiar with the following terms:
Paraxonic
Ungulate
Cannon bone
Cursurial
Be able to answer the following:
How do the stomachs of the Suborders differ?
Order: Perissodactyla (odd-toed) (Handout Ch. 26)
* know to species, know all listed Orders, Suborders, and Families
Family: Equidae horses, asses, zebras
Equus caballus domestic horse
- dental formula: 3/3, 0-1/0-1, 3-4/3, 3/3
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- post-orbital bar present, prominent nasals
Equus burchelli zebra
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Family: Rhinocrotidae
Diceros bicornis black rhino
- nasal “horns” composed of dense, matted keratin fibers (not
truly horns because there isn’t a bony core)
Family: Tapiridae
Tapirus terrestris Brazillian tapir
Be familiar with the following terms:
Mesaxonic
Unguligrade
Should be able to answer the following:
Which Family has a proboscis?
Horns and Antlers (Handout Ch. 5)
Know Order, Family, Genus, and species from horns or antlers of the following:
White-tailed deer
Mule deer
Sitka black-tailed deer
Elk
Moose
Caribou
Dall’s Sheep
Pronghorn
Musk ox
Be familiar with the following terms:
True horns
Antlers
Velvet
Pedicel
Burr
Dermal papillae
Beam
Tine
Brow tine
Crown
Bex tine
Rack
Be able to answer the following:
What is unique about a pronghorn compared to true horns?
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How is a rhino horn different from a true horn?
The female has antlers in which species?
Which male deer (species) doesn’t have antlers?
Which Cervid(s) has/have palmated antlers?
What is the structure and function of Velvet?
Aging (horns and teeth) (Aging handouts)
Item
Horns
Jaws and teeth
Hoof
Teeth sections
Feature
Annual growth rings (ex. Dall’s sheep)
Incisor replacement, eruption of molars,
eruption and loss of premolars, tooth wear
(ex. Moose & Caribou)
Daily growth of hoof in neonates (ex.
white-tailed deer)
Examination of cementum annuli
Be able to age a Dall’s Sheep based on annual growth rings.
Be able age a moose or caribou jaw based on tooth replacement.
Be aware of other aging techniques (e.g., hoof growth, cementum annuli, tooth wear).
Cementum Annuli
The basis for cementum aging is the cyclic nature of cementum growth, which results in
an annular pattern of "rings" in the tooth like that formed in the wood of trees. A darkly
staining ring, or "annulus," is formed during winter. Abundant, lightly staining cementum
is formed during the growth seasons of spring and summer. The underlying
physiologic/metabolic mechanisms for cyclic cementum growth are not known. Very
darkly staining rings are formed in southern regions of North America, but it is generally
true that most mammals in these regions have less distinct annuli than their counterparts
in more northern regions. Incidentally, human teeth have similar annuli but the deposition
pattern is irregular compared to that of most wild mammals.
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