VOLUME AND SIZES OF THE CRANIAL CAVITY IN SOME ANIAMLS FROM FELIDAE FAMILY

Radoslav Mihaylov, Rosen Dimitrov

Abstract: 32 sculls of 7 animal species from Felidae family were investigated: tiger - Panthera tigris, lion - Panthera leo, jaguar - Panthera onca, leopard - Pantherapardus, European lynx - Lynx lynx, wild cat - Felis silvestris and domestic cat - Felis catus. The values of the following scull's parameters were found: volume of the cranial cavity, the greatest length of the scull, length of the scull, height of the scull, length of the cranial cavity, and cranial index of Schauenberg. The tiger was possessing the greatest volume and length of the cranial cavity. The lion was with the greatest length of the head skeleton, width and height o f the scull. The cranial index of Schauenberg was with the lowest value in the tiger's scull. The low values of the cranial index of Schauenberg and the high ones of the volume and length are indicator for better voluminous development of the cranial cavity. By the obtained results, it is visible, that the values for the greatest length, width and height of the scull, haven't a definitive importance as about the sizes of the cranial cavity, as about brain sizes. The values of the cranial cavity's volume, length of the brain cavity and the cranial index of Schauenberg have a definitive role about the size of the cranial cavity in the investigated animals from Felidae family.

Keywords: craniology; craniometry; felidae; osteology

Date published: 2023-02-21