FEATURES OF PROCESSUS NASALIS IN SOME WILD AND DOMESTIC MEMBERS OF THE FELIDAE FAMILY

Radoslav Mihaylov, Rosen Dimitrov

Abstract: Thirty two skulls of 7 species belonging to the Felidae family have been investigated: tiger - Panthera tigris, lion - Panthera leo, jaguar - Panthera onca, leopard - Pantherapardus, Eurasian lynx - Lynx lynx, wild cat - Felis silvestris and domestic cat - Felis catus. Three parameters of the nasal bone and the nasal process were studied. In the Eurasian lynx, the nasal process was with the highest relative length - 37%, followed by the jaguar - 28% and the tiger - 28%, compared to the leopard, the lion, wild and domestic cats, whose nasal processes were relatively shorter (14%-21%). The base of the nasal process was approximately 1/2 of nasal bone width in lions, jaguars, Eurasian lynx, wild and domestic cats, whereas in tigers and leopards the nasal process base was 1/4 of nasal bone width. The profile of nasal dorsum was convex in the lion and the leopard, and concave in tigers, jaguars, European lynx, wild and domestic cats. The relative length of the nasal process and the convexity or concavity of nasal bone profile could be interpreted as species-specific traits.

Keywords: craniology; felidae; morphology; osteology

Date published: 2023-02-22