Remarks on the anatomy of a mummified cat regarding the extent of preservation

Abstract

The anatomy of he mummified cat, found on he Stubai-glacier in 1992, wasstudied by gross dissection and by X-ray shots. The surface of he skinwas photographed by a stereomicroscope Wild M 420. For histologicalsectioning the skin was treated with a softening fluid and a specialdehydrating sequence after Sandison (1955) and embedded in Araldite. Thesemithin sections (2 mu m) were stained with Methylenblue-azur II afterRichardson and photographed by a Reichert Polyvar.The mummy shows a parchment-like skin with numerous vibrissae andremains of hair and is highly damaged by insect-feeding, especially onthe right side of the body. The skeleton is undamaged except of adislocation of the second cervical vertebra and fractures between caudalvertebrae 7 and 8, as well as 15 and 16.The inner organs are mostly rotten and hardly identifiable, a few dotsof adipocere were found in the abdominal cavity and below the skin. Thesex of the car: could be clearly determined as mate.The degree of ossification of the skeleton as well as the state of theteeth indicate an age at death between 8 and 13 month.