Variability in the number of mental foramina in the African green monkey (Grivet) (Chlorocebus aethiops)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the number of mental foramina (MFs) in vervet monkeys of the Cercopithecini tribe and perform a µCT analysis of mental foramina and mandibular canal morphology. A total of 19 simian skulls belonging to Chlorocebus aethiops species were used in the analyses. An average of three mental foramina was present in most individuals from the analyzed group. The Mann–Whitney test revealed no statistically significant difference between the number of foramina on the right- and left-hand side. Likewise, no statistically significant differences between the number of MFs across sexes were observed. Correlation coefficient values between mandibular length and the ipsilateral number of MF indicate a weak and statistically non-significant (p > 0.05) linear relationship. Volumetric reconstructions revealed the presence of a single periosteal sheathed mandibular canal terminated with four small mental foramina.