Postcranial Differences in Sex and Species of Pine Marten ( Martes martes L., 1758) and Beech Marten ( Martes foina Erxl., 1777)

Abstract

Abstract To distinguish two closely related species, like the pine marten (Martes martes) and the beech marten (Martes foina), most scientists use the cranial features. The aim of this paper was to define other characteristic, morphological and metric sections to determine both sex and species of the German martens. For these we used measurable postcranial sections, which also were suitably found in archeological sites. Our analysis indicated that some morphological traits on atlas and scapula are useful to divide between beech marten and pine marten. To distinguish sexes, the metric analysis of the long bones and the pelvis gave good results.