Mandible Size and Shape of the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)

Abstract

The carnivore mandible as a lower part of the facial skeleton has a unique morphological characteristic and importance for the taxonomy. This study aimed to investigate size and shape differences of the mandible of the red fox and golden jackal. The research included 17 adult red fox and golden jackal mandibles from B&H. The morphometric analysis was performed on the 11 measurements and geometric analysis evaluates shape variation between two species with ten landmarks. The study revealed that the mandible of the jackal was longer and of massive bone compared to fox mandibles. The most significant difference was the total length, the indentation between the condylar and the angular process, and the measurement from the aboral alveolus of the canine tooth to the condylar process. The molar teeth parameters show similar values, especially the carnassial teeth. PC1 and PC2, which account for the highest variation, account for 68.8% of the total variation. The present study provided morphometric and geometric data on red fox and golden jackal mandibles, which can be a significant resource in the taxonomy of carnivores.