Morphometric data of Conepatus chinga (Mammalia, Carnivora, Mephitidae)

CASTILLO, DIEGO; CARUSO, NICOLAS; LUCHERINI, MAURO; CASANAVE, EMMA

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY

Sociedad Chilena de Anatomía

Año: 2008 vol. 26 p. 770 - 770

0717-9367

The Molina's hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus chinga) is a medium size carnivore with crepusculo-nocturnal habits and omnivorous diet. The cranial, mandibular and dental anatomy of the species is little know, existing only a few works concerning its genus. The objective of the present study is to provide information about C. chinga anatomy. 26 skulls and 16 mandibles of adult individuals (GECM collection) from Buenos Aires Province were measured. Twenty four measurements were taken (mm), if possible, on each of the skulls examined using a digital caliber (precision 0.01 mm). Average and standard deviation (X±SD) for measurements were calculated: condylobasal length (64.33±2.65), basal length (56.85±2.64), palatilar length (23.89±1.2), postpalatal length (30.5±1.8), mastoid breadth (35.34±1.61), zygomatic breadth (41.33±1.70), interorbital breadth (20.92±0.97), postorbital breadth (16.65±1.55), mastoid breadth (30.61±2.01), width of bulla (5.83±0.84), length of bulla (8.71±0.45), width of interpterigoid fossa (8.34±0.53), height of mandible (20.41±1.32), length of mandible (39.07±1.72), length of maxillary tooth row (20.33±0.92), length of mandible tooth row (25.08±0.91), width across incisors (9.83±0.68), width across canines (15.94±0,96), width across molars (25.55±1.05), C length (4.38±051), PM3 length (2.94±0.26), PM4 length (6.06±0.38), M1 length (6.48±0.43) and width of M1 (8.74±0.37). The most variable characters (highest Coefficient of Variation) were length of bulla (14.32%) and C length (11.71%), whereas the character with the smallest Coefficient of Variation was the length of mandible tooth row (3.61%). With these data we aim to contribute to the taxonomic clarification of this controversial genus.