Composition of encephalic arteries and origin of the basilar artery are different between vertebrates.

Intracranial arterial anatomy is lacking for most mammalian and non-mammalian model species, especially concerning the origin of the basilar artery (BA). Enhancing the knowledge of this anatomy can improve animal models and help understanding anatomical variations in humans. We have studied encephalic arteries in three different species of birds and eight different species of mammals using formalin-fixed brains injected with arterial red latex.

ZooMS confirms geometric morphometrics species identification of ancient sheep and goat.

Geometric morphometrics can effectively distinguish isolated third lower molars of present-day sheep and goat, but its applicability to archaeological specimens has yet to be established. Using a modern reference collection of 743 sheep and goats and a two-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometric (GMM) protocol, this study aimed to morphometrically identify 109 archaeological specimens, used as case studies, dating from the Late Neolithic to the modern period/era. These morphometric identifications were then compared to molecular identifications via collagen peptide mass fingerprinting, known as Zooarcheology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS).

Unexpected morphological diversity in ancient dogs compared to modern relatives.

Dogs are among the most variable species today, but little is known about the morphological variability in the early phases of their history. The Neolithic transition to farming may have resulted in an early morphological diversification as a result of changes in the anthropic environment or intentional selection on specific morphologies. Here, we describe the variability and modularity in mandible form by comparing 525 dog mandibles from European archaeological sites ranging from 8100 to 3000 cal.

Cranial shape diversification in horses: variation and covariation patterns under the impact of artificial selection.

The potential of artificial selection to dramatically impact phenotypic diversity is well known. Large-scale morphological changes in domestic species, emerging over short timescales, offer an accelerated perspective on evolutionary processes. The domestic horse (Equus caballus) provides a striking example of rapid evolution, with major changes in morphology and size likely stemming from artificial selection.

Masticatory system integration in a commensal canid: interrelationships between bones, muscles and bite force in the red fox.

The jaw system in canids is essential for defence and prey acquisition. However, how it varies in wild species in comparison with domestic species remains poorly understood, yet is of interest in terms of understanding the impact of artificial selection. Here, we explored the variability and interrelationships between the upper and lower jaws, muscle architecture and bite force in the red fox ().

Evaluation of injectate distribution after ultrasound-guided peribulbar injections in canine cadavers.

Objective: To describe a contrast medium distribution pattern after peribulbar injection in cadavers.

Study Design: A cadaveric study.

Animals: A group of eight male dogs and four canine cadaver heads.

Bite force and its relationship to jaw shape in domestic dogs.

Previous studies based on two-dimensional methods have suggested that the great morphological variability of cranial shape in domestic dogs has impacted bite performance. Here, we used a three-dimensional biomechanical model based on dissection data to estimate the bite force of 47 dogs of various breeds at several bite points and gape angles. bite force for three Belgian shepherd dogs was used to validate our model.

Unravelling the hybrid vigor in domestic equids: the effect of hybridization on bone shape variation and covariation.

Background: Hybridization has been widely practiced in plant and animal breeding as a means to enhance the quality and fitness of the organisms. In domestic equids, this hybrid vigor takes the form of improved physical and physiological characteristics, notably for strength or endurance. Because the offspring of horse and donkey is generally sterile, this widely recognized vigor is expressed in the first generation (F1).

A case of bone fracture with callus on the right femur of a chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus, L. 1758) from the ancient site of Dharih, Jordan.

Archaeozoology provides bones, which quite regularly present traces of fractures. These fractures are more or less at an advanced level of healing and bear witness to traumas or pathologies. These cases of palaeopathology are not always the subject of publications, which further restricts our knowledge about them.

The impact of artificial selection on morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of domestic horses.

The relationships between the different component parts of organisms, such as the sharing of common development or function, produce a coordinated variation between the different traits. This morphological integration contributes to drive or constrain morphological variation and thus impacts phenotypic diversification. Artificial selection is known to contribute significantly to phenotypic diversification of domestic species.

Long-Term Quantitative Evaluation of Muscle and Bone Wasting Induced by Botulinum Toxin in Mice Using Microcomputed Tomography.

Muscle and bone masses are highly correlated and muscles impose large loads on bone. Muscle wasting that accompanies bone loss has been poorly investigated. 21 female mice were spread into seven groups.

Morphological integration in the appendicular skeleton of two domestic taxa: the horse and donkey.

Organisms are organized into suites of anatomical structures that typically covary when developmentally or functionally related, and this morphological integration plays a determinant role in evolutionary processes. Artificial selection on domestic species causes strong morphological changes over short time spans, frequently resulting in a wide and exaggerated phenotypic diversity. This raises the question of whether integration constrains the morphological diversification of domestic species and how natural and artificial selection may impact integration patterns.

Chronic diseases in cats from the medieval site of Qalhât (Oman).

Paleopathological information observed in cats (Felis catus, L. 1758) is rarely described in zooarcheological assemblages. This article is intended to present different bone diseases (infections, degenerative and traumatic lesions) affecting several bones (i.

Early sex determination in the canine foetus by ultrasound and PCR.

Twenty bitches were seen in consultation at the Department of Reproduction at ONIRIS (College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Loire Atlantique, Nantes, France) between 25 and 50 days of gestation for early sex determination of the canine foetus using ultrasound. The genital tubercle is not visible before 26 days; between 26 and 30 days, it is visible between the pelvic limbs; between 33 and 50 days, the position of the genital tubercle enables sex determination as it migrates caudally in the female and cranially in the male. Good statistical concordance between sexing via ultrasound and sexing at birth has been established (kappa coefficient of 0.

The gas bladder of puffers and porcupinefishes (Acanthomorpha: Tetraodontiformes): phylogenetic interpretations.

The anatomy of the gas bladder of Diodontidae (porcupinefishes) and Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes) was studied on the basis of dissections and magnetic resonance imaging. Among the examined taxa of Tetraodontiformes, only puffers and porcupinefishes possess a thick walled and dorsally U-shaped or crescent-moon-shaped gas bladder. In the tetraodontid genus Lagocephalus the gas bladder is reduced to a rudiment.

Visceral anatomy of ocean sunfish (Mola mola (L., 1758), Molidae, Tetraodontiformes) and angler (Lophius piscatorius (L., 1758), Lophiidae, Lophiiformes) investigated by non-invasive imaging techniques.

The purpose of this work is to examine the gross visceral anatomy of ocean sunfish and angler using non-invasive imaging techniques: computed tomography imaging (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Similarities and differences in the internal organisation of these two species are verified. Both species lack a swimbladder and present a significant asymmetry in the hepatic lobes, an elongated bile duct terminating close to the stomach, a compact thyroid embedded in a blood lacuna, and very reduced brain and spinal cord.

Proposition for a protocol for anatomical studies on collection specimens by magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations for anatomical studies on collection specimens are becoming more and more frequent. As the presence of metallic objects within the specimens can disturb the acquisition of images and damage both specimens and materials, a simple protocol using radiographs is here proposed to detect these objects in collection specimens before conducting an MRI examination.

Osteometric study of metapodial bones in sheep (Ovis aries, L. 1758).

This study, based on a sample of 215 individuals, gives detailed insight into Sheep metapodial bone main features: their variability and correlations between their various parts. This data allowed us to reveal the most relevant measurements for study of metapodial bones in sheep (GL, Bp, Dp, SD, DD, Bd, and Dd), as well as references used to split up the main population. Those references give a great help in placing any sample in relation to the breeds described in this work.