Abstract
The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to present comprehensive information about the age-dependent change of skeletal characteristics in captive cheetahs with known age and to assess the benefit of these variables for age estimation in this species. Radiographs of 162 known-age captive and semi-captive cheetahs were retrospectively examined and age-related changes of skull, axial and appendicular skeletal systems were documented. Metric and non-metric variables were used. These parameters were checked for the best correlation with age using a multiple stepwise regression analysis. An overview about the time frames, in which ossification centers appeared and physeal closure occurred is presented. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed the status of closure of the coronal suture, the maximum length of the frontal sinus, the condylobasal-, hard palate, and facial length are most significantly correlated with age. Together with the pulp size of the upper canine, these values can be used for an age approximation in cheetahs.
Highlights
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is one of the most endangered carnivoran species with less than 15.000 animals dispersed over Africa [1]
Gum recession and the dimensions of canine pulp cavity are used for age determination in lions, tigers, leopards, bobcats, and mountain lions [7,8,9,10,11,12,13]
Using a multiple stepwise regression model, we identified morphological parameters that can be used to approximate the age of cheetahs
Summary
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is one of the most endangered carnivoran species with less than 15.000 animals dispersed over Africa [1]. With increased growth of the skull, there is a gradual obliteration of calvarial sutures that can be correlated with age in carnivorans [35,36,37,38] and in humans [39] Another skull parameter that was utilized to predict the unknown age of humans [40] and other animals is the frontal sinus size [41, 42]. Gross categorization of adult and immature individuals was proposed [46], but data useful for a more precise age determination are still lacking The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to document changes in skeletal characteristics, identify those variables that correlated best with age, and to integrate the results into a method for age estimation in captive cheetahs based on radiographic analysis
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