Anatomical and Radiographic Study on the Skull and Mandible of the Common Opossum (Didelphis Marsupialis Linnaeus, 1758) in the Caribbean.

Reda Mohamed

doi:10.3390/vetsci5020044

Abstract

Common opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) are found throughout the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago. The present work was conducted on 10 skulls and mandibles of the common opossum to describe the osteology and foramina of these skulls and mandibles grossly and radiographically. The information that is garnered can be used to detect, diagnose, and treat head affections, as well as for comparative studies with the skulls and mandibles of other similar species. The skulls and mandibles were prepared and cleaned using standard method. All of the characteristic features of various standards views of the skulls bones, including dorsal, lateral, caudal and midsagittal, and the lateral and caudal views of the mandibles as well as the foramina of the skulls and mandibles were described and discussed. Each skull was divided into long facial and short cranial regions. No supraorbital foramen was observed in the skulls. The tympanic bulla was absent while there was the tympanic process of the alisphenoid. The temporal process of the zygomatic bone, zygomatic process of maxilla, and zygomatic process of the squamosal bone formed the zygomatic arch. The dental formula was confirmed. The bones and foramina of the skull and mandible were similar to other marsupial species and were homologue to that of other mammals.

Highlights

The genus Didelphis has six species of marsupials that are found only in the Americas, which are Didelphis marsupialis, Didelphis aurita, Didelphis albiventris, Didelphis pernigra, Didelphis virginiana, and Didelphis imperfecta [1]
There was no description of the bones and foramina of the skull and mandible of the common opossum, except in the description, which was given in the white-eared opossum (D. albiventris) in Brazil [6], in the short-tailed opossum
The bonypart partofofthe theface face is formed by the nasal, lacrimal, and zygomatic in the and lateral aspectsaspects of the skull; maxillamaxilla in the dorsal, lateral,lateral, and ventral aspects; of the dorsal and lateral of thepremaxilla, skull; premaxilla, in the dorsal, and ventral aspects; skull and pterygoid, ethmoturbinate, and vomer bones in the ventral aspect of the skull

Summary

Introduction

The genus Didelphis has six species of marsupials that are found only in the Americas, which are Didelphis marsupialis, Didelphis aurita, Didelphis albiventris, Didelphis pernigra, Didelphis virginiana, and Didelphis imperfecta [1]. Common opossums (D. marsupialis) are found throughout much of Central and South America and the Caribbean. They are characterized by a thick coat of fur, sharp claws, long whiskers, long tail, and black ring around both eyes as well as large black ears. The head of the animal has the vital organs, such as brain, eyes, ears, teeth, tongue, lips, and nose [2]. The skull gives the phylogenetic appearance of the head of animal species, such as the feline and the camel [3,4].

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Conclusion