Abstract
Because of their feeding habits, which are affected by their ranking in the last steps of the food chain, the teeth of carnivores are subjected to great forces during the breaking up and chewing of food when they are hunting. In this sense, missing teeth and tooth anomalies are common in carnivores. This research was based on an examination of the properties of the tooth structures of 25 wolf specimens collected in Turkey between 2014 and 2018. In this study, the excess and missing teeth, tooth fracture, and root anomalies in the lower and upper jaw of the head skeletons from an adult age group were examined in detail. Some anomalies, defined as the supernumerary tooth, additional roots, and fusion roots, were found in 4 skulls; tooth loss was found in 6 skulls; tooth fractures were found in 7 skulls; and tooth remains were found in 4 skulls. Fusion roots, supernumerary teeth, and additional roots were among the important variations in dentition. Tooth loss, fractures, and remains, and dental anomalies were determined in approximately 56% of the specimens in this study. It can be conclusively stated that dental anomalies were frequently encountered in wolves in the Palaearctic Region.
Highlights
Wolves, which are found in almost every region of Turkey, generally live on a diet of deer, roe deer, wild boar, hares, foxes, hedgehogs, mice, frogs, and lizards
It has been said that the feeding habits of carnivores cause deviations in their tooth structure, such as root anomalies, supernumerary, or missing teeth
The specimens were divided into 3 age groups, as pups, youngs, and adults, determined according to dental wear (Gibson et al, 2000), the degree of fusion of the cranial sutures, bone porosity (Vila et al, 1992), as well as some external, cranial, and bacular characteristics
Summary
Wolves, which are found in almost every region of Turkey, generally live on a diet of deer, roe deer, wild boar, hares, foxes, hedgehogs, mice, frogs, and lizards. It has been reported that wolves have attacked livestock and have killed stray horses, cattle, and other smaller animals. It has been recorded that wolves, hunting in packs, prefer sick, weak, young, and injured animals. Wolves sometimes eat animal tissue, horn, bone, and in summer, they eat fruit, such as watermelons, grapes, and melons (Huş, 1967). It has been stated that dental wear, especially in old individuals, could indicate that the teeth had completely lost their function (Vila et al, 1992). It was noted that in the adult female wolf, a tooth can sometimes be removed from the root without a new tooth coming in and the alveoli of the tooth was filled with porous bone tissue (Vila et al, 1992)
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