Variations in the number of teeth in wild Japanese serow ( Naemorhedus crispus)

Abstract

Skulls of 755 Japanese serow (Naemorhedus crispus) were examined for numerical anomalies of teeth, and these were found in 30 (4.0%) specimens. In addition to supernumerary and congenital missing teeth, embedded teeth were also identified. Supernumerary teeth were found in 10 (1.3%) specimens, congenital missing teeth were found in nine (1.2%) specimens, and embedded teeth were found in 11 (1.5%) specimens. Supernumerary teeth were found among the incisors, the upper and lower premolars, and the lower molars. Based on the appearance of certain tooth classes, their size, and their form, atavism was considered to be a possible cause of the occurrence of some of these teeth. Congenital missing teeth were found at the loci of the lower incisors, canines and P(2). In Japanese serow, there appeared to be a tendency for congenitally missing P(2) as well as P(1). All embedded teeth were found at the locus of P(2). These teeth may have occurred as an intermediate state between normal and congenital missing teeth. Variations in the number of teeth in Japanese serow were concordant with their phylogenetic background. Moreover, although variations in the number of cheek teeth tended to be concentrated in the mesial region of the premolars, the tendency in the incisive region was for teeth to appear mesial as well as distal within an incisor-tooth sequence. These results, which are not in accordance with terminal reduction theory, indicate that the phenomenon of tooth degeneration does not only occur at the end of a tooth row.