Individuals Of Unknown Sex Research Articles

Intact, under-patrolled forests harbor widespread prey but a male-biased tiger population in the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, Sumatra, Indonesia

Conservation of threatened species is dependent on consistent population monitoring. We present the first status assessment of critically endangered Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and their prey in the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, Aceh, Indonesia. Our estimates of tiger habitat use are the first reported for a Sumatran ecosystem unprotected at the national level. During 6,732 trap nights accumulated over 23 months of camera-trap monitoring in 2020 and 2022, tigers were detected 39 times at 16 of the 52 stations. We identified 11 individual tigers but sex ratios were highly skewed: 8 males, 1 female, and 2 individuals of unknown sex. Cubs were not photographed either year and we did not observe evidence of tiger reproduction. Tiger habitat use (Ѱ = 0.52, SE = 0.15) was negatively influenced by human disturbance and positively influenced by elevation but those associations were not significant. Our study documents a widespread prey base but uncovers demographic characteristics of tigers indicative of heavy poaching pressures. We conclude that tiger-targeted protection is urgently needed to ensure the species’ persistence in Ulu Masen which, together with the adjacent Leuser Ecosystem, represents the largest contiguous tiger conservation landscape remaining in Sumatra.

MORPHOMETRIC TRAITS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH SEX IN THE KEEL-BILLED TOUCAN RAMPHASTOS SULFURATUS

Sexing monomorphic birds is essential for reproduction in conservation programs. In ramphastids (toucans) species, males have longer beaks than females, making beak morphometry potentially useful for sexing. In this study, we measured the following traits: curved beak length, total culmen length, straight beak length, curved and straight length of the ventral line of the gnathotheca, beak width, lateral area of the rhinotheca, and cloacal opening in 44 Keel-billed Toucans, as well as previously reported morphometric data from 17 additional individuals. Measurements were obtained using two methods (manual and image processing software), and the reliability between the two methods was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Individuals of unknown sex were sexed via PCR tests. The ICC showed poor reliability between the two measurement methods, so we only used manual measurements for comparisons between the sexes. We used GLMMs to determine whether the morphometric traits we measured could be used to determine sex in keel-billed toucans. In addition, we evaluated GLMMs to determine which morphometric trait was the strongest predictor of sex in this species. Beak length was longer in adult males than in females. The GLMMs indicated that beak traits associated with sex in this species are beak curved length, beak straight length, straight length of the ventral line of the gnathotheca, and total culmen length. The straight length of the ventral line of the gnathotheca was the strongest predictor of sex in the Keel-billed Toucan. Unlike previous research, the development of GLMMs allows us to determine the probability of a toucan’s sex based on continuous variables, facilitating sexing and allowing us to evaluate the reliability of the estimation of the sexing of each toucan. This method is an alternative for situations where other sexing methodologies cannot be performed.

Diagnostic Outcomes of Concurrent DNA and RNA Sequencing in Individuals Undergoing Hereditary Cancer Testing

Personalized surveillance, prophylaxis, and cancer treatment options for individuals with hereditary cancer predisposition are informed by results of germline genetic testing. Improvements to genomic technology, such as the availability of RNA sequencing, may increase identification of individuals eligible for personalized interventions by improving the accuracy and yield of germline testing. To assess the cumulative association of paired DNA and RNA testing with detection of disease-causing germline genetic variants and resolution of variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Paired DNA and RNA sequencing was performed on individuals undergoing germline testing for hereditary cancer indication at a single diagnostic laboratory from March 2019 through April 2020. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, and test results were curated as samples were received, and changes to variant classification were assessed over time. Data analysis was performed from May 2020 to June 2023. Main outcomes were increase in diagnostic yield, decrease in VUS rate, the overall results by variant type, the association of RNA evidence with variant classification, and the corresponding predicted effect on cancer risk management. A total of 43 524 individuals were included (median [range] age at testing, 54 [2-101] years; 37 373 female individuals [85.7%], 6224 male individuals [14.3%], and 2 individuals of unknown sex [<0.1%]), with 43 599 tests. A total of 2197 (5.0%) were Ashkenazi Jewish, 1539 (3.5%) were Asian, 3077 (7.1%) were Black, 2437 (5.6%) were Hispanic, 27 793 (63.7%) were White, and 2049 (4.7%) were other race, and for 4507 individuals (10.3%), race and ethnicity were unknown. Variant classification was impacted in 549 individuals (1.3%). Medically significant upgrades were made in 97 individuals, including 70 individuals who had a variant reclassified from VUS to pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) and 27 individuals who had a novel deep intronic P/LP variant that would not have been detected using DNA sequencing alone. A total of 93 of 545 P/LP splicing variants (17.1%) were dependent on RNA evidence for classification, and 312 of 439 existing splicing VUS (71.1%) were resolved by RNA evidence. Notably, the increase in positive rate (3.1%) and decrease in VUS rate (-3.9%) was higher in Asian, Black, and Hispanic individuals combined compared to White individuals (1.6%; P = .02; and -2.5%; P < .001). Findings of this diagnostic study demonstrate that the ability to perform RNA sequencing concurrently with DNA sequencing represents an important advancement in germline genetic testing by improving detection of novel variants and classification of existing variants. This expands the identification of individuals with hereditary cancer predisposition and increases opportunities for personalization of therapeutics and surveillance.

Dental and temporomandibular joint pathology of the Arctic fox (Vulpeslagopus)

Museum skull specimens from 224 Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) were examined macroscopically using an established protocol for examination of mammalian skull specimens. Foxes were collected from coastal and island regions of Alaska, USA, except for two individuals. Collection years ranged from 1931 to 2016 with most specimens collected during the 1950s and 1960s. The study population comprised more females (n = 134, 59.8%) than males (n = 83, 37.0%) and individuals of unknown sex (n = 7, 3.1%). There were 108 (48.2%) young adults, 115 (51.3%) adults, and one (0.4%) individual of unknown age. A total of 8,891 teeth (94.5%) were available for examination. The most common types of pathology observed were periodontitis (n = 222, 99.1%), dental fractures (n = 175, 78.1%) and attrition/abrasion (n = 198, 88.4%). Periapical lesions (n = 12, 5.3%), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (n = 3, 1.3%) and root number variation (n = 5, 2.2%) were less common. Enamel hypoplasia was noted in eight foxes (3.6%), all of which were discovered on St. Matthew Island, Alaska, in 1963. As in other canid species, periodontitis, attrition/abrasion and tooth fractures are common in the Arctic fox, while TMJ pathology is rare. Loss of tooth crown substance probably reflects the influence of diet, interspecific and conspecific aggression and oral trauma due to trapping and hunting methods. The high prevalence of periodontitis is probably also due to the combined effects of diet, genetics and host immune reaction to oral bacteria.

Anthropological analysis of skeletal remains from the site Vyšná Myšľa - Koscelek.

The archaeological site Vyšná Myšľa - Koscelek is located in the southeast of the Slovak Republic, and it is peculiar by its location in the middle of the woods near a thermal spring. Burials could be dated to the 13th to 14th centuries based on the presence of the ruins of the church, albeit the funeral practices could last until the 18th century. A total of 53 individuals were examined, in whom the age at death, sex and stature were morphoscopically and metric estimated by standard anthropological methods, and the presence of non-metric traits and pathological conditions was also recorded. The analysed group consisted of 40 adults and 4 adolescents, of which 16 were women and 2 possible females, 19 men and one probable male individual, three individuals of inconclusive sex and six individuals of unknown sex because of bad preservation of the human remains. The group of nonadults consisted of 6 children. Pathological conditions were present and recorded in 32% of 53 evaluated individuals. Due to the lack of historical written sources, this analysis represents an important study for the reconstruction of the life of historical population living in this area.

The Unidentified Skeletal Collection of Capuchos Cemetery (Santarém) housed at the University of Coimbra

The aim of this article is to present to the scientific and academic community the Unidentified Skeletal Collection of the Capuchos Cemetery. The skeletons, of contemporary individuals, were collected from the same cemetery as those of the 21st Century Identified Skeletal Collection, but their identification is unknown. The collection is composed of 73 individuals, of which 68 are adults of both sexes (34 females, 33 males, and one individual of unknown sex) and five are non-adults. The skeletons are reasonably preserved although several are incomplete as result of taphonomic changes during inhumations, but also due to the experimental research made so far. Most of the adult individuals present nonmetric characters, being the scapular notch the most frequent. Regarding the osteopathology, it was observed that the majority of adult individuals have pathological changes, with degenerative pathology being the most frequent. In addition, some individual exhibit medical devices and/or signs of chirurgical procedures.&#x0D; The Unidentified Skeletal Collection of the Capuchos Cemetery is an osteological collection that, although not containing individual biographical data, has contributed to teaching and research in Biological and Forensic Anthropology in subjects such as osteology, morphology, biological profile, paleopathology, cremains, and the development of new methods.

Inflamação periapical nos indivíduos da necrópole medieval de São João de Almedina (Coimbra, Portugal) (séc. XII/XVI)

A inflamação periapical resulta da invasão da cavidade polpar por bactérias orais (na sequência de trauma, desgaste severo ou cárie dentária). Diferentes lesões periapicais (granuloma, quisto, abcesso, osteomielite) têm repercussões diversas, desde desconforto durante a mordida até efeitos sistémicos graves. O objetivo deste estudo consiste em avaliar a frequência dos diversos tipos de lesões periapicais numa amostra de esqueletos da necrópole medieval (séculos XII-XVI) de São João de Almedina (Coimbra, Portugal) de modo a inferir o seu impacto na qualidade de vida dos indivíduos. Observaram-se macroscopicamente 1040 alvéolos de 54 indivíduos adultos (26 masculinos, 16 femininos, 12 de sexo indeterminado). O diagnóstico diferencial das lesões foi efetuado seguindo Dias e Tayles (1997) e Hillson (2001). Foram observadas lesões periapicais em 31,5% dos indivíduos e 3,2% dos alvéolos. Das 33 lesões registadas, 29 eram granulomas ou quistos e quatro eram lesões residuais. As lesões foram observadas mais frequentemente no sexo masculino (38,5%, 9/26) do que no feminino (31,3%, 5/16). O principal fator causador das lesões foi a cárie. Atendendo a que apenas foram identificadas lesões relativamente benignas e assintomáticas, conclui-se que a inflamação periapical não terá tido um impacto muito negativo nos indivíduos estudados.

Reproductive Biology and Sexual Dimorphism of Gymnophthalmus vanzoi (Squamata, Gymnophthalmidae) in a Population South of the Amazon River, Brazil

Here, we present data on reproductive biology and sexual dimorphism of a species of Gymnophthalmus (G. vanzoi). We conducted the study in an urban area in the municipality of Santarem, on the campus of the Universidade Federal do Oeste do Para, Para state, Brazil. We collected data from 61 males, 79 females, and 9 individuals of unknown sex. Adults were sampled throughout the year, and juveniles were sampled for nine months. Adult females were larger and heavier than males. We observed sexual dimorphism in snout–vent length, length between limbs, head length, head width, head height, hind limb length, tail width, body mass, and coloration. We recorded reproductive females during 6 months, with the largest secondary follicles observed in June and August, the period of lowest precipitation. Reproductive males were recorded throughout the year, occurring at higher frequencies in December, January, and June–November. Testicular volume did not differ significantly among months (P = 0.0884). We collected the smallest individuals in January, March, July, August, November, and December, which suggests that recruitment occurs throughout the year. Despite the evidence of seasonality in the reproductive cycle with larger follicles and larger volume of testes in the drier season, we suggest that reproduction in G. vanzoi is continuous throughout the year, as we did not find statistical differences in the size of testicles (adjusted for subject body size) among months, and because recruitment occurs across various months of the year.

Présentation et intégration régionale des sépultures campaniformes de Trémery « ZAC de la Fontaine-des-Saints » site 19 (Moselle)

Site 19 Trémery ZAC de la Fontaine-des-Saints, which lies 14 km north-east of Metz, was excavated in 1999. The site is located on a slope on the right bank of the river Moselle. The site produced several occupation phases, dating from the Early Neolithic to the Early Iron Age and a group of four Bell Beaker graves, one of which was discovered during trial trenching. The burials are located in an area of around 500 m2 on the western edge of the site. A pit and a post-hole near the graves also produced residual finds dating to the Bell Beaker culture, possibly indicating other activities on the site during this period. The grave pits are generally of rectangular shape with rounded corners. As the pits are not very well preserved due to truncation, it was not possible to observe any of the burials’ external features. They contain single primary inhumations burials, in varying positions and with different grave goods. The state of bone preservation ruled out reliable sex diagnosis. The first burial discovered during trial-trenching contained an individual of unknown sex and age accompanied by a dagger made from local Secondary flint, a fragment of a retouched flake and two flakes, as well as a decorated vessel with a sinuous profile. While the dagger is a feature of early Bell Beaker burials, the incised pottery decoration, with its tripartite organisation, can be dated to the middle Bell Beaker period. Two of the graves discovered during excavation produced no finds. They contain the remains of individuals of indeterminate sex, an adult in extended position on the back (2113), a young adult lying on the right side (2154). The third burial (2105) is that of an adult with a flat-based beaker of mixed style, decorated with comb-impressed hatched bands bordered by cord impressions. Nine barbed-and-tanged arrowheads, typical of the western Bell Beaker area, were found on and around the body. They are made from a Cretaceous flint that could be from the Senonian outcrops in the Champagne area. Some of the blanks are Kombewa flakes. Three arrowheads grouped on the west side of the pit indicate a dismantled quiver, with the dispersion of the other arrowheads probably taking place after the burial. Lastly, a strike-a-light and a piece with an abrupt retouch were located under the thorax. A fragment of iron pyrite associated with these elements suggests that they made up a fire-lighting kit. The analysis of residues identified on the two sides of the strike-a-light reveals the presence of mineralised and oxidised organic matter consisting of bone fragments and traces of alder. The wood is apparently not from a hafting system, but could either be the remains of an arrow shaft or a container for the fire-lighting kit. The burial discovered during the trial trenching is later than the other three, due to the decoration style of its pottery. The radiocarbon dates from the three burials found during the excavation phase place them in the earliest Bell Beaker period, 2700 – 2450 BC. According to the chronological system established by L. Salanova, this grave group can be dated to stage 2 of the final Neolithic of Northern France (early Bell Beaker). During this early phase, the graves are mostly individual inhumations, which are isolated or loosely clustered, with no particular layout of the pit, nor preferential organisation in the position and orientation of the body. The grave group at Trémery clearly fits this model. The date obtained for grave 2105 is one of the earliest in the Paris Basin, 2582 – 2472 BC cal. (96% probability) or 2697 – 2455 BC cal. (94% probability). The characteristics of the grave-goods, previously observed in early Bell Beaker contexts, seem coherent with this radiocarbon date. This type of assemblage and the accumulation of arrowheads are nevertheless unusual, with few comparable examples in the region.

Densities and perceptions of jaguars in coastal Nayarit, Mexico

ABSTRACTConservation of large carnivores will require greater analyses of population parameters, habitat use, and distribution in multiuse landscapes as human populations increase and agriculture expands. We used Bayesian spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) models and completed 82 interviews in 24 localities over 4 field seasons from April 2009 to March 2013 to estimate densities and assess residents’ perceptions of jaguars (Panthera onca) in the San Blas Municipality within the southern Marismas Nacionales ecosystem in Nayarit, Mexico. Camera traps accumulated 90 detections of 9 jaguars (2 M, 5 F, and 2 individuals of unknown sex) in a 194‐km2 area during 1,575 trap‐nights from April to June 2010. We detected jaguars at 16 of the 27 camera‐trap sites and calculated a density estimate of 2.04 (SE = 0.45) individuals/100 km2 using the SECR method. This is one of the first studies to use SECR models for jaguar density estimation and 1 of only 2 studies throughout jaguar distribution to estimate population parameters of the species where human population densities reach &gt;50 people/km2. Future studies in this unique landscape should focus on jaguar status in the northern stretches of the Marismas Nacionales and research the mechanisms that may allow this large carnivore to persist in altered landscapes among human population densities greater than previously believed to be tolerable by the species. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

Noninvasive genetics provides insights into the population size and genetic diversity of an Amur tiger population in China.

Understanding population size and genetic diversity is critical for effective conservation of endangered species. The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the largest felid and a flagship species for wildlife conservation. Due to habitat loss and human activities, available habitat and population size are continuously shrinking. However, little is known about the true population size and genetic diversity of wild tiger populations in China. In this study, we collected 55 fecal samples and 1 hair sample to investigate the population size and genetic diversity of wild Amur tigers in Hunchun National Nature Reserve, Jilin Province, China. From the samples, we determined that 23 fecal samples and 1 hair sample were from 7 Amur tigers: 2 males, 4 females and 1 individual of unknown sex. Interestingly, 2 fecal samples that were presumed to be from tigers were from Amur leopards, highlighting the significant advantages of noninvasive genetics over traditional methods in studying rare and elusive animals. Analyses from this sample suggested that the genetic diversity of wild Amur tigers is much lower than that of Bengal tigers, consistent with previous findings. Furthermore, the genetic diversity of this Hunchun population in China was lower than that of the adjoining subpopulation in southwest Primorye Russia, likely due to sampling bias. Considering the small population size and relatively low genetic diversity, it is urgent to protect this endangered local subpopulation in China.

A Note on the Demographic and Health Pattern of a Historical Sleeping Sickness Cemetery at Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital, Maun, Botswana

AbstractA part of a historical cemetery used to bury victims of sleeping sickness in Maun, Botswana, was recently uncovered by a water supply improvement construction project. The cemetery had become obliterated from the surface and from the memories of the people resulting in the use of the land for residential purposes. Twelve skeletons were excavated along the water supply trench and have since been buried at one of the new village cemeteries. There were eight males, two females and two individuals of unknown sex. They were young adults ranging in age from 18 to 35 years at the time of death. Dental modifications were used to estimate the cultural identities of two individuals. Some of the remains had been buried with body clothing such as belts and necklaces. Poor dental health was most probably associated with poor nutrition and poor oral hygiene among the population. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Non-invasive baseline genetic monitoring of the endangered San Joaquin kit fox on a photovoltaic solar facility

Survival of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes Vulpes macrotis mutica is challenged by reduced and fragmented habitat resulting from anthropogenic uses. We monitored kit foxes on the 40 km2 proposed site for the Topaz Solar Farms (TSF) in San Luis Obispo County, California, which consisted of 76% agricultural fields and 24% grasslands. Prior to construction of the solar facility in December 2011, we used professionally trained dog-handler teams to conduct noninvasive genetic surveys annually from 2009 to 2011. We analyzed mtDNA to identify species, zinc finger genes for sex determination, and microsatellite loci to define individuals. We identified 45 individuals from 351 fresh scat samples (26 females, 18 males, and 1 individual of unknown sex), and recaptured 5 individuals between years. Kit foxes predominantly used the grasslands and rarely used agricultural fields. Samples from the TSF population had similar levels of genetic diversity to 2 areas less than 20 km away in the northern end of the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Capwire and LDNe estimates of population size using samples collected during annual November surveys indicated that ~33 individuals used the TSF over a 3 yr period. The relatively high population estimate, low recapture rates, and similar genetic diversity to 2 nearby locations suggest that individuals using the TSF site are part of a larger population using the surrounding landscape. Our study provided baseline data that, when coupled with future surveys, will help assess the effects on San Joaquin kit foxes of solar facility construction and habitat regeneration on agricultural lands removed from production.

Non-invasive baseline genetic monitoring of the endangered San Joaquin kit fox on a photovoltaic solar facility

Survival of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes Vulpes macrotis mutica is challenged by reduced and fragmented habitat resulting from anthropogenic uses. We monitored kit foxes on the 40 km2 proposed site for the Topaz Solar Farms (TSF) in San Luis Obispo County, California, which consisted of 76% agricultural fields and 24% grasslands. Prior to construction of the solar facility in December 2011, we used professionally trained dog-handler teams to conduct noninvasive genetic surveys annually from 2009 to 2011. We analyzed mtDNA to identify species, zinc finger genes for sex determination, and microsatellite loci to define individuals. We identified 45 individuals from 351 fresh scat samples (26 females, 18 males, and 1 individual of unknown sex), and recaptured 5 individuals between years. Kit foxes predominantly used the grasslands and rarely used agricultural fields. Samples from the TSF population had similar levels of genetic diversity to 2 areas less than 20 km away in the northern end of the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Capwire and LDNe estimates of population size using samples collected during annual November surveys indicated that ~33 individuals used the TSF over a 3 yr period. The relatively high population estimate, low recapture rates, and similar genetic diversity to 2 nearby locations suggest that individuals using the TSF site are part of a larger population using the surrounding landscape. Our study provided baseline data that, when coupled with future surveys, will help assess the effects on San Joaquin kit foxes of solar facility construction and habitat regeneration on agricultural lands removed from production.

A Collation of Recently Published Western European Formulae for Age Estimation of Subadult Skeletal Remains: Recommendations for Forensic Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology

The aim of this study is to provide an effective and quick reference guide based on the most useful European formulae recently published for subadult age estimation. All of these formulae derive from studies on postnatal growth of the scapula, innominate, femur, and tibia, based on modern skeletal data (173 ♂, 173 ♀) from five documented collections from Spain, Portugal, and Britain. The formulae were calculated from Inverse Regression. For this reason, these formulae are especially useful for modern samples from Western Europe and in particular on 20th century human remains from the Iberian Peninsula. Eleven formulae were selected as the most useful because they can be applied to individuals from within a wide age range and in individuals of unknown sex. Due to their high reliability and because they derive from documented European skeletal samples, we recommend these formulae be used on individuals of Caucasoid ancestry from Western Europe.

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) displaying beach hunting behavior in the Cananéia Estuary, Brazil: social context and conservation issues

To elaborate a fuller description of the beach hunting behavior displayed by Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in the Cananéia Estuary (CE) (25ºS, 48ºW), a photo-identification study was conducted from May 2000 to July 2003. Three land platforms were chosen at the main entrance of the above-mentioned estuary, where scientists enjoy a unique opportunity to observe dolphins at greater proximity, undisturbed. Observations were opportunistic and unevenly distributed in time and space. To enhance the identification efforts, an 80-pound crossbow was used to collect skin samples in order to determine the sex of the eight individuals thus monitored. In 67 days of surveys, rendering approximately 80h of direct observations, 4,102 photographs were taken, of which 1,098 (26.8%) were considered useful for identification purposes. A total of 103 groups were reported (3.7 ± 2.6 individuals), ranging from solitary dolphins to 15 individuals. Female-calf pairs were observed in 92.4% of all the groups investigated. On the first occasion, a calving interval was observed for the species in the CE: approximately 3 years and 9 months. Of the 40 individuals identified at least once, eleven used the sloping beaches regularly: females KN #s 10, 30, 255, 268 and 279; males KN #s 86 and 257; and four individuals of unknown sex. The characteristics of the associations among beach hunters were evaluated by the analyses of association indices. A total of 83 possible associations between dyads were analyzed using the half-weight index and two selective criteria (5+ and 8+ sightings/individual). Mean association indices varied from 0.12 to 0.16, evidencing weak bonds among beach hunters. Most regular beach hunters were females, showing that the beach hunting behavior should probably be considered more typically female. Beach hunting in the CE might be considered another example of cultural transmission in cetacean societies.

Unilateral non-osseous calcaneonavicular coalition: report of a Portuguese archeological case

Abstract This paper details an unusual morphology detected in two right foot bones, the calcaneusand navicular bone, of an adult female skeleton exhumed from the Late Roman cemetery of Miroico(Sintra, Portugal). This anomaly seems to represent a case of unilateral non-osseous calcaneonavicularcoalition. Tarsal coalitions are anatomical anomalies occasionally described in clinical and rarely in ar-cheological samples. The present case appears to be the second earliest case reported of non-osseouscalcaneonavicular coalition for European osteological samples and adds to the very few archeologicalcase descriptions available.Key words:non-osseous calcaneonavicular coalition, Late Roman, Portugal Introduction Tarsal coalitions (TCs) are rare foot anomalies consistingof the bridging between two or more tarsal bones (Ruhli etal., 2003; Solomon et al., 2007). This union can further beclassified into fibrous (syndesmosis), cartilaginous (syn-chondrosis) or osseous (synostosis) coalitions (O’Rahilly,1953; Percy and Mann, 1988; Newman and Newberg, 2000;Ruhli et al., 2003). In osteoarcheological material it is diffi-cult to establish the differences between fibrous and cartilag-inous coalition, so usually they are join in non-osseous TC(Regan et al., 1999; Silva, 2005). Although most coalitionsare congenital, due to an unif actorial autosomal dominant in-heritance pattern with high or nearly full penetrance(Plotkin, 1996; Bohne, 2001; Newman and Newberg, 2000;Scheuer and Black, 2000; Ruhli et al., 2003), they also canoccur secondary to degenerativ e joint disease, inflammatoryarthritis, trauma, tumour, inf ection, and clubfoot deformities(Percy and Mann, 1988; Bohne, 2001).Calcaneonavicular coalitions (CNC) and talocalcaneal co-alitions are the most commonly reported TCs. Other TCs,such as talonavicular, cuneocuboid, cuneometatarsal, calca-neocuboid, and cubonavicular, are much rarer. The first au-thor to recognize TCs seems to be Buffon in 1769 (www.buffon.cnrs.fr). Some years later, Cruveilhier described ana-tomically osseous unions of several foot bones (http://jubil.upmc.fr/sdx/pl/doc-tdm.xsp?id=CH_00000060_d0e60f Gaynor, 1936; Jack, 1954; Brandt,1956; Ernsting, 1956; Heikel, 1962; Wray and Herndon,1963) but descriptions of pale opathological cases, especiallynon-osseous ones, are rare.In 1950, Harris and Beath described a bilateral osseoustalocalcaneal bridge from the Hunterian Collection of thePathological Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons ofEngland. These undated specimens were first prepared byJohn Hunter and most likely came from a dissection roomcadaver (Harris and Beath, 1950). According to Allen (per-sonal communication in Leonard, 1974) these specimensdate from 1760 to 1770. Con cerning paleopathological cases,Harris (1965, p. 1662) documented a complete medial non-osseous talocalcaneal bridge in the left foot of an adult indi-vidual from the Mayan civilization from Guatemala recov-ered by the Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. Acomplete osseous right and a non osseous left talocalcanealcoalition in a pre-Columbian male adult Indian skeletonfrom Ohio were described by Heiple and Lovejoy (1969).Both findings are dated around 900–950 AD. Calder andCalder (1977) described a unilateral osseous talocalcanealcoalition in the right foot of an adult male skeleton excavat-ed from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Updown in Kent (En-gland). Anderson (1995) published a case of bilateral non-osseous cubonavicular bridging associated with bilateralmetatarsal-cuneiform III defect in an adult male (SK31) ex-humed from an Iron Age site in Kent. Another rare TC, anaviculocuneiform I coalition in the right foot (left foot wasabsent) was described in a 14–17 year old individual of un-known sex from the prehistoric site of Farm Hamilton, Lim-poro River Valley, South African (Boshoff and Steyn,2000). Case (2000) reported seven CNCs (2%) detected in asample of 343 white individuals of the Terry Collection and

Trauma and amputations in 19th century miners from Kimberley, South Africa

AbstractTrauma is the result of violent accidental or therapeutic events that cause physical or psychological injury. The frequencies and types of trauma within a population can give important information regarding their lifestyle as well as the quantity and quality of medical care available to them. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of trauma in the Gladstone sample population with regards to the presence of interpersonal violence a hazardous working environment strenuous working requirements and the availability of medical care. The individuals studied here were diamond miners from Kimberley dating to the late 19th century. A total of 107 well‐preserved skeletons were excavated from unmarked graves after accidental discovery. This sample included 86 males 15 females and 6 individuals of unknown sex. The majority of individuals (71%) were between 19 and 45 years of age. The remains were most likely those of migrant mine workers of low socioeconomic status who had passed away at the local hospitals. All bones were visually assessed for macroscopic indications of traumatic bone alterations and compared to standard palaeopathological texts and photographs. A total of 27% (n = 28) of the individuals in the sample presented with well‐healed healing or perimortem fractures. Fractures to the skull encompassed 49% (n = 20) of all the fractures that were observed. A total of six (6%) amputations were noted. Spondylolysis was observed in 7% (n = 7) of the individuals within the sample and longstanding subluxation was noted in two individuals. The high incidences of cranial fractures within this population are suggestive of high levels of interpersonal violence while long bone fractures spondylolysis and evidence of longstanding subluxations are indicative of the strenuous work requirements and the high‐risk environment to which these individuals were exposed. When considering the presence of well‐reduced fractures and healed amputations it seems that adequate medical care was available to at least some members of this community. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd.This article was published online on 17 February 2009. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected 3 November 2009.

Craniometric variability of polecat Mustela putorius L. 1758 from North-Central Italy

Craniometrical investigation was performed on 53 skulls of the polecat Mustela putorius from Northcrn and Ccntral Italy (31 males, 17 females and 5 individuals of unknown sex). Sixteen measurements were taken on each specimen. On average males were 15.2% larger than females. Masticatory apparatus exhibited the most significant sex dimorphism. Skull size (PCI) greatly contributed to differentiate sexes explaining 80.46% of thc total variancc. Thc rcsults arc discusscd in relation to the existing theories on sexual dimorphism in mustelids. A discriminant function which used only two skull measurements allowed a 100% of correct sex classification. A comparison among Italian and European populations across the entire Palearctic range of the species, provided an overall view of the pattern of geographic variation.

Reproduction in the toad Colostethus trinitatus (Anura: Dendrobatidae) in a northern Venezuela seasonal environment

ABSTRACTVarious aspects of the reproductive biology of a montane population of Colostethus trinitatus were quantified during the transition from a prolonged dry season to a wet season with abnormally low rainfall. One-third to three-quarters of the females collected in the dry period (March to June) had mature ovarian follicles. The proportion of ovigerous females did not increase in July or August when the number of rainy days was greater. However, breed-ing and egg laying were only observed in the latter season. The principal environmental change that stimulated oviposition was frequent daily rain which increased humidity in the terrestrial nest sites.Pair formation, nests, and males carrying larvae are reliable criteria that indicate the breeding period of Colostethus trinitatus. The average number of mature ovules (&gt;2 mm) was greater in the wet season (=13.1) than during the dry months (= 11.3). Female standard length and the number of yolked follicles was positively correlated. Five nests contained an average of 13.6 eggs, and males carried only slightly fewer larvae (= 11.5). One female and one individual of unknown sex were found with eggs at two different nests. Five nests were unattended.