Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)

 This work describes the skull development in males and females of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) examined in 87 specimens collected in the Gulf of California between 1982 and 1991. Forty-three measurements, nine qualitative characters and the number of upper-canine-...

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Main Authors: MJ Vázquez-Cuevas, A Aguayo-Lobo, L Medrano-González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California 2000-03-01
Series:Ciencias Marinas
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/566
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author MJ Vázquez-Cuevas
A Aguayo-Lobo
L Medrano-González
author_facet MJ Vázquez-Cuevas
A Aguayo-Lobo
L Medrano-González
author_sort MJ Vázquez-Cuevas
collection DOAJ
description  This work describes the skull development in males and females of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) examined in 87 specimens collected in the Gulf of California between 1982 and 1991. Forty-three measurements, nine qualitative characters and the number of upper-canine-tooth dentine layers, in addition to the natal layer, were recorded. Growth parameters were calculated with the von Bertalanffy equation and Cartesian distortions were used to schematize the skull development. To simplify the description of development, the skull was divided into the following parts: (1) braincase, (2) auditive apparatus, (3) masticatory apparatus and (4) nasal apparatus. Males with zero tooth dentine layers have skulls slightly smaller than those of females but they grow faster. Male skulls grow larger than those of females but the older males in the sample examined seem to have bone reduction. The most frontal ridge and sagittal crest are structures with evident asymmetry. Sexual dimorphism may be recognized in the skull proportions since birth. The female skulls grow fairly uniform I time, as well as in length and width. In the males, the skull grows more in length after birth and more in width thereafter. This heterogeneity is more marked in the masticatory apparatus. The capacity of bone remodeling in the different parts is not related to their degree of sexual dimorphism. The variation in the sample examined shows the need to study skulls developoment in relation to geographic and environmental variations, as well as in relation to the habits of the animals throughout their life.
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spelling doaj.art-95a14292329a42ee90c978834072f5e72024-03-04T16:42:40ZengUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaCiencias Marinas0185-38802395-90532000-03-0126110.7773/cm.v26i1.566Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)MJ Vázquez-Cuevas0A Aguayo-Lobo1L Medrano-González2Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de México  This work describes the skull development in males and females of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) examined in 87 specimens collected in the Gulf of California between 1982 and 1991. Forty-three measurements, nine qualitative characters and the number of upper-canine-tooth dentine layers, in addition to the natal layer, were recorded. Growth parameters were calculated with the von Bertalanffy equation and Cartesian distortions were used to schematize the skull development. To simplify the description of development, the skull was divided into the following parts: (1) braincase, (2) auditive apparatus, (3) masticatory apparatus and (4) nasal apparatus. Males with zero tooth dentine layers have skulls slightly smaller than those of females but they grow faster. Male skulls grow larger than those of females but the older males in the sample examined seem to have bone reduction. The most frontal ridge and sagittal crest are structures with evident asymmetry. Sexual dimorphism may be recognized in the skull proportions since birth. The female skulls grow fairly uniform I time, as well as in length and width. In the males, the skull grows more in length after birth and more in width thereafter. This heterogeneity is more marked in the masticatory apparatus. The capacity of bone remodeling in the different parts is not related to their degree of sexual dimorphism. The variation in the sample examined shows the need to study skulls developoment in relation to geographic and environmental variations, as well as in relation to the habits of the animals throughout their life. http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/566California sea lionsexual dimorphismskull developmentCartesian distortiosgrowth models
spellingShingle MJ Vázquez-Cuevas
A Aguayo-Lobo
L Medrano-González
Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
Ciencias Marinas
California sea lion
sexual dimorphism
skull development
Cartesian distortios
growth models
title Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
title_full Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
title_fullStr Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
title_full_unstemmed Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
title_short Skull development of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus)
title_sort skull development of the california sea lion zalophus californianus californianus
topic California sea lion
sexual dimorphism
skull development
Cartesian distortios
growth models
url http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/566
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