| Summary: | The first cervical vertebra, the atlas, connects the skull to the body and plays a crucial role
in supporting the skull and holds a distinct position within the atlanto-axial complex.
In this study was aimed to examine the shape variation of the atlas in cats and to reveal
shape changes related to variation in size via geometric morphometry. A total of 61 (31
mix-breed cats, 30 Tekir cats) cats were used. Shape differences were examined both for
mix-breed cats and Tekir cats and between sexes. However, it was seen that the shape
difference between species (P:0.1644) and between sexes (P:0.4801) was insignificant
according to the discriminant function results. The average shape and shape variations
of the atlas were obtained for all samples. A total of 52 principal components were
obtained. PC1 explained 28.39% of the total variation. Tekir cats showed more shape
variation than mix-breed cats for results of PC1 and PC2. Mix-breed cats had a larger ala
atlantis than Tekir cats as shape. Incisura alaris were deeper in shape in mix-breed cats.
Foramen vertebrale laterale of the male was more medial in shape than female. It was
performed a multivariate regression of the procrustes coordinates as shape variables on
the log-transformed centroid size values as a size variable to analyze the allometry of atlas
for all samples. However, allometry results were statistically insignificant (P:0.3579). In
this study, encompassing breed and sex comparisons in cats, will serve as a pioneering
effort in future atlas research, offering substantial data concerning cat atlas bones.
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