Comparative skull morphology between the native cat “colocolo” and the domestic cat, based on samples deposited in scientific collections
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54830/bmnhn.v74.n1.2025.966Keywords:
cats, Felidae, Felis catus, Leopardus colocola, skull, morphologyAbstract
In this study we compared the skull morphology between the colocolo cat (Leopardus colocola) and the domestic cat (Felis catus) based on samples deposited in scientific collections. We observed cranial and mandibular differences between both species that can be identified relatively easy to naked eye. These differences were related to the shape of the posterior edge of the palate, the shape of the presphenoid bone, the dental formula and the relative position of mental foramen in the mandible.
Downloads
References
BERKOVITZ, B. AND P. SHELLIS. 2018. The teeth of mammalian vertebrates. Academic Press Elsevier Inc. London, UK.
CASTRO-PASTENE, C.A., R.A. VILLALOBOS AGUIRRE, N. LAGOS SILVA, C.F. SEPÚLVEDA CABRERA, D. CROSS OSSA, N. VALENZUELA-AEDO, B.T. SEGURA SILVA, A. IRIARTE WALTON, F.A. HERNÁNDEZ MUÑOZ AND M.R. SOTO-GAMBOA. 2023. Assessment of the current distribution of the colocolo cat Leopardus colocola, (Molina 1782) in Chile and its implications in the taxonomy of the species. Mastozoología Neotropical 30:e0853. DOI: 10.31687/saremMN.23.30.1.04.e0853
DEBLASE, A.F. AND R.E. MARTIN. 1974. A manual of mammalogy with keys to families of the world. 2 edition. Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers. Dubuque, EE.UU.
ELBROCH, M. 2006. Animal skulls: a guide to North American species. 1 edition, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, EE.UU.
FELDHAMER, G.A., J.F. MERRITT, C. KRAJEWSKI, J.L. RACHLOW AND K.M. STEWART. 2020.
Mammalogy: adaptation, diversity, ecology. 5 edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, EE.UU.
GARCÍA-PEREA, R. 1994. The Pampas cat group (Genus Lynchailurus Severtzov, 1858) (Carnivora: Felidae), a systematic and biogeographic review. American Museum Novitates 3096:1–36. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2246/4992
GUZMÁN MARÍN, B.C., J.C. HERNÁNDEZ-HERNÁNDEZ, N.S. OLMOS DE AGUILERA, P.A. MUÑOZ PEÑA AND M. KAISER. 2022. Felino pequeño, ciudad grande: Leopardus colocola (Carnivora: Felidae) en la región Metropolitana de Santiago de Chile y amenazas para su conservación. Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Chile 71:13–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54830/bmnhn.v71.n1.2022.210
LOMBARDERO, M., D. ALONSO-PEÑARANDO AND M.M. YLLERA. 2021. The cat mandible (I): anatomical basis to avoid iatrogenic damage in veterinary clinical practice. Animals 11: 405. DOI: 10.3390/ani11020405
LÓPEZ-JARA, M.J., I. SACRISTÁN., A.A. FARÍAS., F. MARON-PÉREZ., F. ACUÑA., E. AGUILAR., S. GARCÍA., P. CONTRERAS., E.A. SILVA-RODRÍGUEZ AND C. NAPOLITANO. 2021. Free-roaming domestic cats near conservation areas in Chile: spatial movements, human care and risks for wildlife. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation 19:387–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2021.02.001
MALDONADO ARAVENA, P. AND R.I. DÍAZ-VEGA. 2019. El indiscutible impacto de los gatos no supervisados. La Chiricoca 28:117–124
NASCIMENTO, F.O.D., J. CHENG AND A. FEIJÓ. 2021. Taxonomic revision of the pampas cat Leopardus colocola complex (Carnivora: Felidae): an integrative approach. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 191:575¬¬–611. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa043
SALDIVIA PAREDES, M., M. DELGADO GUTIÉRREZ, A. DROPPELMANN DELGADO, M. BALLESTEROS, M. REYES AND V. SANDOVAL. 2020. Descripción anatómica del cráneo del gato. Revista de Medicina Veterinaria 40:17–34. DOI: 10.19052/mv.vol1.iss40.3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Alejandro Valladares Gómez, R. Eduardo Palma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
