This study was carried out to determine the shape of the fox skull by the geometric morphometric method according to gender. For this purpose, four female and nine male fox skulls were used. The skulls were photographed from the dorsal and lateral aspects. Eleven homologous landmarks on the dorsal aspect and 19 homologous landmarks on the lateral aspect were marked on the photographs of the skull. Principal component analysis and Relative warp analysis were performed on the coordinate values of the images. In addition, MorphoJ software was used to determine the shape differences and directions of the landmarks. According to principal component analysis, male and female individuals were mainly concentrated to the y axis’s right on lateral images, and female and male individuals were not concentrated in one region on dorsal images. Therefore, according to the principal component analysis, no significant gender difference was found. The consensus graph determined that the oral edge of the incisive tooth and the cranial edge of the canine tooth in females were ventrally directed compared to males. It is thought that the findings obtained as a result of the study will contribute to zooarchaeological and taxonomic research.

In this study, the structure of the papillae in the tongue of Morkaraman sheep was investigated by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology and topographic distribution of the lingual papillae of the tongues of Morkaraman sheep breed. Adult male Morkaraman sheep tongues were used in the study. Tongue samples for light and scanning electron microscopy were taken from the apex, corpus, radix and torus lingua regions of the upper surface of the tongue and the lower surface of the tongue tip. Two types of taste papillae, papillae fungiformis and vallata, were observed on the tongue. Papillae fungiformis were found under the tip of the tongue, on the upper surface and sides of the tip and body of the tongue and on torus lingua. Papillae vallata were observed on both posterior sides of the torus lingua of the tongue. SEM examination showed that the surface of the papillae was smooth and there were no taste pores opening to the surface. On LM examination, filiform papillae at the lingual apex were common in materials. These papillae had secondary keratin extensions on the main body. The light and scanning electron microscopic structures of the taste papillae on the tongue of Morkaraman sheep were examined and their similarities and differences with other ruminant species were determined.

Background: The ossicula auditus is the structure that transmits vibrations from the tympanic cavity to the auris interna. This assembly is formed by three ossicles: the malleus, incus and stapes. In addition, the bone that exists as os lenticulare in humans exists as processus lenticulare in most mammals.Objective: To our knowledge, no in‐depth study has been published on the ossicula auditus of gazelles. This study aims to provide a comparative study of the morphology of the auditory ossicles in sheep, goats and gazelles.Methods: Ossicula auditus from six adult Awassi sheep, six hair goats and six gazelles was examined and photographed under a stereomicroscope.Results and conclusion: It was determined that the ossicula auditus of gazelle, hair goat and Awassi sheep consisted of malleus, incus and stapes. In the species examined, it was observed that the articular surface on the caput mallei, the malleus protrusions and the distal part of the manubrium mallei differed between species. It was determined that the incus bone consists of a body and two crus. As an important morphological difference, the proc. lenticulare was found to be on the crus breve in all three species. It was determined that the stapes bone was quadrangular in the species examined, especially in goats, but this quadrangular shape, which is specific to ruminants, was not fully formed in other species. As a result, it was determined that the ossicula auditus of gazelle, hair goat and Awassi sheep showed morphologically different characteristics.