Abstract
According to the specimens of ulna-radius of the Cape Hare (Lepus capensie) shot in fall and winter in Shanxi province, China, the ossifications of epiphyses cartilage of ulna-radius are divided into 4 stages. With weight of eye lens as a reference, it is proved that the age criterion could be used to distinguish young less than 6–7 months old from those older. This is a pragmatic method to analyze age composition of game-bag in the early period of shooting season when younger holds a large proportion in the hare population. It also is useful in judging the age of hares trapped and estimating the effects of predation on the hare population structure.
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Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shanxi Province
Lu Xin: born in 1963. PhD
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Xin, L. Determining the age of the Cape Hare (Lepus capensis) by the ossification features of epiphyses cartilage of ulna-radius. Wuhan Univ. J. Nat. Sci. 3, 481–484 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02830056
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02830056