Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of whether morphometric analysis of vertebrae in the domestic cat (Felis catus) is related to sex or skull shape

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Anatomical Science International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In many mammals, gender and skull shape are related to the bone morphology of the entire body; however, this has not been well established in the domestic cat (Felis catus). This study aims to find a relationship between cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae morphometrics with regard to the sex and skull shape of domestic cats. A total of 79 samples obtained from 92 dried bones of domestic cats were used to determine morphometric measurements for a total of 29 parameters. Hierarchical clustering was used to cluster the vertebral bones found in three groups: C3-T1, T2-T11 and T12-L7. The skull shape identification process employed discriminative analysis and revealed the highest training data accuracy rate at up to 86.20% in T4 followed by L1 (86.04%) Axis (85.71%) and C5 (85.18%). Sex identification employed discriminative analysis and displayed the highest training data accuracy rate at up to 75.58% in L1 followed by, T7 (71.87%) and C6 (71.79%). Moreover, we found that 14% of the samples had one vertebra missing (T13 or L1). In conclusion, domestic cat vertebral morphometrics were found to be more related to skull shape than gender. In addition, bone clustering employed morphometric data and yielded a result that was similar to that of traditional cluster analysis involving body regions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albanese J, Cardoso HFV, Saunders SR (2005) Universal methodology for developing univariate sample-specific sex determination methods: an example using the epicondylar breadth of the humerus. J Archaeol 32:143–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Alpak H, Mutus R, Onar V (2004) Correlation analysis of the skull and long bone measurements of the dog. Ann Anat 186:323–330

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bali MS, Lang J, Jaggy A, Spreng D, Doherr MG, Forterre F (2009) Comparative study of vertebral fractures and luxations in dogs and cats. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 22:47–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bastir M, Higuero A, Rios L, Garcia Martinez D (2014) Three-dimensional analysis of sexual dimorphism in human thoracic vertebrae: implications for the respiratory system and spine morphology. Am J Phys Anthropol 155:513–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgart M, Wiśniewski M, Grzonkowska M, Małkowski B, Badura M, Szpinda M (2016) Morphometric study of the neural ossification centers of the atlas and axis in the human fetus. Surg Radiol Anat 38:1205–1215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogduk N (2016) Functional anatomy of the spine. Handb Clin Neurol 136:675–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boonsri B, Pitakarnnop T, Buddhachat K, Changtor P, Nganvongpanit K (2019) Can feline (Felis catus) flat and long bone morphometry predict sex or skull shape? Anat Sci Int 94:245–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chmielowiec K, Tatara M, Krupski W, Luszczewska S, Bienko M, Szabelska A, Jakubczak A, Kostro K (2014) Sex-related differences of morphometric and densitometric properties of lumbar vertebrae in silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Bone Abstract 3:44

    Google Scholar 

  • Dibennardo R, Taylor JV (1983) Multiple discriminant function analysis of sex and race in the postcranial skeleton. Am J Phys Anthropol 61:305–314

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gama I, Navega D, Cunha E (2015) Sex estimation using the second cervical vertebra: a morphometric analysis in a documented Portuguese skeletal sample. Int J Legal Med 129:365–372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hecht S, Huerta MM, Reed RB (2014) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) spinal cord and canal measurements in normal dogs. Anat Histol Embryol 43:36–41

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ianuzzi A, Pickar JG, Khalsa PS (2009) Determination of torque-limits for human and cat lumbar spine specimens during displacement-controlled physiological motions. Spine J 9:77–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffery ND (2010) Vertebral fracture and luxation in small animals. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 40:809–828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaeswaren Y, Hackman L (2019) Sexual dimorphism in the cervical vertebrae and its potential for sex estimation of human skeletal remains in a white scottish population. Forensic Sci Int 1:100023

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishan K, Chatterjee PM, Kanchan T, Kaur S, Baryah N, Singh RK (2016) A review of sex estimation techniques during examination of skeletal remains in forensic anthropology casework. Forensic Sci Int 261:165.e161–165.e168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macpherson JM, Ye Y (1998) The cat vertebral column: stance configuration and range of motion. Exp Brain Res 119:324–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marino EA (1995) Sex estimation using the first cervical vertebra. Am J Phys Anthropol 97:127–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Meseke CA, Duray SM, Brillon SR (2008) Principal components analysis of the atlas vertebra. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 31:212–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro CL, Campos AI, Madeira VL, Silva HV, Freire LM, Pinto JN, de Souza LP, da Silva LD (2013) Pelvic differences between brachycephalic and mesaticephalic cats and indirect pelvimetry assessment. Vet Rec 172:16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narita Y, Kuratani S (2005) Evolution of the vertebral formulae in mammals: a perspective on developmental constraints. J Exp Zool B Mol Dev Evol 304:91–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nganvongpanit K, Pitakarnnop T, Buddhachat K, Phatsara M (2017) Gender-related differences in pelvic morphometrics of the Retriever dog breed. Anat Histol Embryol 46:51–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pitakarnnop T, Buddhachat K, Euppayo T, Kriangwanich W, Nganvongpanit K (2017) Feline (Felis catus) skull and pelvic morphology and morphometry: gender-related difference? Anat Histol Embryol 46:294–303

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Premchandran D, Saralaya VV, Mahale A (2014) Predicting lumbar central canal stenosis—a magnetic resonance imaging study. J Clin Diagn Res 8:RC01–RC04

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Randau M, Goswami A (2017) Morphological modularity in the vertebral column of Felidae (Mammalia, Carnivora). BMC Evol Biol 17:133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randau M, Goswami A, Hutchinson JR, Cuff AR, Pierce SE (2016) Cryptic complexity in felid vertebral evolution: shape differentiation and allometry of the axial skeleton. Zool J Linn Soc 178:183–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wescott DJ (2000) Sex variation in the second cervical vertebra. J Forensic Sci 45:462–466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wessels NK, Center EM (1992) Vertebrates. Jones & Bartlett Learning LLC, Burlington

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University for providing the research grant. We would like to acknowledge the provision of specimens by the Veterinary Anatomy and Pathology Museum, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand

    Burin Boonsri & Korakot Nganvongpanit

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand

    Kittisak Buddhachat

  3. Excellence Center in Veterinary Bioscience, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Kittisak Buddhachat & Korakot Nganvongpanit

  4. Department of Food Animal Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand

    Veerasak Punyapornwithaya

  5. Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand

    Manussabhorn Phatsara

Authors
  1. Burin Boonsri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kittisak Buddhachat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Veerasak Punyapornwithaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Manussabhorn Phatsara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Korakot Nganvongpanit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

B.B. and K.N. conceived of and designed the experiments; B.B. performed the experiments, analyzed the results and prepared figures and tables. K.B. and V.P. offered advice on statistical analysis. M.P. provided advice on bone measurements. All authors have read and approved of the final version of this manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Korakot Nganvongpanit.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they no conflict interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Boonsri, B., Buddhachat, K., Punyapornwithaya, V. et al. Determination of whether morphometric analysis of vertebrae in the domestic cat (Felis catus) is related to sex or skull shape. Anat Sci Int 95, 387–398 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00533-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-020-00533-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation