Basic Craniometric Measurements in Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the Region of Sirnena Sredna Gora Mountains

T. DIMOVA¹, E. RAICHEV² and R. DIMITROV¹

¹ Thracian University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embriology, BG-6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
² Thracian University, Agrarian Faculty, Department of Small Animal Sciences, BG-6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Abstract

DIMOVA, T., E. RAICHEVand R. DIMITROV, 2000. Basic craniometric measurements in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from the region of Sirnena Sredna Gora mountains. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 6: 599-604

Studies were carried out with 135 skulls of wild red foxes inhabited the region of the Sirnena Sredna Gora mountains. Aim of the research was the age- and sex-relation of 11 basic craniometric measurements. Strongly expressed sexual dimorphism was found out in animals of 1 – 2 years of age. Sexual differences were less expressed in animals younger than 1 year and older than 3 years of age when skulls were unimorphous. There was correlation between sex and the zygomatic width. The craniometric measurements studied depend much more on sex than on age.

Key words: red fox, cranial measurements, sex– and age-dependent dimorphism