engleski

Some histological characteristics of the Fat Dormice incisors in the Gorski Kotar area (Croatia)

The fat dormouse (Glis glis) is an indigenous game species of Croatia, especially in the area called Gorski Kotar. Morphological and histological characteristics of teeth are determined by both genetic and functional factors but investigations of dormice teeth are extremely rare in the recent literature. Thirty dormice, collected from May to the end of October 2001, in the areas known as Mrkopalj and Delnice, both in the Gorski Kotar, were used to examine some physical and histological characteristics of the incisors. Jaws were separated from the skull, marked and stored in formalin, and then embedded in methylmetachrylat. We then made thin slices on which we measured histological characteristics of the enamel and dentine. The enamel of the incisors is built up in two layers. The basis of the enamel structure is enamel prisms, which differ in their course, direction and inclination, thus giving a striped appearance (diazone and parazone). Our results indicate that the enamel is thicker in the lower than in the upper incisors of these dormice. In the upper incisors the enamel is thickest in the medial layer of the crown, while in the lower incisors it is thickest in the cervical portion of the crown. The results of this study point to some statistically important values in comparison to statements in the literature.

fat dormouse; incisor; enamel

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