The importance of shape analysis of the first upper molar in the separation of two subspecies of the Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Northern Anatolia

Authors

GÜLİZ YAVUZ
HATİCE MUTLU EYİSON
ERKUT KIVANÇ
ENGİN SELVİ
NURİ YİĞİT
ERCÜMENT ÇOLAK

DOI

10.55730/1300-0179.3130

Abstract

Morphological features are important for intraspecific and interspecific variation. Teeth are important taxonomical characteristics because they can differ according to diet. Shape analysis of the first upper molar (M1) was used to determine geographical variations and effects of ecological changes on the population structure of Hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) living in Turkey. Both outline and landmark analysis, as well as a canonical variates analysis, showed significant differences in teeth shape between populations. With this technique, we separated out two subspecies: M. a. trapezius and M. a. abanticus.

Keywords

Anatolia, Fourier analysis, geometric morphometrics, hazel dormouse, Muscardinus avellanarius

First Page

182

Last Page

190

Recommended Citation

YAVUZ, GÜLİZ; EYİSON, HATİCE MUTLU; KIVANÇ, ERKUT; SELVİ, ENGİN; YİĞİT, NURİ; and ÇOLAK, ERCÜMENT (2023) "The importance of shape analysis of the first upper molar in the separation of two subspecies of the Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius (Linnaeus, 1758)) in Northern Anatolia," Turkish Journal of Zoology: Vol. 47: No. 3, Article 7. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0179.3130
Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/vol47/iss3/7