Hi
variation in the number of vertebrae, most commonly lower thoracic or
lumbar occurs in all mammals. There is evidence of a genetic
predilection which may translate to breeds (i.e. Arab horses are generally
considered to have one less vert - but I haven't seen the evidence for
this).
Pamela J Cross
PhD researcher, Bioarchaeology
Horses of Men &
Gods project (AHRC, NT & MoL)
Archaeological Sciences, University of
Bradford, BD7 1DP UK
p.j.cross (at) student.bradford.ac.uk / pajx (at)
aol.com
http://www.barc.brad.ac.uk/resstud_Cross.php
http://bradford.academia.edu/PamCross
Below are some ref's which may be of
interest:
DAVIS, S. J. M.; 2000; The Effect of Castration and Age on the Development
of the Shetland Sheep Skeleton and a Metric Comparison Between Bones of Males,
Females and Castrates; Journal of Archaeological Science; 27(5):
373-390.
DYCE, K., SACK, W. & WENSING, C. 2009. - Textbook of Veterinary
Anatomy. Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis.
GREENFIELD, H. J. & ARNOLD, E. R.; 2008; Absolute age and tooth
eruption and wear sequences in sheep and goat: determining age-at-death in
zooarchaeology using a modern control sample; Journal of Archaeological Science;
35(4): 836-849.
NODDLE, B.; 1974; Ages of epiphyseal closure in feral and domestic goats
and ages of dental eruption; Journal of Archaeological Science; 1(2):
195-204.
POPKIN, P. R. W., BAKER, P., WORLEY, F., PAYNE, S. & HAMMON, A.; 2012;
The Sheep Project (1): determining skeletal growth, timing of epiphyseal fusion
and morphometric variation in unimproved Shetland sheep of known age, sex,
castration status and nutrition; Journal of Archaeological Science; 39(6):
1775-1792.
PRUMMEL, W. & FRISCH, H.-J.; 1986; A guide to the distinction of
species, sex and body side in bones of sheep and goats; Journal of
Archaeological Science; 13: 567–578.
ZEDER, M. A. 2006. - 6. Reconciling Rates of Long Bone Fusion and Tooth
Eruption and Wear in Sheep (Ovis) and Goat (Capra), in D. Ruscillo (ed) Recent
advances in ageing and sexing animal bones. Proceedings of the 9th Conference of
the International Council of Archaeozoology. Oxbow, Oxford: 87-118.
Hello
Zooarchers,
Could you help me out? I have three questions regarding
sheep:
- Is there a reference for reconstructing size of sheep from other
bones
than metacapals/matatarsals? I have a series of sub-complete
skeletons for
which only the head and lower limbs are missing (cut off
under the
carpals/tarsals)...
- Does any one know how long have polled
breeds (both male and female)
existed?
- Apparently, sheep can have
either 6 or 7 lumbar vertebrae. Is that
breed-related? Does any one have
any information on the chronologic
evolution of this
caracteristic?
Thanks in advance for your help!
All the
best,
Annelise
