Species Identification Key of Korean Mammal Hair

[摘要] References(21)The hair microstructures of Korean terrestrial mammals from 23 species (22 wildand one domestic) were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) toconstruct a hair identification key. The hairs were examined using the medulla structuresand cuticular scales of guard hairs from the dorsal regions of mature adult animals. Allcuticular scale structures in the hair of Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Carnivora and Insectivorashowed the petal pattern, and those of Artiodactyla and Chiroptera showed the wave patternand coronal pattern, respectively. Rodentia, Lagomorpha and Carnivora showedmulticellular, and Insectivora and Artiodactyla showed unicellular regular, mesh orcolumnar in the medulla structures, respectively. Chiroptera did not show the medullastructures in their hair. We found that it is possible to distinguish between species andorder based on general appearance, medulla structures and cuticular scales. Thus, weconstructed a hair identification key with morphological characteristics from eachspecies. This study suggests that hair identification keys could be useful in fields, suchas forensic science, food safety and foraging ecology.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] cuticular scale;hair identification key;mammalian hair microstructure;medulla structures