Vertebral Formula in Red-Crowned Crane (Grusjaponensis) and Hooded Crane (Grusmonacha)

[摘要] References(29)Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis) are distributedseparately in the east Eurasian Continent (continental population) and in Hokkaido, Japan(island population). The island population is sedentary in eastern Hokkaido and hasincreased from a very small number of cranes to over 1,300, thus giving rise to theproblem of poor genetic diversity. While, Hooded cranes (Grus monacha),which migrate from the east Eurasian Continent and winter mainly in Izumi, KagoshimaPrefecture, Japan, are about eight-time larger than the island population of Red-crownedcranes. We collected whole bodies of these two species, found dead or moribund in easternHokkaido and in Izumi, and observed skeletons with focus on vertebral formula. Numbers ofcervical vertebrae (Cs), thoracic vertebrae (Ts), vertebrae composing the synsacrum (Sa)and free coccygeal vertebrae (free Cos) in 22 Red-crowned cranes were 17 or 18, 9�?11, 13or 14 and 7 or 8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 47, 48 or 49, and thevertebral formula was divided into three types including 9 sub-types. Numbers of Cs, Ts,vertebrae composing the Sa and free Cos in 25 Hooded cranes were 17 or 18, 9 or 10, 12�?14and 6�?8, respectively. Total number of vertebrae was 46, 47, 48 or 49, and the vertebralformula was divided into four types including 14 sub-types. Our findings clearly showedvarious numerical vertebral patterns in both crane species; however, these variations inthe vertebral formula may be unrelated to the genetic diversity.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] cranes;vertebrae;wild animals