Kraniometrische Variabilität der Wildkatze (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) im Harzgebiet im Vergleich zu anderen Populationen

Abstract

Stefen, C., Heidecke, D.: Craniometric variability of European wildcats (Felis silvestris Schreber,1777) in the Harz Mountains and comparison to other populations. - Hercynia N.F. 44: 253 – 285.The craniometric variability of wildcats from the Harz Mountains in Germany is described for the firsttime on the basis of a sample from the zoological collection at the University Halle-Wittenberg. 59 linearmeasurements, 8 parameters derived from them, the body measurements, and 12 qualitative characterswere used. Differences to domestic cats from Eastern Germany are given and discussed in comparisonto differences between wildcats and domestic cats in the Carpathians.The wildcats and domestic cats studied here differ significantly in 36 cranial measurements, 7 of thederived parameters, and four body measurements. The wildcats are larger than the domestic cats. In thepresent study the coefficient of difference is ≥ 1.0 for cranial volume, cranial index, intestine length, intestineindex, length of M1, length of P3 and distance between foramen ovale and foramen lacerum. Thevariables width of nasal, height and width of nasal cavity, cranial height, width across maxillar bone atcanines, distance between upper canines, rostrum breadth, distance of anterior rim of lateral depressionof palatine to anterior rim of bulla, length of bulla, width of P4 and length of P2-P4 do not differ significantlybetween wildcats and domestic cats.The data from the wildcats in the Harz are very similar to comparable data from the literature for wildcatsfrom Thuringia and also to those from the Carpathians. Wildcats from the Carpathians, however,show larger ranges and a higher variability in several variables. Especially the higher values for cranialvolumes are difficult to explain. The wildcats from the Carpathians could be slightly larger or showslightly different proportions in the skull, but the little comparable data do not allow reasoning in this direction.It is possible that the sample from the Harz does not include enough very old specimens, whichmight shift the ranges to higher values for some variables. But this is not enough to explain the largedifference in cranial volume. Thus due to the isolation of the Harz wildcat population interbreeding withdomestic cats and introgression of domestic cat characters have to be considered.The sexual dimorphism of wildcats and domestic cats is well supported.Key words: skull morphology, linear measurements, qualitative characters, domestic cats, sexual dimorphism,discriminate analysis, Carpathians