Sex and Age Indications from Upper Canine Teeth of Elk (Wapiti)
Greer KR and Yeager HW. 1967. Sex and Age Indications from Upper Canine Teeth of Elk (Wapiti). The Journal of Wildlife Management. 31(3):408-417
Permanent upper canine teeth of elk differ morphologically according to sex. Canine eruption, development, and attrition are similar for each sex and are associated with age. Studies conducted during all seasons of the year in the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd provided 580 pairs of upper canine teeth with respective lower jaws. Canine teeth were assembled on a reference board by sex and by year-class as indicated by replacement and wear patterns of cheek teeth of lower jaws. When paired canine teeth were assigned ages from the reference board and then compared with ages as determined from the corresponding jaws, calves, yearlings, and 2-year-olds were readily recognizable. Canine-assigned ages agreed with jaw-assigned ages 96 percent of the time for two older age-groups: 3-7 years and 8 years and older. Trials with students, to whom variations between teeth on a reference board were described, indicated the simplicity and accuracy of this method.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Greer, Kenneth; Yeager, Harley
- Units
- GLAC , YELL
- Keywords
- Age Distribution, Animal Studies, Elk(Cervus elaphus), Mammals, Sex, Teeth