Comparative characteristics of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi) and finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and sheep (Ovis aries) in order to determine animal species

Abstract

The method of determining which animal species the bones, on the basis of morphological characteristics, belong to, is one of the most commonly used in forensic cases (poaching, fraud, theft, counterfeiting of food of animal origin). For identification of metacarpal bones (Ossa metacarpi) as well as finger articles (Ossa digitorum pedis seu phalanges digitorum) there were used distal parts of front limb bones, taken from 6 roe deers and 7 sheep. After the separation from the soft tissues, the bones were boiled in an autoclave, and for bleaching and degreasing they were kept in 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The bones were air dried, and then photographed. In roe deer, there are four developed metacarpal bones: the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth. The third and the fourth mrtacarpal bones form one bone, named the main metacarpal bone. The second and the fifth metacarpal bones are connected by connective tissue to distal parts of the third and the fourth metacarpal bones. In sheep, there are three developed metacarpal bones: the third, the fourth and the fifth. The third and the fourth metacarpal bones are, as in roe deer, grown together along the entire length, forming in that way one single bone - the main metacarpal bone. On the distal part of front limb in roe deer there are four fingers, and in sheep two. In roe deer the second, the third, the fourth and the fifth finger are developed, and in sheep, the third and the fourth. Each finger of front limbs, both in roe deer and in sheep, consists of three articles: Phalanx proximalis, Phalanx media i Phalanx distalis. In the case of certain bone missing, a roe deer can be distinguished from a sheep on the basis of the third article of the third and fourth finger, which is of characteristic appearance. Plantar edge in roe deer is peaked, and in sheep it is blunt. The method of determining which animal species the bones, on the basis of morphological characteristics of roe deer and sheep, belong to, is one of the most reliable and most commonly used in forensic cases.

Metoda određivanja pripadnosti kostiju određenoj životinjskoj vrsti na osnovu morfoloških karakteristika je jedna od najčešće korišćenih u forenzičkim slučajevima (krivolov, prevare, krađe, falsifikovanje namirnica animalnog porekla). Za ispitivanje metakarpalnih kostiju (Ossa metacarpi) i članaka prstiju (Ossa digitorum manus seu phalanges digitorum) upotrebljene su kosti distalnog dela prednjeg ekstremiteta, od 6 srna i 7 ovaca. Posle odvajanja od mekih tkiva, kosti su kuvane u autoklavu. Posle kuvanja, radi beljenja i odmašćivanja kosti su stavljene u 3% rastvor vodonik peroksida (H2O2). Kosti su sušene prirodnim putem na vazduhu, a zatim su fotografisane. U srne su razvijene četiri metakarpalne kosti : druga, treća, četvrta i peta. Treća i četvrta metakarpalna kost čine jednu kost, koja se zove glavna metakarpalna kost. Druga i peta metakarpalna kost su spojene vezivnim tkivom za distalne delove treće i četvrte metakarpalne kosti. U ovce su razvijene tri metakarpalne kosti : treća, četvrta i peta. Treća i četvrta metakarpalna kost su celom dužinom međusobno srasle kao kod srne, stvarajući tako jednu kost - glavnu metakarpalnu kost. Na distalnom delu prednjeg ekstremiteta u srne postoje četiri prsta, a u ovce dva prsta. U srne su razvijeni drugi, treći, četvrti i peti prst, a u ovce treći i četvrti. Svaki prst prednjeg ekstremiteta u srne i ovce se sastoji iz tri članka: Phalanx proximalis, Phalanx media i Phalanx distalis. U slučaju da pojedine kosti distalnog dela prednjeg ekstremiteta u srne i ovce nedostaju, tada se na osnovu trećeg članka, trećeg i četvrtog prsta, koji je karakterističnog izgleda može razlikovati srna od ovce. Tabanski rub u srne je zašiljen, a u ovce zatupast. Processus extensorius u srne je zašiljen, dok je u ovce zatupast. Metoda određivanja pripadnosti kostiju određenoj vrsti na osnovu morfoloških karakteristika kostiju srne i ovce je jedna od najsigurnijih i najčešće korišćenih u forenzičkim slučajevima.