KRANIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TURKMENIAN KULAN EQUUS HEMIONUS KULAN GROVES AND MAZAK, 1967 OF THE LOCAL POPULATION OF THE BIO-SPHERE RESERVE "ASKANIA NOVA"

Abstract

The purpose of the research was to identify the craniological features of a rare species of the "endangered" category of the IUCN Red List – the Turkmen kulan of the local Askania population, describe variability in cranial features that appeared during the time of semi-free breeding and to compare the data obtained from such animals of other populations and subspecies. Osteological material from the collection of the museum of the "Askania Nova" reserve from 75 adult animals aged from 4 to 20 years was used, including 43 skulls of males and 32 of females. Comparison of the main craniological indicators by gender revealed reliable differ-ences in the sizes of 17 out of 101 investigated measurements. The difference between males and fe-males of the remaining measurements was not statistically significant. However, it can be argued that in Askania Nova Kulan males have a higher skull and occiput, a wider forehead than females, but are inferior in length in most skull measurements. A comparison of the measurements of the skulls of Askania kulans from such wild animals in Badhyz and those kept in the Prague Zoo revealed that the skulls of Askania Nova kulans are somewhat taller, but shorter, and almost the same in width.