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1 December 2018 Development of a fast and low-cost age determination method in spotted deer, Axis axis
Vipin, Vinita Sharma, Sandeep K. Gupta, Chandra P. Sharma, Kalyanasundaram Sankar, Surendra P. Goyal
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Abstract

We developed a protocol which determines age in spotted deer, Axis axis (Erxleben, 1777) through cementum layers in the tooth which is economical and requires lesser time (±19 hours). The permanent first incisor teeth from mandibles of known estimated ages (2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 years) were ground longitudinally on median plane on a set of sandpapers with hand to a thickness of around 57 μm, decalcified, stained with hematoxylin, differentiated in acid alcohol and mounted on a glass slide and count cementum layers under microscope at 100 or 200× magnification. Presence of 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 cementum layers was observed for the tooth of ages of 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 years, respectively. The final age in the year was calculated by adding one to the counted number of cementum layer. Our results were in compliance with the pre-estimated age of the mandibles. This suggested protocol saves time and money and is easy to perform with minimum requirements. The technique was validated using “blind” duplicate test (n = 2) and the first molar tooth of known estimated age (n = 1). Our suggested protocol has significant relevance for estimating the age of other animals and wildlife forensics.

Vipin, Vinita Sharma, Sandeep K. Gupta, Chandra P. Sharma, Kalyanasundaram Sankar, and Surendra P. Goyal "Development of a fast and low-cost age determination method in spotted deer, Axis axis," Folia Zoologica 67(3-4), 186-197, (1 December 2018). https://doi.org/10.25225/fozo.v67.i3-4.a9.2018
Received: 29 December 2017; Accepted: 15 October 2018; Published: 1 December 2018
KEYWORDS
cementum layers
epoxy-tooth section complex
incisor
Sariska Tiger Reserve
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