TY - JOUR
T1 - Computed Tomography as a Method for Age Determination of Carnivora and Odontocetes with Validation from Individuals with Known Age
AU - Baier-Stegmaier, Sina
AU - Gundlach, Carsten
AU - Chriél, Mariann
AU - Hansen, Mette Sif
AU - Vedel-Smith, Christina
AU - Hansen, Charlotte Vikkelsø
AU - Johansson, Daniel Klingberg
AU - Henriksen, Louise Birgitte
AU - Wahlberg, Magnus
AU - Thøstesen, Charlotte Bie
AU - Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen
AU - Gregersen, Kristian Murphy
AU - Pertoldi, Cino
AU - Pagh, Sussie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Traditional methods for age determination of wildlife include either slicing thin sections off or grinding a tooth, both of which are laborious and invasive. Especially when it comes to ancient and valuable museum samples of rare or extinct species, non-invasive methods are preferable. In this study, X-ray micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) was verified as an alternative non-invasive method for age determination of three species within the order of Carnivora and suborders Odontoceti. Teeth from 13 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 2 American mink (Neogale vison), and 2 harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) of known age were studied using µ-CT. The number of visible dental growth layers in the µ-CT were highly correlated with true age for all three species (R2 = 96%, p < 0.001). In addition, the Bland–Altman plot showed high agreement between the age of individuals and visible dental layers represented in 2D slices of the 3D µ-CT images. The true age of individuals was on average 0.3 (±0.6 SD) years higher than the age interpreted by the µ-CT image, and there was a 95% agreement between the true age and the age interpreted from visible dental layers in the µ-CT.
AB - Traditional methods for age determination of wildlife include either slicing thin sections off or grinding a tooth, both of which are laborious and invasive. Especially when it comes to ancient and valuable museum samples of rare or extinct species, non-invasive methods are preferable. In this study, X-ray micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) was verified as an alternative non-invasive method for age determination of three species within the order of Carnivora and suborders Odontoceti. Teeth from 13 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 2 American mink (Neogale vison), and 2 harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) of known age were studied using µ-CT. The number of visible dental growth layers in the µ-CT were highly correlated with true age for all three species (R2 = 96%, p < 0.001). In addition, the Bland–Altman plot showed high agreement between the age of individuals and visible dental layers represented in 2D slices of the 3D µ-CT images. The true age of individuals was on average 0.3 (±0.6 SD) years higher than the age interpreted by the µ-CT image, and there was a 95% agreement between the true age and the age interpreted from visible dental layers in the µ-CT.
KW - American mink
KW - carnivore age
KW - computed tomography
KW - harbor porpoise
KW - micro-CT
KW - museum collections
KW - Neogale vison
KW - Phocoena phocoena
KW - red fox
KW - toothed whale age
KW - Vulpes vulpes
KW - X-ray
KW - µ-CT
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161906482&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ani13111783
DO - 10.3390/ani13111783
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85161906482
SN - 2076-2615
VL - 13
JO - Animals
JF - Animals
IS - 11
M1 - 1783
ER -