Bilateral Asymmetry Favours the Left Hemimandibular Side in Companion Rabbits

View/ Open
Issue date
2018-12-01Author
Cabello, Maria
Gana Gambo, Baba
Samuel, Michael Oluwale
Olukayode Olopade, James
Suggested citation
Parés Casanova, Pere-Miquel;
Cabello, Maria;
Gana Gambo, Baba;
Samuel, Michael Oluwale;
Olukayode Olopade, James;
.
(2018)
.
Bilateral Asymmetry Favours the Left Hemimandibular Side in Companion Rabbits.
Journal of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, 2018, vol. 2, núm. 3, p. 9-14.
http://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/65643.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Directional asymmetry (DA) appears when the left and right body sides differ consistently from each other. This asymmetry is characterized as a type of natural asymmetry typical of the population's biology, which can be derived both from genetic inheritance, as of the functional importance acquired by certain features with respect to the environment in which they develop. We report here preliminary findings that for the first time to quantify size asymmetry mandibles of companion rabbits. A total sample of 64 companion rabbits from the same farm were studied by means of geometric morphometric techniques. The mandible morphology was described by a set of 18 landmarks and semil and marks on the lateral aspect. Tests showed paired differences with variations in distributions, demonstrating a DA in favour of left mandibular side. The detected unilaterality could be interpreted as a manifestation of lateralized masticatory activity. This is a first time report to quantify size asymmetry in this species.