SPECIES-SPECIFIC STRUCTURE OF THE FRONTAL PART OF THE SKULL IN THE SABLE (MARTES ZIBELLINA) AND THE PINE MARTEN (MARTES MARTES)

A comparative analysis of three craniometric traits that characterize the length-width ratios in the frontal surface of the skull in the sable and the pine marten was performed. Character A (delta) was proposed for the first time as the distance from the postorbital narrowing to the line drawn between the postorbital processes in the sagittal plane. When analyzing tutorial (n = 431) and test samples (n = 154), a high discriminating capacity of this trait was revealed for species identification based on craniological material. A joint analysis of variations in this "A" trait with the breadth of the postorbital constriction revealed for the first time their species-specific interrelations, i.e. the presence of opposite trends in the ontogeny of both model species. Discriminant analysis showed a high level (more than 97%) of correct species identifications based on the newly proposed trait.