Principal component and discriminant function analysis of cranium and mandible in domestic buffalo (Bos bubalis)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to use a geometric morphometric approach to ascertain the gender-related differences in the morphology of the domestic buffalo's skull and mandible. The skulls yielded a total of 20 main components. The first principal component (PC1) alone was responsible for 37.066% of the variation among these principal components. The first principal component (PC1) alone was responsible for 26.242% of the total variation among the lateral principal components. PC1 showed a medial extension of the posterior portion of the ectorbital, while PC2 showed a lateral extension. In PC2 and PC3, the right facial tuber displayed a cranial and linear expansion, respectively. In PC1, the left facial tuber was directed caudally, and in PC2, it was directed cranially. The anterior border of the first premolar had a caudo-ventral extension in PC1 and a cranio-dorsal extension in PC2 and PC3, according to lateral studies. In PC1 and PC2, the anterior side of the ectorbital displayed a caudo-dorsal extension, but in PC3, it displayed a dorsal extension. The anterior margin of the first premolar displayed a caudal extension in the extension evaluation of the three principal component analyses with the highest values in the mandibles, where the data are completely integrated with one another. PC1 showed a caudo-dorsal extension, PC2 showed a cranio-dorsal extension, and PC3 showed a dorsal extension of the landmark at the level of the incisura vasorum facialum. It is anticipated that this research will add to the body of knowledge about a particular breed, zoo archaeology, or be used as an animal model in relevant health professions.

Keywords

• buffalo
• geometric morhometry
• mandible
• sex discrimination
• skull

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