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Age determination of the African buffalo, Syncerus coffer (Sparrman) in Zimbabwe
Author(s) -
TAYLOR R. D.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.1988.tb00972.x
Subject(s) - cementum , age groups , crown (dentistry) , national park , dentistry , biology , orthodontics , geography , zoology , demography , medicine , dentin , ecology , sociology
Summary Age determination methods using teeth are described for African buffalo in Matusadona National Park, Kariba, Zimbabwe. Tooth eruption stages and age classes for sub‐adult animals were established by reference to a seasonal breeding peak and known dates of death. Teeth in adult animals were allocated age classes based on wear using measurements of crown height and by reference to previously published material. Layering in the dental cement indicated the deposition of one cementum line per annum and line counts were used to assign chronological ages to individual animals. Regressions of wear on age were confirmed by independent counts of cementum lines using a predictive wear model.