The shape of the skull of male chital and sambar deer was elongated in accordance with the findings of
Sarma (2006) in kagani goat and
Kumawat (2011) in chital, tapering to the anterior and dolichocephalic type as observed which was similar with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital;
Choudhary (2015) in black buck and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in barking deer and sambar deer.
In present study, dental formula of male chital deer was I0/4, C0/0, PM3/3, M3/3, total 32 tooth (Fig 8) were present which coincides with the finding of
Parmar et al., (2003a) in chital deer; however, it differs with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital deer which was I0/3, C0/1, PM3/3, M3/3.The dental formula of male sambar deer was I0/4, C1/0, PM3/3, M3/3, total 34 teeth were found (Fig 9). The alveolus for upper canine tooth was absent in male chital deer skull where as it was present in male sambar deer skull (Fig 11) tallied with the finding of
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in barking deer and sambar deer. The present observation for the incisors of sambar deer contradictory in accordance with the report of
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer as reported six alveoli for incisors.
The dorsal surface of the skull of male chital and sambar deer was formed by parietal, frontal, nasal and incisive bones similar observation was reported by
Sarma (2006) in kagani goat,
Kumawat (2011) in chital deer and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck. The frontal bone depression was deeper in skull of male chital deer; however, it was wider in the skull of sambar deer (Fig 2 and 3).
The caudal extremity of nasal bone was flatted dorso-ventrally in the skull of male sambar skull; however, in the skull of male chital, it was convex dorsally (Fig 8 and 9). Rostral extremities of nasal bone in skull of male chital deer were notched; however, these were blunt and without notch in the skull of male sambar deer (Fig 4).
The cornual processes of skull were directed caudo-laterally in male sambar deer; whereas, directed more caudally in case of male chital deer skull (Fig 13).
The frontal bone showed wide fossa/depression just medial to the frontal crest and caudo-dorsal to the orbit. The rim of orbit of the skull of sambar deer was thick, rough and pitted in its caudo-dorsal part; whereas, in the skull of male chital, it was slightly thin and sharp (Fig 10). The dorsal surface of parietal bone was more or less flattened in male sambar deer skull; however, in male chital deer, it was slightly convex in its middle (Fig 1). The caudal border of the nasal process of premaxilla was straight throughout in the of male sambar deer; whereas, in the male chital deer, this border turned rostrally in its distal part to from an angle.
The lateral surface of the skull of male chital and sambar deer was elongated and triangular in shape, wide posteriorly and narrow anteriorly. The zygomatic process of temporal bone did not join with the zygomatic process of the frontal bone in the skull of male chital and sambar deer similar to findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital deer and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck.
The portion of the body of maxilla, which was bounded dorsally by the facial crest was convex in the skull of male chital deer; however, in the male sambar deer skull, it was flattened. The facial crest was straight in the skull of male sambar deer; however, it was curved with dorsal convexity dorsally in male chital skull. The paramastoid process/ jugular process was triangular proximally like with blunt tubercle at its distal end in the skull of both of species. In the skull of male chital, rostral border of the paramastoid process was convex; however, it was straight in male sambar deer skull. The zygomatic process of the malar bone was flattened dorsoventrally in male in both the species (Fig 8 and 9).
The ventral surface of skull of flatted in both the species and cerebral choanal and palatine area was distinguished. The ventral surface of the skull of male chital and sambar deer was long and broad extending to the posteriorly. The cranial part was extended from foramen magnum to the hard plate.
The articular area of the mandibular condyle was wider in male sambar than chital deer (Fig 7). The muscular processes were ill developed in male chital skull; however, in male sambar deer skull, they were triangular in shape and pointed distal end (Fig 6).
Caudal central end of the pterygoid bone was “U” shape in male chital; however, it was “V” shaped in male sambar deer (Fig 7). The sphenopalatine fossa was deeper in the of male chital in comparison to the sambar deer. The zygomatic process of temporal bone was the widest part of the skull in both the species.
The nuchal crest was more prominent and wider in the skull of male sambar deer than chital deer (Fig 12), which was tallied with the findings of
Joshi (2004) in tiger; however, it was less prominent in blackbuck as reported by
Choudhary (2015).
The occipital bone consisted of two occipital condyles similar with the findings of
Sarma et al., (2001) in leopard cat. The muscular processes were ill developed in male chital deer concurrent with the finding of
Parmar et al., (2004) in chital deer; however, they were triangular in shape and sharp pointed at the distal end in male sambar deer skull.
The foramen magnum was large and roughly oval in shape in the skull of male chital and sambar deer, accordance with the finding of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck; however, this was unlike with the findings of
Sharma et al., (2001) in leopard cat, where it was round in shape.
Foramen ovale was situated at the middle of the wings of post sphenoid in both male chital and sambar deer skull (Fig 6) which coincides with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck.
The ethmoidal foramen was located in an orbital of the frontal bone in both male chital and sambar deer skull tallied with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital;
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer and barking deer.
The interparietal was a small, quadrilateral bone wedged in between the parietal anterolaterally and the supraoccipital posteriorly in both male chital and sambar deer skull resembled with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer and barking deer; however, it was not traceable in chital as reported by
Parmar and Shrivastava (2003). The interparietal process of occipital represented the paired interparietal bone. It formed roof of cranial cavity with parietals in tallied with the findings of Din
et al. (2020) in chinkara.
The frontal surface below the orbit presented a triangular opening area known as lacrimal fissure (Fig 10) which was bounded by frontal bone and nasal bone above, maxilla bone in front and lacrimal bone below in both male sambar and male chital deer skull tallied with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in barking deer and sambar deer. The supraorbital foramen was present in frontal bone both skull of male chital and sambar deer and two to three in number with a very deep supraorbital groove in male sambar deer skull concurrent to the finding
Archana et al., (2003) in sambar deer whereas supraorbital foramen absent as reported by
Zuoliang (2004) in arctic foxes and
Joshi (2004) in tiger.
In male chital deer, the body of temporal partially formed the temporal fossa which was deeper; whereas, it was shallow in male sambar deer (Fig 8 and 9) similar to finding of
Sarma (2006) in kagani goat. The tympanic bulla was large in male sambar deer than the chital deer skull. The petrous and tympanic parts of temporal bone were united by the occipito-tympanic suture as reported in chital and tailed with findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital deer.
The infraorbital foramina were present above the first cheek tooth in male chital and sambar deer skull (Fig 8 and 9) concurrent to finding of Parmar and
Shrivastav (2003a) and
Kumawat (2011) in chital and Keneisenuo
et al. (2020) in sambar deer and barking deer.
The facial tuberosity was present at the level of the third cheek tooth in both male chital deer and sambar deer skull (Fig 8 and 9) similar to finding of
Archana et al., (2003) in sambar deer and
Parmar and Shrivastava (2003) in chital deer (Fig 11).
Incisive (Premaxilla) bone was directed upward in chital deer; whereas it was directed caudally in case of sambar deer (Fig 5).
The pterygoid bone was a flat, thin and inserted between the sphenoid and perpendicular part of the palatine bone in both male chital and male sambar deer skull tallied with the findings of
Joshi (2004) in tiger and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck.
A median septum nasi separated the right and left parts of it in the skull of both male chital and sambar deer skull coincides with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck. The nasal bone of the skull was articulated anteriorly with incisive bone in both male chital and sambar deer skull as reported
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Joshi (2004) in tiger. The nasal bone formed the greater part of a roof of nasal cavity in both male chital and sambar deer skull as reported in tiger,
Joshi (2004).
The lacrimal bone was large and didn’t make contact with nasals in both the species (Fig 8 and 9). It was roughly triangular in shape in chital deer; whereas, it was roughly pyramidal in sambar deer. However, the present finding was contradictory with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital. Nasolacrimal fissure was present in both chital and sambar deer skull tallied with findings of
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer.
The lacrimal bone was marked by prominent depression for the lodgement of the infraorbital gland in both male chital and sambar deer skull. The lacrimal pit or depression was shallower and shorter in male chital deer skull whereas lacrimal pit or depression was dipper and longer in male sambar deer skull (Fig 8 and 9) tallied with the findings of
Archana (2003) and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer and which was one of the unique differentiating features between male sambar deer and male chital deer skull. Lacrimal bulla was present in both male chital and sambar deer skull coincides with the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Choudhary (2015) in blackbuck; however, it was absent in tiger
Joshi (2004).
The zygomatic process of the temporal bone was curved in sambar deer; whereas, it was roughly straight in male chital deer skull; however, it was horizontally placed in wild pig and vertically in cross-bred pig and domestic pig in between as reported by
Guntoju (2022). It was placed between the lacrimal above and the maxilla below and in front in both male chital and sambar deer skull as reported
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer. It had a curved crest arose at the the infra-orbital margin, which continued on to the maxilla in both male chital and sambar deer skull which was similar to the findings of
Kumawat (2011) in chital and
Keneisenuo et al., (2020) in sambar deer; however, it was absent in tiger
Joshi (2004).
Orbit was oval, complete and placed rostro laterally which was formed by the frontal, lacrimal and malar bones in male sambar deer skull (Fig 8 and 9) tallied with the findings of
Keneisenuo et al. (2020) in sambar deer and
Sarma et al. (2001) in adult leopard cat;whereas, orbit was round and complete in male chital deer skull coincides with the findings of
Keneisenuo et al. (2020) in barking deer and
Sarma (2006) in Kagani goat; however, orbit was incomplete as reported by
Kale et al. (1999) in hyena and
Joshi (2004) in tiger.
