Research Article

Macro-anatomical studies of the African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) axial skeleton

*Onwuama Kenechukwu Tobechukwu, Salami Sulaiman Olawoye, Sulaiman Muhammed Hadi, Umosen Akpan Dominic

Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author E-mail: kenexcares@yahoo.com

Accepted 24 June 2013

Abstract

The Axial skeleton of the African Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus) was studied using 12 adult rats of both sexes. Characteristics of the bones were studied by gross observation after preparation. Measurements of different segments of the Axial skeleton were also taken. The bones of the rat were found to be generally similar in both structure and number to other rodent species. Variation came only in the size of the bones and the number of coccygeal vertebrae which was found to be an average of 26 bones with an average length of 39.0±2.27cm. Each segment of the Axial skeleton was measured giving a total length of 69.7cm out of which the tail takes 39.0cm (58%).The average total number of bones in the Axial skeleton of the rat was 91 bones. The vertebral formula of the African Giant Rat is C7 T13 L6 S4 C15-37.
 

Keywords: African giant rat, Axial skeleton, vertebral formula