Embryology of Dolphins Staging and Ageing of Embryos and Fetuses of Some Cetaceans

About this book

The study of intrauterine development and growth while consistently respecting the time factor enabled the authors to determine the time course of organogenesis of all organ systems. The resulting comparison with other mammals detected the time lag in ossification, retardation of odontogeny, the time of the origin and development of the fluke, dorsal fin and flipper, etc. The authors believe the Staging and Ageing Method serves for much more efficient evaluation of existing embryological collections which very often contain embryos of unknown age.

Contents

Introduction.- Length and weight of adults, life span.- Length and weight of newborn, ontogenetic pattern.- Duration of intrauterine development.- Mating and calving seasons.- Calving intervals, duration of lactation.- Aims of this study.- Material.- Methods.- Staging.- Ageing.- Results.- Developmental stages in the dolphin species under study.- Development of body shape and fetal growth.- Development of head shape and its growth.- Development of thoracic limb (flipper).- Development of pelvic limb buds.- Development of the fluke.- Development of the dorsal fin.- Duration of intrauterine development.- Mating and Calving Seasons.-Discussion.- Comparison of the staging and ageing method with other methods.- Duration of intrauterine development and the mating and calving seasons.- References.- Index.

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