Structure of the nasolabial plane dermatoglyph in the sika deer, maral and elk

The paper reflects the results of studies of dermatoglyphic patterns on the nasolabial plane of sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum), maral (Cervus elaphus sibiricus Severtzov) and elk (Alces alces) living in the Barnaul zoo. Earlier, in the literature, a number of authors noted the possibility of using patterns of the nasolabial plane as a useful feature in the study of not only industrial animals, but natural populations as well. Science and practice have proven that the skin relief of the nasolabial plane of individual farm animals is characterized by an individual variety of patterns and is considered as a possible signaling system in selection and breeding work. The aim of research was to study the structure of the dermatoglyph of the nasolabial plane of the maral, sika deer and elk in the Barnaul zoo. The material was obtained from healthy animals during routine veterinary treatments. Visual assessment of the skin structure of folds, eminences, grooves was carried out on living objects and photographs of their nasolabial plane. The considered data characterize the presented group of animals by the presence of segmented ridges, funnel-shaped grooves on the outer surface of the respiratory organ. Ridges, folds, grooves and sulci create an individual pattern. As a result of research, it was found that the shape of the nasolabial plane in sika deer looks like an inverted trapezoid. The color of the nasolabial plane is brown. The structure is loose, with ridges loosely adjacent to each other. In the maral, the shape of the nasolabial plane is like a five-pointed inverted star. The color is dark gray or black. It has a dense structure, grainy pattern. The dermatoglyph of elks living in the Barnaul zoo has a rhombic shape, on which the presence of a central sulcus is noted. The structure of the nasolabial plane inelks is loose, black.