An anatomical study of the skull, the dorsal and ventral nasal conchal bullae and paranasal sinuses in normal Noma horses: Computed tomographic anatomical and morphometric findings.
Abstract: Noma horses have the smallest body size among native Japanese horses and are classified as pony breeds by their size. Additionally, the Japanese horse breeds are classified into a single lineage, which includes Mongolian horses. Great intraspecific differences reportedly exist in the head shapes of domesticated horses, which have been investigated in various horse breeds. The present study aimed to evaluate the size of the nasal conchal bullae, and the paranasal sinuses of Noma horses in relation to the skull dimensions using computed tomography. Reconstructed images of the heads of five adult Noma horses were used. Skull and paranasal sinus parameters were measured and analysed in relation to each other and were compared with the data in the literature on the skulls of various horse breeds. In comparison with pony breed, Shetland ponies and donkeys had a shorter nasal length than cranial length, while Noma horses had a longer nasal length than cranial length, similar to the larger breeds. In the nasal conchal bullae, Shetland ponies showed a negative correlation between the head and bullae size, while Noma horses, similar to larger breeds, had a positive correlation. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Noma horses, despite having a body size that belongs to the pony breed, had a distinguishing ratio of the skull and paranasal sinuses similar to that of the larger breeds. Our results provide information on the physiological morphology of the head and comparative anatomy based on genetic diversity in horses.
© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Publication Date: 2022-07-18 PubMed ID: 35851501DOI: 10.1111/ahe.12837Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article investigates the skull, nasal conchal bullae, and paranasal sinuses dimensions of Noma horses using computed tomography. It finds that despite being classified as a pony breed due to their small body size, Noma horses possess skull and sinus measurements akin to larger horse breeds.
Study Purpose and Methodology
- This study aimed to evaluate the nasal conchal bullae and the paranasal sinuses of Noma horses in relation to the skull’s dimensions. Noma horses are among the smallest native Japanese horses, classified as pony breeds due to their size.
- Computed tomography was employed to examine the heads of five adult Noma horses. The researchers measured skull and paranasal sinus parameters and analyzed in relation to each other. These findings were compared against literature data on various horse breed skulls.
Findings and Comparisons
- The study found that compared to other pony breeds such as Shetland ponies and donkeys, Noma horses displayed different dimensions. Shetland ponies and donkeys typically show a shorter nasal length than the cranial length, but the Noma horses presented a longer nasal length than cranial length, a trait observed in larger horse breeds.
- For the nasal conchal bullae, smaller breeds like Shetland ponies showed a negative correlation between the head and bullae size. Conversely, Noma horses showed a positive correlation comparable to that of the larger breeds.
- This finding suggests that despite their classification as a pony breed by body size, Noma horses exhibit a ratio of skull and paranasal sinuses akin to that of larger horse breeds.
Conclusion and Further Implications
- The research concludes that the distinctive skull and sinus dimensions of Noma horses may be influenced by their genetic diversity.
- These findings contribute valuable information to the understanding of the physiological morphology of horse heads, enhancing the comparative anatomical studies centered on genetic diversity in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Kutara K, Ono T, Hisaeda K, Inoue Y, Henmi C, Sho K, Ohnishi A, Ohzawa E, Une Y, Iwata E, Shibano K, Asanuma T, Kitagawa H.
(2022).
An anatomical study of the skull, the dorsal and ventral nasal conchal bullae and paranasal sinuses in normal Noma horses: Computed tomographic anatomical and morphometric findings.
Anat Histol Embryol, 51(5), 624-632.
https://doi.org/10.1111/ahe.12837 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Noma Horse Preservation Society, 8 Noma, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Imabari, Japan.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Blister / veterinary
- Equidae
- Head / diagnostic imaging
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Noma / veterinary
- Paranasal Sinuses / anatomy & histology
- Paranasal Sinuses / diagnostic imaging
- Skull / diagnostic imaging
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