An evaluation of the macro anatomy of the Hazel Dormouse’s (Muscardinus avellanarius Linnaeus, 1758) (Rodentia: Mammalia) skeletal system in Türkiye

Abstract

Muscardinus avellanarius, one of the thirty species of the Gliridae family, is found in areas covered with deciduous forests, with a range stretching from Bursa (Uludağ) to Trabzon in Türkiye. Hazel Dormouse, classified as an endangered species and characterized by their deep hibernation patterns, possess significant value as bioindicators of environmental change. In this study, a macro-anatomical evaluation of the skeletal structure of forty-six specimens collected from the Eastern and Western Black Sea Regions between 1979 and 1983 were conducted. The evaluation revealed that the whole skeleton of Muscardinus avellanarius consisted of 225 bones. The morphometric variances and variations between the Eastern Black Sea and Western Black Sea specimens were detected by defining the skull and baculum bones that hold taxonomic value.