28 EINAR LÖNNBERG, ANATOMICAL NOTES ON EAST AFRICAN MAMMALS. 



The structure of the palate of some Carnivora. 



Same years ago G. Retzius described and illustrated with beautiful plates 1 the 

 structure of the palate of several Carnivora representing different families. According 

 to these figures Canidai and Felidai are rather different not only with regard to the 

 general shape of the palate but also with regard to its structure. In the domestic 

 Cat for instance there is a number of small papilla? more or less arranged in series 

 between the palatal folds while such papilhe are less pronounced if present in the 

 members of the Dog family. A similar difference makes itself often known in other 

 members of the respective families as well. The palate of a Somali Lion is figured 

 in Pl. 1, Fig. 3. It is verv similar to that of a Cat apart from the difference in 

 size. In the interspace between the canines a transverse fold is seen and in front 

 of that a couple of arcuate indistinct folds which are more or less absent in the Cat. 

 Behind the transverse fold the Lion has 7 well developed arcuate folds, the Cat only 

 6. Behind the last of these there are in the Somali Lion traces of two more trans- 

 verse folds, while the Cat shows only one such. The anterior folds of the Somali 

 Lion are arranged witli narrower interspaces than the posterior. As well behind as 

 in front of the arcuate folds a series of small papillae is to be seen parallel to the 

 fold, and sometimes there are also some such papillae scattered in between. In the 

 Cat the series of papilla 1 behind the fold is better developed than the anterior, although 

 both are present and also scattered papilla?. Similar small scattered papilhe occur 

 in many other mammals belonging to different groups as Marsupials, Das)^podids, 

 Insectivora 2 etc. Freund has quite recently 3 described and figured the palate of a 

 Lion (subspecies not mentioned). His results are, of course, similar to those recorded 

 above, but there are also some differences. In his specimen the two foremost folds 

 are confluent laterally. There is also, as it appears, only one rudimentary fold behind. 



The palate of the Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas) resembles that of a 

 Fox. The former has 11 palatal folds which are arranged as follows. The first pair 

 nuis between i 3 , the second between c. The following are arcuate and their lateral 

 ends are opposite p 1 in the third fold, opposite \r in the fourth, opposite p a in the 

 titt h. The sixth ends at the anterior part of p\ the seventh fnrther behind at the 

 same tooth, the eight at the anterior part of the heel of m 1 , the niuth at the inside 

 of the same heel anteriorly, the tentli at the middle of the same. The eleventh fold 

 is short and incomplete, it runs between nr. The four posterior of these folds are 

 interrupted in the middle. 



The anterior palatal folds earry papilla- and there are also scattered papilhe 

 between tia; folds. 



The palate of Otocyon megalotis virgatus is represented in 1*1. 1, Fig. 4. The 

 fold- are \\e|| developed and eaeh of theni appears almost double because there is a. 



1 Biol. i ntersuch. \. I' Bd. XIII. Stockholm L906. 



1 Conf. Kii/n- l c. Pl. XXXV, Pl. XXXVI, Pl. XI. I. 



Zeitschr. f. Morph. a. ÄJithrop. IM. XIII. llfi. ;;. 



