Mandibular Dental Anomaly in 
White-tailed Deer 
George A. Feedhamer and Joseph A. Chapman 
Appalachian Environmental Laboratory, 
Gunter Hall, Frosthurg State College Campus, 
Frost burg, Maryland 21532 
A BSTRACT. — Agenesis of the second mandibular premolar in four 
White-tailed deer from Dorchester County, Maryland, was considered 
to be of genetic origin. The body condition of anomalous animals 
apparently was not affected. 
The dentition of most mammalian species has been well studied 
because of its importance in systematics and evolution, and in estimation 
of individual age. As a result, associated dental anomalies have been 
described for a variety of species encompassing many mammalian orders 
(Choate 1968; Colyer 1936; Lavelle and Moore 1972; Pavlinov 1975; 
Sheppe 1963). This paper describes a dental anomaly found in 4 of 24 
yearling and adult White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, obtained 
during the 1976 through 1978 hunting seasons in southern Dorchester 
County, Maryland. The skull and dentary bone were collected from each 
animal. Skulls were solicited and obtained from hunters at two deer 
check stations. No samples were examined prior to solicitation and all 
hunters entering the stations were approached. Thus, the sample was 
considered to be random. 
Bilateral agenesis of the second premolar (p 2 ) (Fig. 1) was found in two 
female and one male yearlings, all in which the permanent dentition had 
erupted. A unilateral P 2 agenesis occurred in an adult female. In all four 
occurrences, the anomaly was considered to be genetic in origin because: 
1) there was no evidence of previous traumatic injury; 2) no alveoli were 
present at the P 2 position; and 3) X-rays of the dentary revealed no 
vestigial or impacted teeth in the underlying bone tissue at the P 2 positions. 
The mean total length of the mandibular tooth row for animals with the 
anomaly was significantly less than that of animals with a normal 
complement of mandibular cheek teeth(t = 4.80; p< 0.001). Flowever, all the 
anomalous animals had a normal complement of maxillary cheek teeth, 
exhibited normal occlusion and showed no unusual wear. 
Benson ( 1 957) attributed a missing second premolar in two White-tailed 
deer to traumatic injury. No sample size was given and only a single 
mandible was available from each animal. A unilateral absence of P 2 in a 
Mule deer, Odocoileus hemionus, similarly was attributed to injury (Short 
and Short 1 964). Apparent genetic agenesis of the second premolar involv- 
Brimleyana No. 4; 161-163. December 1980. 
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