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Analysis of Cuticular Scales on Hairs Using the Scanning Electron Microscope
Abstract
Cuticular scales on hairs have sometimes been described as providing adequate identification of mammalian species or even of individual donors. However, the analysis of photomicrographs of hair from 52 species of mammals taken with the aid of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicate that cuticular scales of hair are of limited taxonomic use.
Preview Article: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1379911
... Scanning electron microscopy can be used in wildlife forensics for species identification (Short, 1978). The surface pattern, cross-section, and medullary index provide information of the specimen that can be used as geographic region and species identification tool. ...
... Electron microscopic studies of mammalian hair have also been done with transmission electron microscopy (Muto et al., 1981;Slepecky et al., 1981;Weedon and Strutton, 1981;Maxwell et al., 1982) and scanning electron microscopy (Short, 1978;Riggott and Wyatt, 1980). Combinations of both methods have also been used (Hino et al., 1982;Raphael et al., 1982). ...
Objective: Determination of species from animal hair is an effective method in veterinary forensic investigations, research, endangered species and prevention of poaching. Since the bristles are resistant to deterioration, they can be stored as evidence for many years. In addition, pig bristles are often used in making brushes. When these brushes are used in the food industry, it raises questions about halal food. This study aimed to identify these hairs by examining the hair structure of wild pigs living in the Balıkesir region and revealing their characteristics. Materials and Methods: The bristles of 3 wild boars obtained from the İvrindi region were used. After the hairs taken from different parts of the pigs were cleaned, stereomicroscopy and macroscopic examination were performed and routine procedures were applied for scanning electron microscopic imaging. Result: In stereomicroscopy and macroscopic examination, it was determined that the length and thickness of the hairs in different regions varied significantly. In the study, the hairs were generally bifurcated from the upper 1/3 part. In the scanning electron microscopic images, the hardened cuticle patterns on the hair shaft, which have a scaly appearance, were detected, and their measurements were made. Scanning electron microscopic images determined that there were very small bifurcations from the hair shaft. However, it was thought that these bristles could not be used for species separation, since these parts would break off in the bristles used as brushes. Significant images could not be obtained in cross-sections. Conclusion: It is thought that it will be used as a source for the identification of the hairs of wild boars in the Balıkesir region.
... Allen wrench was used to fix the pin disc to the mounting platform. These tapes were not permanent and were observed for cuticular structure and cross section, recorded and discarded (Short, 1978). Table 10). ...
... Based on hair from 49 mammal species, Short (1978) suggested cuticular scales had limited diagnostic characters for species identification and varied more in relation to the overall size of the hair itself. Other attempts to devise bat species classifications based on hair characters have had varying success, with most being able to identify the families and some genera, but unable to resolve all the species included (Benedict, 1957;Cole, 1924Mayer, 1952Miles, 1965;Moore and Braun, 1983;Nason, 1948;Pierallini et al., 2004;Quay, 1970;Sessions et al., 2014;Tupinier, 1973). ...
In this study hair scale patterns were examined for the first time in 33 bat species from eight different families occurring in South Africa. The medial region of hair from the dorsal, ventral and neck regions of each species was examined quantitatively and qualitatively with techniques of confocal microscopy. Scale width, length, type, angle of change, length of angle edges, length of outer scale edges, and divergence and degree of hastateness were measured and described. To our knowledge, no previously published research has investigated measurements of the angle of change, and the lengths of scale edges in scales with unequal hastate scale patterns in bat species. Qualitative descriptors were identified and used to categorise these new characters. Differences were found within species in the characteristics of hair scales from the three sampled body regions. Comparing hair scale patterns from the same body regions of those of the Molossidae species were distinctly different to the other families. Excluding Molossidae, a multivariate analysis of hair scale measurements, which included the unequal hastate measures, revealed differences between the families Pteropodidae, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae. Although individually the qualitative and quantitative variations in the hair scales were subtle and solely insufficient to distinguish different genera and species within these families. Scanning electron microscopy may be considered for future analysis, in particular to identify more precisely the nature of the unusual dark, distal scale edge pattern observed in Pipistrellus hesperidus and Pipistrellus rusticus.
... Por último, se coloca encima el pelo durante 30 minutos y se tapa el molde final con un cubreobjetos. De esta forma, se obtiene un molde de la cutícula del pelo que permite observar el patrón de escamas, un rasgo de cierto valor taxonómico (Short, 1978). ...
... Setiap spesies satwa memiliki karakter rambut unik yang dapat digunakan untuk identifikasi, melalui telaah struktur, ukuran, bentuk, warna, dan sisik kutikula rambut. Sisik kutikula rambut memiliki bentuk dan dimensi yang berlainan yang mencirikan suatu jenis satwa tertentu (Short 1978). Untuk itu identifikasi mamalia melalui karakter rambut dapat diterapkan dalam studi forensik, taksonomi dan ekologi. ...
Identification through animal hair character is one of a very important forensic tool given the high level of animal trade in Indonesia, one of which is the deer family (Cervidae). Indonesia has four species of Cervidae, there are Rusa timorensis (Javan deer), Rusa unicolor (Sambar deer), Muntiacus muntjak (Barking deer) and Axis kuhlii (Rusa Bawean). Until now, no information about the morphological character of Indonesian cervidae’s hair. In this study, we used 30 shaft/individual/species from Javan deer (8 individuals), Sambar deer (5 individuals), Barking deer (5 individuals) and Bawean deer (5 individual) from specimens collection of Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense (MZB) and field collections. Hairs were analyzed for macroscopic and microscopic, with several parameters of morphology, cuticular structure, medula, cross-section, and medullary index. The result showed that the special character of this family was filled lattice medulla structure and can be used for species identification.
... For mammals, species identification was performed using teeth morphometry, and mainly hair descriptions, analyzing: A) Morphological characteristics, considering the size, color and thickness of the hair, and comparing with the Wildlife Conservation Society catalog of Bolivian mammal hairs (Viscarra et al. 2010). B) Cuticle patterns, the hairs were cleaned and stamped in a thin layer of transparent nail polish onto a slide, then dried and removed with a tweezer, observed under a microscope, considering the pattern, shape and size of the cuticles (Short 1978;Chehébar and Martin 1989;Fernández and Rossi 1998;Vásquez et al. 2000;Quadros and Monteiro-Filho 2006;Zafarina and Panneerchelvan 2009). C) Core patterns, following the methodology proposed by Fernández and Rossi (1998) and Tavera (2006), with modifications and adaptations standardizing the methodology to be applied to all types of hair thickness. ...
The feeding habits of jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor) were studied in the lower Tuichi, Hondo (PNANMI Madidi) and Quiquibey (RB Pilón Lajas) river valleys. A total of 122 large felid scats were collected and identified by an experienced local guide, with identifications later confirmed by morphometry. Of this total, 54 were also identified using associated tracks. For jaguar, prey species richness was 25 species considering all scats and 20 species only considering those scats associated with tracks. For puma, 28 and 22 prey species were obtained, respectively. The results indicate that there is low trophic niche overlap between both cats (0.46 and 0.44 respectively). The breadth of the trophic niche indicates that the jaguar is more specialized in its diet (0.28 and 0.42 respectively), mainly due to the high consumption of the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), which contributes significantly to jaguar prey biomass. The puma has a more generalist tendency (0.56 and 0.58 respectively), with the spotted paca (Cuniculus paca) the most frequently consumed prey and also contributing the most biomass. Despite the fact that both felines share most of their prey, jaguar and puma differ in the frequency of prey consumption.
... Os pelos, convencionalmente, são submetidos à lavagem por éter sulfúrico e álcool etílico (1:1) (Short, 1978) ou a lavagem em álcool etílico comercial puro (adaptado de Charvet & Keller, 1989), de modo que fiquem o mais limpo possível para facilitar a visualização na microscopia óptica. Porém, as análises tricológicas feitas com ambos os métodos não mostraram diferenças expressivas nos resultados, sendo igualmente positivas (Quadros 2002). ...
Trichological analysis is a relatively new branch of science, with few relevant studies, mainly in Brazil. This technique works well in the specific identification of several groups of mammals, but still with little performance in Chiroptera, being already possible to identify up to the family level, allowing the construction of identification keys. In addition, the contributions of this technique have reached several branches, such as food quality control, forensic investigations, epidemiology and others. Its methods, both for the collection, as for the preparation of the hair, are varied and, in most cases, has low cost and high efficiency. Brazil has a wide variety of bat species, but some species remain unknown due to morphological similarity of some groups, what requires the use of different taxonomic tools, and the scarcity of collections in many regions of the country. Due to the few updated studies and small number of studies on this group of mammals, this review about trichological analysis will contribute both to the existing lists of chiropterans and to identify new individuals.
Keywords: tricology, mastozoology, Chiroptera, neotropical.
... Then we put each hair on the slide for 30 minutes and covered it with a cover glass. That way, we obtained a hair cuticle mould with a scale pattern showing a certain, although limited, taxonomic value (Short 1978). ...
Understanding predator-prey relationships is fundamental to develop effective conservation plans. Between 2015 and 2018, we combed 21 transects, each 7km long, searching for Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus scat within the province of Madrid in central Spain. In order to minimise inherent subjectivity of visual identification as much as possible, we performed a double specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a primer extension assay addressed to two Iberian Lynx diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms. Forty-six scat samples were positively identified as belonging to Iberian Lynx through genetic analysis. From these, we extracted remains of consumed prey, which we determined to the lowest possible taxonomic level, mainly through hair identification. Identified prey was divided into four types: lagomorphs, small mammals, birds, and ungulates. The species’ diet composition was described based on the frequency of occurrence (FO) of each prey and niche breadth, and also compared with prior knowledge of the species using four prior studies as a comparative reference through the calculation of the niche overlap value. The FO of lagomorphs (39%) was the lowest, while the FO of small mammals (54%) was the highest recorded to date. The niche breath (0.36) was higher than recorded in prior studies, but still showing the specialist character of the Iberian Lynx. Niche overlap was low (C = 0.49), showing differences in trophic niche between the population in our study area and the one studied in southern Spain. This indicates that the Iberian Lynx is adept at switching its main prey, an ability that has previously been firmly rejected. It is, however, capable of adapting to alternative prey more often than recorded to date, which could be a behavioural response to the patchy distribution of European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus in the study area.
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a relationship between the microstructure and measurements of Egyptian buffalo hair and age. The buffalo studied ranged in age from young to premature to adult (3–8 months, 1.5–3, 4–6, and 8–10 years). The hair was collected from the animals' withers. Cuticle elements were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), light microscopy, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis. Hair shaft diameter increased with age, according to SEM and light microscopy measurements. The values of shaft diameter obtained by SEM of the same animal were 64%–67% of the values obtained by light microscopy due to shrinkage of the hair during the drying process. Additional microscopy measurements revealed that the width of the cortex and medulla increased with age, while the width of the cuticle decreased slightly. The medulla index of four different age groups ranged from 0.56 to 0.61 μm. The average distance between successive scale values increased from 4.83 μm in the young group to 8.86 μm between the ages of 8 and 10 years. The scale pattern had a distinct personality at each stage of age. The hair medulla was in the center and consisted of a mesh‐like structure with large pores divided into smaller pores by septa. The cortex was a bundle of fibers that wrapped around the medulla. Light microscopy revealed small oval granules and large streak‐like granules in the cortex. EDX spectra revealed that carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen were shown to be more abundant in all age groups of buffalo. In buffalo hair, oxygen was the second most abundant element after carbon. The carbon mass in the examined samples decreased slightly with age (42.31%, 39.18%, 38.88%, and 38.49%), while oxygen increased with age. We concluded that hair measurements varied with age, scale microstructure, and elements, so we estimated buffalo animals' ages up to 10 years.
Highlights
The goal was to show a link between the microstructure and measurements of Egyptian buffalo hair and age.
Hair shaft diameter increased with age, according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy measurements.
The hair shaft diameter obtained by light microscopy was higher than that obtained by scanning electron microscopy of the same animal; we hypothesized that the difference in hair shaft diameter measured by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy of the same animal was due to the shrinkage of the hair during the drying process.
The width of the cortex and medulla increased with age, while the width of the cuticle decreased slightly.
The average distance between successive scale values increased from 4.83 μm in the young group to 8.86 μm between 8 and 10 years old.
At each stage of age, the scale pattern had a distinct personality.
Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen were found to be more abundant in the hair of buffalo of all ages and were detected using energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectra.
After carbon, oxygen was the second most abundant element in buffalo hair. The carbon mass in the samples studied decreased slightly with age, while the oxygen mass increased.
Hair measurements varied according to age, scale microstructure, and elements.
This represents one of several sections of "A Bibliography Related to Crime Scene Interpretation with Emphases in Geotaphonomic and Forensic Archaeological Field Techniques, Nineteenth Edition" (The complete bibliography is also included at ResearchGate.net.). This is the most recent edition of a bibliography containing resources for multiple areas of crime scene, and particularly outdoor crime scene, investigations. It replaces the prior edition and contains approximately 10,000 additional citations. As an ongoing project, additional references, as encountered, will be added to future editions.
References in this section, like fingerprints, ballistics, and blood evidence, are most often thought of in traditional criminalistics or police sciences. Some of the references below date to the early days of forensics and criminalistics. This section is included because it represents one of the six areas comprising Geotaphonomy: Stratification, Tool Marks, Bioturbation, Sedimentation, Compression/Depression (foot and shoe prints), and Internal Compaction. In addition to the recovery and interpretation of impression evidence, other trace evidence which might be found on surface and subsurface death scenes are cited. Entomological and botanical evidence also constitute trace items left or taken from crime scenes. Because of the number of works referencing those topics, they are addressed in respective sections in this bibliography. Some citations in this section could also be cross-referenced with those in Taphonomy given their discussion of the detioration, or decomposition of hairs and fibers among victims' remains or contamination of impression evidence through prolonged exposure at crime scenes.
When this compiler first became interested in forensic science, one of the first references he read, and which most influenced subsequent processing of scenes and research, was Crime Investigation by Paul Kirk (1974). In that paper the words of Kirk serve as the foundation for collecting trace evidence at any scene regardless its age or condition:
"Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his foot prints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothing, the glass he breaks, the tool mark he leaves, the paint he scratches, the blood or semen he deposits or collects. All of these and more bear mute witness against him. This evidence does not forget. It is not confused by the excitement of the moment. It is not absent because human witnesses are. It is factual evidence. Pysical evidence cannot be wrong. It cannot perure itself. It cannot be wholly absent. Only its interpretation can err. Only human failure to fint it, study and understand it, can diminish its value."
It has long been recognized that hairs are as characteristic of mammals as are the glands which give the class its name. When hairs do not appear in the adult animal, as in Odontoceti, they are at least present in the embryo. They may be confined, as in Mysticeti, to the region of the nares, or they may appear over the entire body, as in the Reindeer, in which even the usually bare mammalian snout is hairy. In recognition of this characteristic presence of hair it was at one time proposed that the class should be named Trichozoa or Pilifera. In recent years significant investigations on hair have been few, the latest contribution of note being that of Hamilton et al. (1951). In the latter part of the nineteenth century and early part of the twentieth century more extensive research was accomplished. However, merely 47 of the more than 3000 references in the possession of the author deal primarily with hair as a means of classification or identification, and the majority of these are anthropological studies on human hair. Only 17 concern themselves wholly or in sizeable part with the problem of hair of mammals other than man. With respect, then, to its systematic usefulness little research on hair has been done, and the taxonomic value of hair is a subject on which all authors have not agreed. Cole (1924: 120) and Nason (1948: 358), studying bats, both came to the conclusion that hair is of little use- in identification. Mathiak (1938), Williams (1938), and Brown (1942) all arrived at the opposite conclusion, and prepared aids for identifying certain mammals on the basis of hair alone. With this latter group the present author is in complete agreement. The ability to make positive identification of mammalian hair is of great value in fields such as criminology and paleontology and particularly in the field of food habits studies. Fortunately hair is a relatively durable feature, and a high percentage of the shafts recovered from the digestive tracts of birds and mammals are capable of being used for the purpose of making identification. HAIR STRUCTURE The hair shaft is a highly keratinized column lacking both nerves and blood vessels. The follicle is formed embryologically as an ectodermal invagination of cells from the malpighian layer of the epidermis. This invagination splits, and cells proliferating from the ectodermal base of the follicle, and nourished by a deeper-lying dermal papilla, move peripherally as the hair shaft proper (Danforth, 1925: 23). As the hairs move outward from the basal.bulb, the cells become more highly keratinized and tend to lose their individual identity. 480
In the specimens of mammal hairs examined: (1) Scale-form (as expressed by the scale index, a mathematical expression of the relationship between the free proximo-distal diameter of the scales and the diameter of the hair-shaft) bore relation not to the natural group to which any given species belonged, but to the diameter of the hair-shaft. In other words, the coarser the hair the finer the scales, or the magnitudes of the free proximo-distal diameters of the cuticular scales and the diameters of the hair-shafts varied inversely. (2) The medulla-form varied with the diameters of the hair-shafts, and not with natural groups of mammals, in a definite way. (3) Hence, given the diameter of a hair-shaft, and regardless of the species from which it was derived, it should be possible to locate it in its proper medulla-form, or scale-form group, approximately. (4) It is inferred that the relationships between scale-form (as expressed by the scale index), medulla-form and hair-shaft diameter, which have been found in the series of samples examined in this study, obtain also among mammals in general. (5) From the results of previous studies of mammal hairs, as well as from added results from this present one, it can still be said, however, that specific differences of sufficient appreciable magnitude exist, commonly, to aid in identifying the species of mammal from which a given hair sample was obtained.