A comparative osteologycal investigation of tursiops truncatus and delphinus delphis

A COMPARATIVE OSTEOLOGYCAL INVESTIGATION OFTURSIOPS TRUNCATUS AND DELPHINUS DELPHISABSTRACTIn this study, osteologycal feauters Tursiops truncatus and Delphinus delphiswithin family Delphinidae that stranded in the Canakkale coast were examined.Dataset compared 37 cranial measurement, 17 vertebral features, and 4 tooth countthat taken from two side of lower and upper rostrum. According to cranialcharacters? ratio to condylobasal lenght, total number and distribution of vertebra andtooth, and some postcranial and cranial characters; osteologycal difference betweentwo species were examined as comparative.In result of analized dataset although Delphinus delphis smaller than Tursiopstruncatus tooth and vertebra of it more than Tursiops truncatus. shape anddistribution of vertebras of specimens different each other. Furthermore; its one ofmost important osteologycal difference between that rostrum width/condylobasallenght ratio that took Delphinus delphis less than ratio of Tursiops truncatus.Key words: Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis,Delphinidae, Osteologyvii