AGE-DETERMINATION IN THE RED FOX IN A MEDITERRANEAN HABITAT

The age determination of red foxes Vulpes vulpes was studied in Pisa P rovince, Central Italy, from January to May 1992. The presence of incr emental lines in the cementum of canine teeth after decalcification, s ectioning and staining has been checked for the first time in a Medite rranean species. We compared the weight of the eye lens and the width of pulpar cavity of canine teeth as methods of discriminating yearling s from adults with the incremental line count (a more reliable, but mo re time-consuming technique). 330 foxes (125 F; 205 M) were collected, but sample size was variously reduced for different methods. incremen tal lines (up to 8) were clearly visible. Neither the eye lens nor the pulpar cavity methods discriminated unequivocally the two age classes but a discriminant function using the two variables achieved 100% suc cess. Pulpar cavity of females closed during their first oestrus. Geog raphical variability in the development rates of different organs sugg ests that no method (except incremental lines) can be used without pri or verification.