Paedomorphosis is the retention of juvenile morphology at maturity and is important in generating evolutionary change in domestic species and species in the wild. This preliminary study compared morphological characteristics of seven domestic cat pure breeds and felid species from around the world. An original procedure based on elliptical Fourier (EF) methods was applied to head lateral views of specimens and were assessed in order to analyse head profile. For comparative purposes three domestic kittens of different ages and three species of genus Lynx were also used. EF descriptors, allowed for the quantification of the head profile. Using the Fourier transform, reconstruction of the mean head profile revealed that there was a general shape difference between wild cats, domestic cats and kittens. Results suggested that variability in head profile differentiate quite well between adult cats and kittens, but domestic and wild cats appeared grouped into a similar cluster. The similarity between breeds can thus be attributed more to the general head profile than to flatness, i.e. to the general conformation rather than facial profile. Therefore, no effect of paedomorphism on the studied breeds can be undertaken. The present approach opens interesting ethnological perspectives for the aloidic characterisation for domestic breeds.
Adult ; Animals ; Cats* ; Fourier Analysis ; Head ; Humans ; Lynx ; Skull ; Subject Headings

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Echinococcus infections in wild carnivores in Serthar County, Sichuan Province, so as to provide insights into echinococcosis control in local areas. METHODS: Stool samples were collected from wild carnivores in Serthar County, Sichuan Province in May 2021, and the host sources of stool samples and Echinococcus infections were identified using PCR assays. The prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was estimated in different hosts. RESULTS: A total of 583 stool samples were collected from wild carnivores, including 147 stool samples from fox, 154 from wolf, 227 from wild dogs and 11 from lynx. The overall prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was 5.68%, 0.19% and 14.20% in canine stool samples, and no E. granulosus infection was detected in fox stool samples, while the prevalence of E. multilocularis and E. shiquicus infections was 0.68% and 47.62% in fox stool samples (χ² = 88.41, P < 0.001). No E. granulosus or E. shiquicus infection was detected in wolf stool samples, and the prevalence of E. multilocularis infection was 10.39% in wolf stool samples. The prevalence of E. multilocularis, E. granulosus and E. shiquicus infections was 5.73%, 0.44% and 2.20% in canine stool samples (χ² = 12.13, P < 0.01). In addition, the prevalence of E. multilocularis infections was significantly higher in wolf stool samples than in canine and fox stool samples (χ² = 13.23, P < 0.01), and the prevalence of E. shiquicus infections was significantly higher in fox stool samples than in canine and wolf stool samples (χ² = 187.01, P < 0.001). No Echinococcus infection was identified in 11 lynx stool samples. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of Echinococcus infections is high in wild canines in Serthar County, Sichuan Province. Wolf, wild dog and fox all participate in the wild life cycle of E. multilocularis in Serthar County, and wolf and wild dogs may play a more important role.
Animals ; Dogs/microbiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; DNA, Helminth/genetics* ; Echinococcosis/veterinary* ; Feces ; Foxes/microbiology* ; Lynx/microbiology* ; Prevalence ; Wolves/microbiology* ; Carnivora/microbiology*

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) can infect not only human but also several animals. This study has been conducted to evaluate the comprehensive anti-HEV seroprevalence in zoo animals in Korea. Anti-HEV antibodies were identified in 14 of 64 zoo animal species. HEV antibodies were detected for the first time in Eurasian Lynx, Setland Pony, Fallow Deer, Ezo Sika, Formosa Deer, East Wapitis, Barasingha, Corriedale, American Bison, Guanacos, Reticulated Giraffe, and Saanen. These results indicate that the several zoo animal species were exposed to HEV.
Animals ; Animals, Zoo ; Antibodies ; Bison ; Camelids, New World ; Deer ; Hepatitis ; Hepatitis E ; Hepatitis E virus ; Humans ; Korea ; Lynx ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Taiwan