title: [Clarification of basic factors of the morphology of the skull, especially ontogenesis of the skull of Cavia aperea f. porcellus L].
abstract: Skull morphology cannot be understood without consideration of its ontogenetic morphogenesis. Meaningful comparisons of vertebrate crania must include these developmental processes. The criteria and methods for descriptions and comparisons were originally established by Ernst Gaupp and others around the beginning of this century. Nevertheless, the complete course of cranial morphogenesis from the first precartilaginous blastemata to the adult cranium has never been described in any vertebrate species, so far. Dierbach (1985a, b) intended to contribute to the knowledge of morphogenesis of the cranium of Cavia. His paper is based on a deficient reconstruction of the cranium of an embryo of 36 mm crown-rump-length. As the description follows Zimmerman's (1976) description of an 55 mm CRL-stage, the characteristics of the 36 mm stage are missed. New findings are not reported. The paper does not include reconstruction of the process of morphogenesis of the cranium or of any of its structures. A new morphological interpretation of the Foramen infraorbitale of Cavia is not substantiated. Literature is cited unreliably. For comparisons with other species or for the reconstruction of cranial morphogenesis of Cavia on the basis of the results of several previous authors Dierbach's papers cannot be used, because of many inconsistencies in terminology and definitions. Frick (1954) and Zeller (1983), both cited by Dierbach, partially differ in their respective interpretation of the morphogenesis of the Fenestra rotunda of mammals. Dierbach's discussion does not proceed beyond Voit (1909). Morphology of the Ala temporalis is discussed controversially in recent papers. Dierbach remains at the state of knowledge of Gaupp (1902). Authors such as Broom (1908), Fuchs (1915), and Gregory (1913) already have shown that the palatoquadrate participates in the formation of the Ala temporalis of mammals. The alisphenoid can be recognized in fig. 3 of Dierbach (1985 a). However, it is not mentioned in the caption or in the text. Therefore, the problem of the secondary lateral wall of the braincase of mammals in the orbitotemporal region of the skull cannot be discussed by Dierbach. No problems of cranial morphology are raised or discussed.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005004:Ethmoid Bone / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000196:embryology*; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000196:embryology; D009915:Orbit / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012886:Skull / Q000196:embryology*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000196:embryology
vernacular_title: Zur Klarstellung von Grundfakten der Morphologie des Craniums, speziell der Ontogenese des Craniums von Cavia aperea f. porcellus L.