Age Determination in the Bush Squirrel, Paraxerus Cepapi Cepapi

Abstract

Tooth eruption and wear, measurements of skulls, eye-lens mass determination and different aspects of phallic morphology were used in an attempt at age classification in the bush squirrel, Paraxerus c. cepapi. The first method proved the most practical and allowed for three immature and three adult age classes. Three knownage immature animals which fitted into the three immature tooth-wear classes, together with comparison of mass of known-age field young with that of collected young, enabled an estimate to be made of ages of the different immature classes. Beyond sexual maturity age could not be ascribed to animals.