The potential use of identification of skeletal remains for the early detection of Ammotragus: An exotic ungulate species in Southern Spain

Abstract

The main aim of our work was to evaluate osteometry as a complementary tool for the early detection of Ammotragus lervia, an exotic ungulate, which currently shows an expanding trend in southeastern Spain. For this purpose, 142 metacarpi and 123 metatarsi from seven Iberian ungulate species were determined by means of a classification function. In a general way, this function works, but regarding related species (those very similar from a morphometrical view), correct determination was reached in only 44.4–90% of the cases. However, in these cases, we can use auxiliary criteria like sexually dimorphic traits, and reach 100% correct identification of bones.