Anatomical Study on the Middle Ear of Donkey (Equus acinus)

Studying the anatomical features of the middle ear of donkey was significant among scanty available literatures. The work was established on 14 formalized heads and dried skulls from both sexes of healthy donkeys of different ages. The samples were intended for the bony structural examination and dissection. Extraction of the auditory ossicles was difficult due to the rigidity of the temporal bone during sawing. The article discussed the anatomical features of the middle ear, bony boundary and ossicles. Examination of the latter detected four ossicles and described their posture and their relation to right or left for forensic purposes. Our study provided a good idea about donkey’s middle ear for the comparative anatomy. Although intended donkeys as training model for otosurgeons due to the normal continuity to the Eustachian tube and guttural pouch.