This stuqy, a pioneering endeavour in zoology, aimed to determine the age of Grey Francolins (Francolinus pondicerianus) inhabiting southern India. The method involved enumerating the number of growth marks present in the cross sections of phalanges. The mid-diaphyseal sections of phalanges exhibited growth rings, each consisting of a broader growth zone and a chromophilic line of arrested growth (LAG). One to three LAGS were observed in the Ehrlich hematoxylin-stained cross sections, with the LAGS being notablY clear and distinct in all individuals studied. Among 24, seven (29.16%) individuals with SVL: 25.68 ± 1.38 cm showed no LAGS. Five (20.83%) birds with SVL: 29.84 ± 0.98 cm possessed 1 LAG each, nine (37.50%) francolins with SVL: 34.69 ± 1.79 cm exhibited 2 LAGS and three (12.50%) individuals with SVL: 38.81 ± 0.51 cm recorded 3 LAGS in the phalangeal cross sections. A back calculation indicated that there was no endosteal resorption in this species. Body size and the number of LAGS showed a high positive correlation (r = 0.91) in the Gery francolin population.
Grey francolin, Age, Skeletochronology, Tropics
