Abstract

FERIA-ORTIZ, Manuel; PEREZ-MALVAEZ, Carlos; BRIBIESCA-ESCUTIA, Guadalupe  and  RAMIREZ-MORALES, Emmanuel Alejandro. Sexual size and shape dimorphism in a population of blue-tailed skinks of the genus Plestiodon (Scincidae). Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2021, vol.26, n.3, pp.393-403.  Epub Jan 26, 2022. ISSN 0120-548X.  https://doi.org/10.15446/abc.v26n3.88388.

In this study, we investigated sexual dimorphism in body size (snout-vent length) and morphological traits (head, neck, trunk, and limbs) in a population of skinks belonging to a newly discovered species of genus Plestiodon. In addition, we determined the allometric trajectories of body traits that showed sexual dimorphism and discussed their importance in the expression of the sexual differences found. A Student's t-test was performed to detect different significant in the SVL and a multivariate approach was followed to investigate sexual dimorphism in the other characters examined. Reduced major axis regression (SMA) were used to determine the corresponding allometric trajectories. No sexual dimorphism was detected in the snout-vent length and body mass. The length and width of the head, the length of the neck and the length of the hind limbs were greater in males than in females; by contrast, the opposite pattern was found in the case of trunk length. Isometric relationships were detected, as well as positive and negative allometric relationships between the traits analyzed. However, only sexual dimorphism in the head width was affected by their growth trajectories.

Keywords : morphometrical traits; lizards; allometry; México; sexual monomorphism.

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