Abstract

VASQUEZ PALACIOS, Sebastián et al. Morphological variation in Heterophrynus boterorum(Arachnida: Amblypygi: Phrynidae). Biota colombiana [online]. 2019, vol.20, n.2, pp.32-45. ISSN 0124-5376.  https://doi.org/10.21068/c2019.v20n02a03.

We assessed the morphological variation of Heterophrynus boterorum in relation to its distribution, by comparing populations of the eastern and western slopes of the Central mountain range and a population of the Eastern Andes, in the departments of Tolima and Quindío, Colombia. Populations located in both slopes and mountain ranges were compared using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques (ACP, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis). Variation among populations was found in 15 out of 33 morphological characters examined. The greatest variation was in the size of palps, number of spines and tubers. The population of the municipality of Lérida differed notably from those of other populations in the analysis. The rest of the populations formed a morphological group with wide variability, particularly in size. Heterophrynus boterorum could be considered as a model species for studying the effect of the environmental and altitudinal gradient of the Andes in the morphological diversification of Amblypygi.

Keywords : Environmental variability; Morphological characters; Phenotypic variation; Population; Population variation.

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