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Sexual dimorphism in lizard body shape: The role of sexual selection and fecundity selection
Citation
Olsson, M and Shine, R and Wapstra, E and Ujvari, B and Madsen, T, Sexual dimorphism in lizard body shape: The role of sexual selection and fecundity selection, Evolution, 56, (7) pp. 1538-1542. ISSN 0014-3820 (2002) [Refereed Article]
DOI: doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb01464.x
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is widespread in lizards, with the most consistently dimorphic traits being head size (males have larger heads) and trunk length (the distance between the front and hind legs is greater in females). These dimorphisms have generally been interpreted as follows: (1) large heads in males evolve through male-male rivalry (sexual selection); and (2) larger interlimb lengths in females provide space for more eggs (fecundity selection). In an Australian lizard (the snow skink, Niveoscincus microlepidotus), we found no evidence for ongoing selection on head size. Trunk length, however, was under positive fecundity selection in females and under negative sexual selection in males. Thus, fecundity selection and sexual selection work in concert to drive the evolution of sexual dimorphism in trunk length in snow skinks.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Biochemistry and cell biology |
Research Field: | Enzymes |
Objective Division: | Expanding Knowledge |
Objective Group: | Expanding knowledge |
Objective Field: | Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences |
UTAS Author: | Wapstra, E (Associate Professor Erik Wapstra) |
ID Code: | 32734 |
Year Published: | 2002 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 172 |
Deposited By: | Zoology |
Deposited On: | 2007-11-06 |
Last Modified: | 2007-11-06 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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