Craniometric variation in Norwegian wolverines Gulo gulo L.

Abstract

Craniometric variation in Norwegian wolverines was analysed using univariate and multivariate techniques. The wolverine skull seems to be full-grown after about 9 months in both sexes although some dimensions continued to grow at a slow rate after the first year. Size allometry was studied in skulls older than 11 months. Allometric coefficients were calculated from different methods. The multivariate allometric coefficients were found to reflect the same allometric patterns as were found from the reduced major axis and from the direction cosines of PCI, whereas the coefficients seem to be underestimated by the least-square regression method. Sexual dimorphism was found to be highly significant, males being the larger sex. The female skulls were found to be relatively broader and to have a relatively higher coronoid process than the male skulls. It seems that the females have a relatively stronger feeding apparatus than the males, which leads to less absolute differences in strength, as reflected in a very high degree of dietary overlap. Two discriminant functions were calculated which both classified the material into their correct sex with nearly 100% accuracy. Geographical variation between samples from Nordland and Finnmark counties were studied. No significant multivariate variation was found between the female skulls. The male variation was highly significant; the Nordland skulls seem to have longer carnassials than those from Finnmark.