Abstract
Lengths and weights were measured in a group of live ermines captured between 1978 and 1981 on agricultural lands in southern Quebec to determine the importance of size dimorphism, as well as evaluating intrasexual variations within a particular group on the one hand, and variations between the populations on the other. Mean weight of males (112,1 g) was nearly twice that of females (59,8 g) and the dimorphism index was 1,9. Mean weights varied significantly between years as a result of the relative abundance of young, especially males. It thus seems that variations either in length or weight are significantly lower in females, even after the effect of the number of young males has been corrected. A comparison of length and weight measurements of individuals in different groups of northeastern North American ermines showed that variability is considerably lower in females. These results agree with the hypothesis that female size is adjusted to that of a dominant prey species.[Journal translation]
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