Relative canine size, behavior and diet in male ceboids

Abstract

The relationship between interspecific variation in maxillary canine size (projection and basal crown area) and several variables, including body mass, social behavior, diet, testis size and heritage was assessed for male ceboids. Data indicate that all of these variables contribute to an explanation of variation in male ceboid canine size. Similar results were obtained both from measures of male canine size and from two methodological approaches (residual analysis and rank orderings based on direct measures of relative canine size). These data also show that measures of sexual dimorphism may hide noteworthy differences between species as well as obscure the selective impact some variables have on canine size.