Levels Of Sexual Size Dimorphism Research Articles

Genetic analysis of sexual size dimorphism in Markhoz goat.

Genetic bases of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in Markhoz goat (5268 kids descended from 242 sires and 1499 dams) were unraveled as it was thought that sex-specific genetic mechanism is in the place governing SSD of birth weight (BW), weaning weight at 90days of age (WW_90d), and post-weaning weights at 6 (W6), 9 (W9), and 12 (W12) months of age. Male kids excelled for BW, WW_90d, W6, W9, and W12 than their female counterparts in the tune of 10, 17, 14, 17, and 23%, respectively. Estimates of sexual dimorphism levels (expressed as M/F) were 1.09, 1.17, 1.14, 1.17, and 1.23 for BW, WW_90d, W6, W9, and W12, respectively, which indicated relatively low levels of sexual size dimorphism in the studied traits. Though the additive genetic, residual and phenotypic variances were higher in males than females, for mostly all studied traits, but the heritability estimates for all traits except birth weight were higher in females. Differences in direct and maternal effects between male and female kids indicated that body weights traits could be treated as separate trait for male and female kids. Cross-sex genetic correlations revealed that almost all ages, genetic correlations between the two sexes, were high, and the lowest estimate (0.88) was for W6, which highlighted this trait as the most dimorphic trait in this breed. High and positive genetic correlations between the sexes indicated that selection for body weight in males would result in a correlated response in females and vice versa and, consequently, would prevent phenotypic divergence.

The effect of group size, reproductive condition and time period on sexual segregation patterns in three vespertilionid bat species

AbstractSexual segregation is widespread across the animal kingdom, yet there is limited consensus on the factors that shape this behavioural phenomenon. Many of the existing theories are based on study species with high levels of sexual size dimorphism. Insights from studies on species with minimal sexual size dimorphism, such as vespertilionid bats, provide an opportunity to study the factors associated with segregation irrespective of body size effects. Using long‐term data pooled from multiple bat box monitoring schemes across the U.K., we investigated segregation patterns in maternity roosts of three vespertilionid bat species, Bechstein’s bat, Myotis bechsteinii, Natterer’s bat, M. nattereri and brown long‐eared bat, Plecotus auritus. We used the Sexual Segregation and Aggregation Statistic (SSAS) to evaluate temporal trends of sexual segregation of roosts over the reproductive period (divided into pre‐parturition, lactation and post‐lactation periods). Additionally, we used generalized linear mixed models and beta regression models to investigate the effect of group size on segregation patterns. Our results showed that the size of the maternity group was an important covariate of inter‐ and intra‐sexual segregation, with males and non‐breeding females typically segregated from large maternity groups across all three periods. Additionally, we demonstrate that reproductive condition and period influence segregation patterns, with breeding females segregated from non‐breeding females and males during the lactation period. Although sexual segregation may be caused by multiple mechanisms, our results show that group size, female reproductive condition and time period are key factors associated with segregation within bat roosts. These findings make a valuable contribution to the understanding of inter‐ and intra‐sexual segregation in vespertilionid bats and complement existing research on segregation in other mammalian taxa, providing further evidence that sexual size dimorphism is not a prerequisite for sexual segregation.

Variance in lifetime reproductive success of male polar bears

Abstract Despite the important role that population density plays in ecological and evolutionary processes, studies of solitary species that occur at low densities remain scarce. In the context of mating systems, density is expected to influence the ability of males to find and monopolize mates, in turn, influencing variance in lifetime mating/reproductive success and the opportunity for selection. Herein, we investigate variance in male lifetime mating success (LMS), lifetime reproductive success (LRS), and the mating system of a sexually dimorphic carnivore that occurs at low densities, the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). Across 17 cohorts, born from 1975 to 1991, male LMS ranged from 0 to10 mates and LRS from 0 to 14 cubs; 40% of known-age males were not known to have reproduced. The opportunity for sexual selection (Is = 1.66, range = 0.60–4.99) and selection (I = 1.76, range: 0.65–4.89) were low compared to species with similar levels of sexual size dimorphism. Skew in male LRS was also low but significant for most cohorts indicating nonrandom reproductive success. Age-specific reproductive success was biased toward males from 11 to 17 years of age, with variation in fecundity (54%) but not longevity (10%) playing an important role in male reproduction. Our results support a growing body of evidence that suggests that male-biased size dimorphism and polygynous mating systems need not be associated with high variance in male mating and/or reproductive success.

Sex Determination in Breeding Dunlin (Calidris alpina hudsonia)

Abstract. Male and female Dunlin (Calidris alpina) exhibit slight plumage and structural differences. Discriminant function analysis based on morphological characteristics can effectively differentiate between sexes in several subspecies of Dunlin. We assessed the level of sexual size dimorphism in a subspecies that breeds in sub-Arctic Canada (C. a. hudsonia), and used discriminant function analysis to create equations to classify individuals to sex using five body measurements (body mass, head length, culmen length, tarsus length, and flattened wing chord). Females were significantly larger than males for all body measurements. Discriminant function analysis using tarsus length, head length, and body mass correctly classified 87.1% of molecularly sexed females (n = 31) and 92.6% of males (n = 27). The classification of an independent sample (n = 12) resulted in 100.0% correct assignment of sex with 33.3% of individuals falling within the undetermined range. A discriminant function analysis equation is p...

Sex influence on genetic expressions of early growth in Afshari lambs

Abstract. Very little is known about the genetic aspects of sexual dimorphism of body weight in domestic sheep, and therefore this study was conducted to quantify the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism for early-growth-related traits in Afshari lambs. Traits evaluated included birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), and growth rate (GR) in male and female lambs. Male lambs were 6.6 % heavier at birth, had 14.4 % higher preweaning growth rates and were 16.0 % heavier at weaning compared to female lambs. Levels of sexual-size dimorphism (SSD), expressed as the ratio of male to female means, for BW, WW and GR were 1.07, 1.14 and 1.15, respectively, which indicated low levels of SSD in the traits studied. Fixed effects of year of birth and type of birth interacted with sex effects, with greater variability in birth and weaning weights among years and birth types in male lambs, suggesting greater environmental sensitivity in the males. Bivariate animal models and restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures were used to estimate phenotypic variances and their genetic and non-genetic components in male and female lambs. Estimates of the direct heritability (h2) and additive coefficient of variation (CVA) for BW were higher in males. However, for WW and GR, heritability estimates were higher in females. In contrast, whereas the contribution of maternal permanent environmental effects (c2) to variation of BW was higher in females, for WW and GR higher estimates of c2 were observed in males. Respective genetic and maternal permanent environmental correlations between records on males and females were 0.986 and 0.723 for BW, 0.995 and 0.983 for WW, and 0.995 and 0.966 for GR, indicating possible sexual dimorphism only for maternal effects on BW. Based on an approximate 95 % confidence interval, none of the observed differences in variance components between sexes differed from zero and none of the observed genetic or maternal correlations differed from 1.0, indicating no need or opportunity for sex-specific selection strategies.

The role of fecundity and sexual selection in the evolution of size and sexual size dimorphism in New World and Old World voles (Rodentia: Arvicolinae)

Evolutionary ecologists dating back to Darwin (1871) have sought to understand why males are larger than females in some species, and why females are the larger sex in others. Although the former is widespread in mammals, rodents and other small mammals usually exhibit low levels of sexual size dimorphism (SSD). Here, we investigate patterns of sexual dimorphism in 34 vole species belonging to the subfamily Arvicolinae in a phylogenetic comparative framework. We address the potential role of sexual selection and fecundity selection in creating sex differences in body size. No support was found for hyperallometric scaling of male body size to female body size. We observed a marginally significant relationship between SSD and the ratio of male to female home range size, with the latter being positively related to the level of intrasexual competition for mates. This suggests that sexual selection favours larger males. Interestingly, we also found that habitat type, but not mating system, constitutes a strong predictor of SSD. Species inhabiting open habitats – where males have extensive home ranges in order to gain access to as many females as possible – exhibit a higher mean dimorphism than species inhabiting closed habitats, where females show strong territoriality and an uniform distribution preventing males to adopt a territorial strategy for gaining copulations. Nonetheless, variation in the strength of sexual selection is not the only selective force shaping SSD in voles; we also found a positive association between female size and litter size across lineages. Assuming this relationship also exists within lineages (i.e. fecundity selection on female size), this suggests an additional role for variation in the strength of fecundity selection shaping interspecific differences in female size, and indirectly in SSD. Therefore our results suggest that different selective processes act on the sizes of males and females, but because larger size is favoured in both sexes, SSD is on average relatively small.

A genetic study on sexual dimorphism of bodyweight in sheep

The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism of bodyweight in Zandi sheep. To do this, a pedigree including 1450 dams and 170 sires was used. Six bivariate animal models were applied for investigating direct and maternal effects for three age-specific bodyweights (bodyweight at birth, 3 and 6 months of age) in male and female Zandi lambs. The variance components were estimated via REML procedure. Males were, respectively, 6%, 7% and 9% heavier than females at birth, weaning and 6 months of age. Estimates of sexual dimorphism levels (expressed as M/F) were 1.11 at birth, 1.07 at weaning and 1.09 at 6 months of age, which indicated relatively low levels of sexual size dimorphism in the traits studied. Except for birthweight, for which estimates of additive genetic, residual and phenotypic variances as well as direct heritability and additive coefficient of variation were higher in females, for other traits studied, estimates were higher in males. However, regarding direct and maternal effects, none of the differences between the sexes was significant, indicating no need for sexual selection. Cross-sex genetic correlations were 0.862 at birth, 0.918 at weaning and 0.922 at 6 months of age, which highlighted birthweight as the most dimorphic trait. It was concluded that, owing to possible contribution of sexual chromosomes to variation of growth-related traits, bodyweight in male and female lambs may not be under the exactly same genetic control.

Can Foraging Ecology Drive the Evolution of Body Size in a Diving Endotherm?

Within a single animal species, different morphs can allow for differential exploitation of foraging niches between populations, while sexual size dimorphism can provide each sex with access to different resources. Despite being potentially important agents of evolution, resource polymorphisms, and the way they operate in wild populations, remain poorly understood. In this study, we examine how trophic factors can select for different body sizes between populations and sexes in a diving endotherm. Dive depth and duration are positively related to body size in diving birds and mammals, a relationship explained by a lower mass-specific metabolic rate and greater oxygen stores in larger individuals. Based on this allometry, we predict that selection for exploiting resources situated at different depths can drive the evolution of body size in species of diving endotherms at the population and sexual level. To test this prediction, we studied the foraging ecology of Blue-eyed Shags, a group of cormorants with male-biased sexual size dimorphism from across the Southern Ocean. We found that mean body mass and relative difference in body mass between sexes varied by up to 77% and 107% between neighbouring colonies, respectively. Birds from colonies with larger individuals dived deeper than birds from colonies with smaller individuals, when accounting for sex. In parallel, males dived further offshore and deeper than females and the sexual difference in dive depth reflected the level of sexual size dimorphism at each colony. We argue that body size in this group of birds is under intense selection for diving to depths of profitable benthic prey patches and that, locally, sexual niche divergence selection can exaggerate the sexual size dimorphism of Blue-eyed Shags initially set up by sexual selection. Our findings suggest that trophic resources can select for important geographic micro-variability in body size between populations and sexes.

Proximate sources of sexual size dimorphism in insects: locating constraints on larval growth schedules

Different levels of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) have usually been explained by selective forces operating in the adult stage. Developmental mechanisms leading to SSD during the juvenile development have received less attention. In particular, it is often not clear if the individuals of the ultimately larger sex are larger already at hatching/birth, do they grow faster, or do they grow for a longer time. In the case of insects, the question about sexually dimorphic growth rates is still open because most previous studies fail to adequately consider the complexity of larval growth curve, the existence of distinct larval instars in particular. Applying an instar-specific approach, we analysed ontogenetic determination of female-biased SSD in a number of distantly related species of Lepidoptera. The species studied showed a remarkable degree of similarity: SSD appeared invariably earlier than in the final instar, and tended to accumulate during development. The higher weight of the females was shown to be primarily a consequence of longer development within several larval instars. There was some evidence of higher instantaneous growth rates of females in the penultimate instar but not in the final instar. Egg size, studied in one species, was found not to be sexually dimorphic. The high across-species similarity may be seen as an indication of constraints on the set of possible mechanisms of size divergence between the two sexes. The results are discussed from the perspective of the evolution of insect body size in general. In particular, this study confirms the idea about limited evolvability of within-instar growth increments. An evolutionary change towards larger adult size appears always to be realised via moderate changes in relative increments of several larval instars, whereas a considerable change in just one instar may not be feasible.

Sex ratio variation in harvested moose (Alces alces) calves: does it reflect population calf sex ratio or selective hunting?

During the last 30 years, the proportion of males in the calf harvest of moose (Alces alces) in Norway has decreased, indicating a decline in proportions of males recruited to the autumn populations. At the same time, the percentages of exclusive calf hunting permits and of calves shot have increased. The change in calf sex ratio may thus simply be the result of hunter preferences for slightly larger (6.2% higher body mass) male calves combined with fewer opportunities for selective hunting due to increasing hunting quotas of calves. We examined this hypothesis by analyzing the variation in sex, number of siblings, carcass mass, date, and location of kill of 16,330 moose calves harvested during 1970–2004. In the presence of hunting selection for larger calves, we predicted larger proportions of male calves to be harvested in populations with large sexual size dimorphism among calves. Similarly, we expected more males to be harvested from twin than single litters because hunters then can more easily compare twins and select the larger calf, which is more often a male. Increasing proportions of single female calves were also expected to occur in the daily harvest as the accumulated number of harvested calves increased and the proportion of calves left in the population decreased. We found no positive relationship between the proportion of male calves and the level of sexual size dimorphism, no clear difference in sex ratio between harvested single and twin calves, and no increase in the proportion of single female calves as the accumulated number of calves in the harvest increased. This suggests that the spatiotemporal variation in the harvest calf sex ratio in Norway most likely reflects differences in population calf sex ratios prior to the hunting season and not varying degrees of hunting selectivity.

Seasonal and sex-related variation in song control nuclei in a species with near-monomorphic song, the northern cardinal

Studies concerning the song control system (SCS) in songbirds generally focus on males due to their prodigious song production. Both seasonal and age related differences have been found in the size of male SCS regions. Among those studies that have addressed females some level of sexual size dimorphism has been found, with females generally having smaller SCS area than males. Among those species where female song has been studied, typically females either sing much less than males, or they duet with their mates, but in general do not produce independent song. Here we present information on seasonal and sex differences in SCS in the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) a species where both sexes sing, females sing independent of their mates, and song is produced by males over a prolonged period of time (7-8 months). We collected brains from free-living adult cardinals, both in the late non-breeding season and during the early breeding season, and measured three song control nuclei; HVC, Area X and RA. There were sex differences in all three areas assessed at the two time points considered. Additionally, there was a seasonal difference in both sexes for all areas assessed. In both time points male SCS nuclei were 1.5-2.0 times larger than female SCS nuclei. These data show that even in those species with independent female song there may still exist sex differences in the SCS nuclei. Similarity in song between the sexes could be related to differences in hormone receptors or hormone levels in the brain, while the small-observed changes in SCS area in males may allow for early breeding season song production and song production outside of the breeding season.

Evolution of body size in the genusDamaliscus: a comparison with hartebeestAlcelaphusspp.

AbstractIn species with low levels of sexual size dimorphism, it may be relatively easy to detect the role of natural selection in the evolution of body size. Habitat primary production (HPP) appears to be a key factor in the divergence of size in the hartebeest clade (Alcelaphusspp.), such that subspecies in less productive savannahs are smaller than those in richer ones. Here I test whether a similar pattern exists within the genusDamaliscus(topi and their allies). Basal skull length was used as a surrogate of body size and measured in the seven allopatric subspecies ofDamaliscus. Means for each subspecies and sex were regressed against climatic factors as surrogates of HPP. Variation in skull length acrossDamaliscustaxa was less than in hartebeest. Two clusters were present in both sexes and corresponded to the distinction between the species,Damaliscus dorcasandDamaliscus lunatus. This may reflect differences in productivity between edaphic grasslands, occupied by allD. lunatus, and dry grasslands, occupied byD. dorcas. Mean annual rainfall was the best predictor of body size in males and showed a non‐significant positive tendency in females. After accounting for phylogenetic effects, these correlations were both non‐significant. Edaphic grasslands might be less dependent on precipitation for primary production because the impeded drainage of their soil prolongs water availability after the end of the rains. Furthermore, they are probably more consistent in productivity across African regions than secondary grasslands and savannah woodlands, which rely on rainfall for grass growth. These properties of edaphic grasslands may explain why size inDamaliscusappears to be less sensitive to variation in rainfall and less variable across subspecies than inAlcelaphus.

Sexual dimorphism of craniological characters in Eurasian badgers, Meles spp. (Carnivora, Mustelidae)

An analysis of 30 craniological characters of Eurasian badgers ( Meles spp.) revealed different levels of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and geographic variation in the three different species. SSD is displayed mostly in the general size of the skull (condylobasal length, zygomatic width, width of rostrum, and cranial height) and mandible (height of the vertical mandibular ramus, total length of the mandible, and length between the angular process and infradentale), and in some dental characters (length of the upper molar M 1). The most stable size dimorphism is manifested in the size of the canines, which is pronounced in all studied samples. SSD is not apparent in the length of the auditory bulla, the postorbital width, the minimum palatal width, the length of the lower molar M 2, and the talonid length of the lower carnassial tooth M 1. In both the European badgers, Meles meles, and the Asian badgers, Meles leucurus, two geographic forms that differ in the degree of SSD have been found. The most pronounced SSD of cranial characters is found in the Transcaucasian form of Meles meles and the Far-Eastern form of Meles leucurus. In the large European form of Meles meles, SSD is less pronounced in both absolute and relative criteria than in the smaller Transcaucasian form. An analogous situation is observed in the larger Siberian and smaller Far-Eastern forms of Meles leucurus. In the Japanese badgers, Meles anakuma, a downsizing of the skull is accompanied by a decrease in SSD (except in canine size) in comparison to the continental species. The significant differences in the manifestation of SSD in the Eurasian badgers support an earlier hypothesis (Abramov, 2001. Proc. Zool. Inst. Russ. Acad. Sci. 288, 221–233; Abramov, 2002. Russ. J. Theriol. 1 (1), 57–60; Abramov, 2003. Small Carnivore Conserv. 29, 5–7) that Meles meles, Meles leucurus, and Meles anakuma are separate species. The differences in the level of SSD among and within these three species of badgers may be attributed not to differences in the diet or social structure, but to the history of speciation events and formation of intraspecific distribution ranges.

Patterns of song evolution and sexual selection in the oropendolas and caciques

Although oscine bird song is widely thought to have evolved under the influence of sexual selection, few studies have used phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate how these vocalizations have changed historically. In the present study, we use a molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial sequence data to reconstruct vocal evolution in the oropendolas and caciques, an oscine group with diverse taxon-specific song patterns and a wide range in levels of sexual size dimorphism. Our reconstructions show that large changes in song organization and structure have occurred on branches of the phylogeny with relatively high levels of size dimorphism. The particular vocal components that changed, however, often differed in different phylogenetic lineages. These patterns indicate that sexual selection has had important influences on song evolution in these birds, but has targeted different components of song in different taxa. Our results provide insight into how sexual selection influences bird song and suggest directions for future research to uncover the behavioral mechanisms driving vocal evolution. Copyright 2004.

Population variation in second metacarpal sexual size dimorphism.

This paper contrasts levels of sexual size dimorphism in second metacarpal osteometric and geometric morphology in two bioculturally distinctive populations: 19th century Euro-Canadian settlers, and proto/historic central Canadian Inuit. Significant within-group sexual size dimorphism is found for all variables, though few show significant interpopulation differences. However, in every case the Euro-Canadian sample is more dimorphic than the Inuit sample. Notably, differences reside in geometric measures (total area, Imax) sensitive to variation in functional strain, and thus are interpretable in light of proximate causal models, i.e., activity profiles distinct from generalized mode of subsistence. Other proximate factors, such as nutritional stress acting to diminish Inuit sexual size dimorphism, may also play a role. However, models often cited to explain dimorphism, such as marriage practice (e.g., polygyny) or division of labor situated in mode of subsistence, do not. The higher sexual size dimorphism in the 19th century settler sample belies the notion that technological progress inevitably leads to reduced dimorphism.