Cranial variation of the greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) from the central Balkans
2015
Autori:
Budinski, IvanaJojić, Vida
Jovanović, Vladimir
Bjelic-Cabrilo, Olivera
Paunovic, Milan
Vujošević, Mladen
Tip dokumenta:
Članak u časopisu (Objavljena verzija)
Metapodaci
Prikaz svih podataka o dokumentuApstrakt:
Cranial size and shape variation of the greater horseshoe bat
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum from territories in Serbia and Montenegro was
examined using geometric morphometric methods. Statistically significant
size and shape differences among specimens from distinct geographic
regions (the Carpatho-Balkanides, the Internal and External Dinarides)
were observed. Bats from the Carpatho-Balkanides have the smallest
crania, while those from the External Dinarides have the largest ones.
Compared to specimens from the Carpatho-Balkanides, bats from the other
two regions have crania wider in the temporal and elongated in the
facial region, while the basicranial region is smaller. Our analysis of
sexual size dimorphism revealed no statistically significant differences
between males and females. Even though significant sexual shape
dimorphism was observed, cranial shape differences among bats from
different geographic regions exceeded those between sexes. We also found
that size and shape vary with climatic factors. Allometry has
statistically significant effect on cranial shape variation and somehow
contributes to covariation between cranial shape and environmental
variables. Although the examined bats were from a relatively small
territory, we have provided new insights into important issues like
geographic variation, sexual dimorphism and allometry in this species.
(C) 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Ključne reči:
Allometry; Geographic variation; Geometric morphometrics; Greater horseshoe bat; Sexual dimorphismIzvor:
Zoologischer Anzeiger, 2015, 254, 8-14
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2014.09.001
ISSN: 0044-5231