Variation in skull size and shape of the Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis): allometric and non-allometric shape changes
2014
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We analysed patterns of skull size and shape variation among populations
of the Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in the Central Balkans,
particularly the effecs of insularity and the presence of the
ecologically similar lacertid lizard species P. melisellensis. Two
components of shape variation were analysed size dependent (allometric)
and size independent shape changes. The observed shape differentiation
relating to insularity was greatly size-dependent and concordant to
allometric shape changes which explained over 20\% of variation in the
skull shape in the analysed sample. The explorative analysis of
size-independent shape changes revealed that populations of P. muralis
which share habitat with P. melisellensis diverge from populations which
do not share habitat with potentially competing species. These changes
related to the general shortening and widening of the skull and increase
of the jaw adductor muscle chambers were more pronounced in males. We
suppose that the observed pattern of shape changes is driven by
competition among species (character displacement) and, possibly, is
further modified by heterospecific aggression and trophic shift.