MORPHOMETRICAL SEXUAL DIFFERENCES IN Liolaemus parvus (Liolaemidae) FROM SAN JUAN

GABRIEL CASTILLO; JUAN CARLOS ACOSTA; LASPIUR ALEJANDRO; GRACIELA BLANCO

San Juan

Congreso; SECOND JOINT MEETING OF THE BIOLOGY SOCIETIES FROM ARGENTINA; 2011

Selective pressures acting differentially on males and females manytimes can be explained by consider ecological function such as reducingniche overlap and competition between the sexes. For thesereason, the aim of this study is to detect morphological differencesbetween sexes in a population of Liolaemus parvus in Calingastadeparment, San Juan, Argentina. We measured 9 morphometricvariables in 50 individuals (25 males/25 females): Head length(LCA), head width (ANCA), head high (ALCA), humerus length(LH), femur length (LF), radius-ulna length (LRC), tibio-fibulalength (LTF) snout-vent length (LHC) and distance between members(DEM). Dependence of each variable with LHC was tested,when these were significant ANCOVA was performed. LHC differenceswere tested through ANOVA. And rejection level was 5%in all cases. Significant differences between sexes in 5 morphometricvariables (LCA, ANCA, ALCA, LH, and LF) were founded,being all of these in males longer than females. Nevertheless, significantdifferences were founded in (DEM) being in females longerthan males. Our results are discussed in the intra specific competitioncontext and ethological significance as those related to courtshipand defense of space.