MACNBR   00242
MUSEO ARGENTINO DE CIENCIAS NATURALES "BERNARDINO RIVADAVIA"
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Sexual dimorphism in Leptodactylus latinasus (Anura, Leptodactylidae): nasal capsule anatomy, morphometric characters and performance associated with burrowing behavior
Autor/es:
PONSSA, MARÍA LAURA; BARRIONUEVO, JOSÉ SEBASTIÁN
Revista:
ACTA ZOOLOGICA
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Estocolmo; Año: 2010
ISSN:
0001-7272
Resumen:
In anurans, the ability to burrow has been associated with the
characteristics of external morphology, with modifications in the
musculoskeletal system and even in some brain regions. Male Leptodactylus fuscus construct subterranean chambers with the snout, where the eggs are deposited and early larval stages develop. Leptodactylus latinasus, a member of the L. fuscus
group, is a good model to test the relationship among digging behavior
of males, sexual divergence in the morphology of the nasal region,
cranial-dimensions, and performance as digger. The goal of this work is
to provide a detailed morphological description of the olfactory region,
which allows detecting sexually dimorphic characters, to evaluate
sexual divergence with head dimension data, and to test whether
differences exist in the digging performance of each sex. Our data do
not clearly indicate sexual dimorphism in head size, nasal region
morphology or digging performance that can be linked with the burrowing
behavior. Thus, the only unequivocal sexually dimorphic character
associated with the construction of the nuptial chamber by males would
be the rigid, chisel-like snout, present exclusively in males.