Características morfológicas y dimorfismo sexual en la Paloma antártica (Chionis alba)

FAVERO M

ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL

Año: 2001 vol. 12 p. 173 - 179

1075-4377

Morphological characteristics and sexual dimorphism in the Pale-faced Sheathbill (Chionis alba). – The present study includes information on morphometric characteristics of adult Palefaced Sheathbills (Chionis alba), providing different tools for the discrimination of sexes in adult birds. Samples were taken in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, between summers 1993/94 and 1996/97, and also from birds collected in different localities of Argentina. All parameters considered revealed the existence of sexual dimorphism. Despite the averages of all measurements differed significantly, high overlapping ranges do not allowed a reliable identification of sexes by using any alone variable. However, an improved classification of sexes was possible by using discriminant analysis, where the most discriminating variables were the bill shape and the tarsus length.Chionis alba). – The present study includes information on morphometric characteristics of adult Palefaced Sheathbills (Chionis alba), providing different tools for the discrimination of sexes in adult birds. Samples were taken in South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, between summers 1993/94 and 1996/97, and also from birds collected in different localities of Argentina. All parameters considered revealed the existence of sexual dimorphism. Despite the averages of all measurements differed significantly, high overlapping ranges do not allowed a reliable identification of sexes by using any alone variable. However, an improved classification of sexes was possible by using discriminant analysis, where the most discriminating variables were the bill shape and the tarsus length.