VARIATION OF CRANIAL AND DENTAL MEASUREMENTS AND DENTAL CORRELATIONS IN THE PAMPEAN FOX

PREVOSTI, F. J. Y LAMAS, L.

JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY (1987)

Zoological Society of London

Lugar: London; Año: 2006 p. 636 - 649

0952-8369

The knowledge of the craniodental variability of South American canids is mainly anecdotic, and the variability and dental correlation of living canids have only been studied in several species of holartic foxes (Vulpes vulpes, Vulpes lagopus, and Urocyon cinereoargeteus) and Canis lupus. These studies have shown that the last molars, canines and incisors are the most variable and that the central molars and premolars are the least, and that correlations are highest among the posterior premolars. This pattern has been accounted for by developmental factors, functional utility, and tooth complexity. In this paper the pattern of dental correlation and variability of craniodental measurements in the South American fox Dusicyon gymnocercus is studied, with the aim to check the extension of the pattern observed in other species and contrast previous hypothesis. In Dusicyon gymnocercus the most variable measurements are some cranial widths, width of the incisors, lower canine and lower last molar, whereas others such as width of the braincase, length of the upper carnassials, and first and second lower and upper molars have lower variability. The premolar region is the more correlated, in values and number of significant correlation coefficients. The results show that the measurement error is negatively correlated with the size of the variables, which could explain the bias found in this index as earlier authors have suggested, but the pattern captured by this index cannot be completely considered an artefact. The observed results confirm that the patterns of variability and correlation found in holarctic foxes are widespread in the family Canidae, and suggest the presence of an evolutionary constraint.