scholarly journals Variation in body size of Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) in Atlantic Rainforest streams in response to hydraulic disturbance

2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 747-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
MO. Segura ◽  
T. Siqueira ◽  
AA. Fonseca-Gessner
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Atlantic Rainforest ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Head Width ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Larval Size ◽  
Morphometric Variation ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Rain Events

In this study, patterns of body size of Phanocerus clavicornis Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Larainae) were investigated along a gradient of change in speed of flow conditions in streams of low order in the Atlantic Rainforest in southeastern Brazil. Specifically, the hypothesis that the distribution of P. clavicornis larvae vary in size in response to variations in the speed of flow in streams was tested. A Surber sampler was used to collect larvae from the streambed during two sampling periods, defined by the rain regime: August in the dry season and February in the rainy season. Possible differences in mean measured body size were tested by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The ANOVA result indicated for all measurements on the larvae collected in first-order streams (head width, prothoracic width and total body length), there were significant differences indicating a morphometric variation due to changing hydraulic conditions, the smallest larvae being associated with the period of greater rainfall. However, the larger streams (3rd order), where the rain events had less impact on the larval size, varied widely. The results of this study suggest that the interstitial space is important for the protection of the larvae from water flow, and that populations of P. clavicornis have high plasticity, a key feature for the occupation of unstable environments for this species. These results are important for an understanding of the life history and behavioural characteristics of the species, which allow them to persist in streams along a gradient of flow disturbance.

scholarly journals Body size, female reproduction and sexual dimorphism in the lizard Ameiva ameiva (Teiidae) in a restinga of southeastern Brazil

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Frederico Duarte Rocha
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Reproductive Period ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Female Reproduction ◽  
Female Body Size ◽  
Reproductive Body

In this study 57 specimens of the lizard Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus, 1758) collected in the restinga at Barra de Maricá, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, were analyzed to investigate size relations and reproduction (in females) and sexual dimorphism of this population. We answered the following questions: 1) what is the minimum reproductive body size in females? 2) what is the average clutch size and 3) how is clutch size related to body size? 4) Are body and head sizes sexually dimorphic? Mean clutch size was 6.7 ± 2.1 eggs and was positively correlated with female body size. Sexual dimorphism favoring males was found: adult mean snout-vent length was great in males (124.2 ± 17.8 mm) than females (96.5 ± 23.1 mm SVL), and males were larger with respect to head width and length, and body mass. Thus, despite the marked seasonality at Barra de Maricá, A. ameiva has an extended reproductive period. Also, intrasexual selection may have acted on females to produce larger clutches, and on males, favoring larger males.

scholarly journals PENGUKURAN PANJANG TUBUH CACING NIPAH PENDEK Namalycastis abiuma (POLYCHAETA: NEREDIDAE) DARI PERAIRAN MANGROVE SUNGAI KAPUAS KALIMANTAN BARAT

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-189
Author(s):  
Junardi Junardi
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Anterior Segment ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Female Body Size ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Total Body ◽  
The Relationship

AbstrakCacing Nipah Pendek Namalycastis abiuma memiliki tubuh yang elastis dan mudah putus sehingga diperlukan pendekatan morfometri tubuh lain untuk menentukan panjang tubuh sesungguhnya. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menentukan panjang tubuh total cacing nipah pendek dengan menggunakan bobot tubuh, jumlah total segmen berseta, panjang tiga segmen anterior pertama (L3) dan lebar segmen berseta atau setiger ke-10 (S-10). Spesimen yang digunakan dipilih hanya individu yang lengkap dan utuh. Pengukuran dilakukan dibawah mikroskop dengan lensa okular yang dilengkapi dengan mikrometer. Data dianalisis dengan analisis korelasi. Cacing yang digunakan sebanyak 258 individu yang terdiri atas 190 immature, 54 submature dan 14 mature dengan ukuran panjang tubuh rata-rata berturut-turut 108,62±34,80 mm, 172,27±42,78 mm dan 123,14±57,40 mm. Cacing betina ditemukan memiliki ukuran tubuh lebih besar dari jantan. Panjang tubuh N. abiuma dapat diduga dengan bobot tubuh, panjang L3 dan lebar S-10 dengan nilai koefisien korelasi (r) berturut-turut 0,82, 0,73 dan 0,78. Pendekatan morfometri dapat digunakan untuk menentukan ukuran tubuh N. abiuma.Abstract The short nypa palm worm Namalycastis abiuma has an elastic and fragile body. Therefore, an alternative approach of morphometrical techniques is needed to determine the total body length. This research aimed to estimate the total body length of the short nypa palm worm based on body weight, the total number of segments, the length of the first three anterior segment (L3) and the tenth setiger width (S10). Body measurement was done using stereomicroscope fitted with the micrometer. Correlation analysis was done to describe the relationship between the length of L3 and the width of S10. A total of 258 complete and whole specimens consisted of 190 immature, 54 submature, and 14 mature individuals. The average body length of immature individuals was 108.62±34.80 mm, 172.27±42.78 mm for sub mature individuals, and 123.14±57.40 mm for mature individuals. Based on sexual dimorphism, the female body size is larger than male. The body length of N. abiuma can be estimated by body weight, the length of L3, and the  width of S10, with  correlation coefficient (r) of 0.82, 0.73 and 0.78, respectively. Morphometry approach can be used to determine the body size of N. abiuma. 

scholarly journals Lophyra flexuosa (Fabricius, 1787) (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) in desert countries: morphological variability in geographic aspect as potential beginning of speciation?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radomir Jaskuła ◽  
Axel Schwerk ◽  
Mateusz Płóciennik
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Morphological Variability ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Morphometric Traits ◽  
Altitudinal Distribution ◽  
Separate Species ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Total Body

Lophyra flexuosa is one of only several eurytopic tiger beetles species known from Palearctic realm. Its geographical distribution shows several populations that are spread from the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco, across some regions of south-western Europe and northern Africa to Israel and Syria. The species is characterized by long phenological activity, wide altitudinal distribution, and occurs in the highest number of habitats among all Cicindelidae known from Maghreb region. In the present study the geographical variation in morphology and sexual dimorphism in north African populations of L. flexuosa was studied. In total 52 samples with over 700 specimens were collected including 20 samples in Morocco and 32 in Tunisia. To test the variation in morphometric traits measurements of eight body parameters were taken from all males (383) and females (352) including right mandible length, length of head, width of head, length of pronotum, maximum pronotum width, length of elytra, maximum elytra width, and total body length. We discovered significant sexual dimorphism expressed by larger body size of females and longer mandibles in males, what can be explained by different roles of particular sexes in courtship. Moreover, we recorded significant differences in body sizes between western and eastern Maghreb populations which can suggest genetic isolation between these populations. As the species is related to habitats placed close to water reservoirs, which in the desert countries are under significant human pressure (including climate change), we expect an reduction of habitats occupied by this taxon. Therefore, the geographic morphological variability that we observe today in the tiger beetle Lophyra flexuosa may lead to speciation and creation of separate species in the future.

scholarly journals Sexual Dimorphism in Anthonomus santacruzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a Biological Control Agent of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 840-850
Author(s):  
Archbold Sasa ◽  
Rafał Gosik ◽  
Ed T. F. Witkowski ◽  
Marcus J. Byrne ◽  
Miłosz A. Mazur
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Biological Control Agent ◽  
Abdominal Tergite ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Structure ◽  
Solanum Mauritianum ◽  
Total Body

AbstractThere is evident variation in body size amongst Anthonomus santacruzi Hustache, 1924, weevils. The aims of this study were to assess if the variation in body size in A. santacruzi weevils is a result of sexual dimorphism and what features can be used to distinguish males from females. The weevils were collected from field sites in Mpumalanga, South Africa, where they were introduced as biocontrol agents of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli. Body structures and the presence/absence of the tergal notch was examined under an optical stereomicroscope and SEM to assess differences between sexes. The morphometric analysis of the body structures included rostrum length (base–apex and antennal insertion–apex), elytral length and width, pronotum length and width, first tarsus length, first tibia length, funiculus length and total body length. Rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length were significantly larger in females than in males. A tergal notch in the 8th abdominal tergite was present in males and absent in females. The body structure; of rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length overlapped between sexes in some specimens. The abdominal tergal notch was found to be the most useful body structure to distinguish males from females in A. santacruzi.

scholarly journals Body size in tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) in the south-eastern European biodiversity hotspot: sexual dimorphism and patterns of co-occurrence

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radomir Jaskuła ◽  
Mateusz Płóciennik ◽  
Axel Schwerk
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Head Width ◽  
Tiger Beetles ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Reproduction Process ◽  
Similar Body ◽  
Sea Coast

In south-eastern Europe, especially in lowland areas located close to the sea coast, the diversity of Cicindelidae is one of the highest in the entire Palaearctic realm. This is both because of geological history of the region and the presence of large mosaic of habitats attractive for these beetles. As a result in the region about 25% of all Palaearctic species of tiger beetles can be found, including endemics. Many of them can be characterized by narrow or very narrow habitat preferences occurring only in one or two types of macrohabitats. In the present study sexual dimorphism of six species of tiger beetles (Calomera littoralis, C. fischeri, Cephalota circumdata, C. chiloleuca, Cylindera trisignata trisignata, Myriochila melancholica) collected along the sea coast of the Black and Mediterranean Seas was studied based on eight body parameters (right mandible length, length of head, width of head, length of pronotum, maximum pronotum width, length of elytra, maximum elytra width, and total body length.). Moreover, patterns of species co-occurrence on the basis of body size were investigated. As results we found significant sexual dimorphism indicated by larger body size of females and longer mandibles in males of the studied Cicindelidae species, what can be explained by different roles of the particular sexes in courtship (females invest much more energy in the reproduction process than males, e.g. to produce eggs or to find a good place to deposit them, as a result bigger size is much more beneficial for this sex). Moreover, we discovered that in the studied area tiger beetle species characterized by similar body size avoid each other and do not occur in the same areas.

scholarly journals Ectoparasites as numerical dominant species in parasite community of Trachelyopterus striatulus (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) from Guandu River, southeastern Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 623-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
RLB. Mesquita ◽  
RK. Azevedo ◽  
VD. Abdallah ◽  
JL. Luque
Keyword(s):  
Parasite Species ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Parasite Community ◽  
The Body ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Typical Pattern ◽  
Predominant Species ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Index Of Diversity

Sixty specimens of singing catfish Trachelyopterus striatulus (Steindachner, 1877) (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) collected from Guandu River (22º 48' 32" S and 43º 37' 35" W), in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from October 2006 to March 2009, were necropsied to study their parasites. From the 60 specimens of T. striatulus examined 57 were parasitised by at least one parasite species. The majority of the parasite specimens collected were monogeneans followed by Nematoda, Digenea and Hirudinea. Cosmetocleithrum sp. was the numerically predominant species with highest prevalence and abundance. The parasites of T. striatulus showed the typical pattern of aggregated distribution. No parasite species showed significant correlation between the body total length of the host and their abundance. The mean parasite species richness was not correlated with the host's total body length and sex. Values of the Brillouin index of diversity had a mean of H = 0.083 ± 0.136.

scholarly journals The vulnerability of species to range expansions by predators can be predicted using historical species associations and body size

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1812) ◽  
pp. 20151211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M. Alofs ◽  
Donald A. Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Relative Impact ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Historical Range

Climate change threatens species directly through environmental changes and indirectly through its effects on species interactions. We need tools to predict which species are most vulnerable to these threats. Pairwise species associations and body size are simple but promising predictors of the relative impact of species introduced outside of their historical ranges. We examined the vulnerability of 30 fish species to the impacts of three centrarchid predators that are being introduced to lakes north of their historical range boundaries. Species that were negatively associated with each centrarchid in their historical range were more likely to be lost from lakes with centrarchid introductions. Total body length was most important in predicting impact for the most gape-limited predator. At the regional scale, our method identifies those species most vulnerable to introductions facilitated by climate change and can easily be applied to a range of taxa undergoing range expansions.

Sexual dimorphism and allometry in the giant water strider Gigantometra gigas

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 923-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Tseng ◽  
Locke Rowe
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Body Length ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Correlated Response ◽  
Water Strider ◽  
Leg Length ◽  
Allometric Analysis ◽  
Total Leg ◽  
Total Body

This study describes sexual dimorphism in size (total body length and lengths of leg components) and in the allometric relationships between leg-component lengths and total body length in the giant water strider Gigantometra gigas (Heteroptera: Gerridae). Gigantometra gigas is the largest known gerrid, and has been previously described as monomorphic for body size. We compare our results with analogous data collected on Gerris buenoi, a species of more moderate size, where females are larger than males. Based on 94 specimens of G. gigas, we conclude that males are larger than females in all measured traits. This dimorphism was most spectacular in the leg components, which are 10-50% longer in males than in females. Males are generally more variable in size than females, and this is especially so for leg components. Allometric analysis suggests that total leg lengths (particularly middle and rear) increase at a much greater rate with body size in males than in females, therefore there is sexual dimorphism in allometries on the scale of that in the traits themselves. The relationship between middle and hind leg lengths is strong in both sexes, and appears to differ very little between the sexes or between G. gigas, and Ge. buenoi. These data suggest a constraint on this relationship, perhaps because of the biomechanics of locomotion. We propose that sexual selection acting on middle leg lengths in males explains both the increase and variance in middle leg length, and that hind leg length follows by correlated response.

Morphological Variation Among Populations of the Mountain Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus-Caninus Ogilby (Phalangeridae, Marsupialia)

1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 449 ◽  
Author(s):  
DB Lindenmayer ◽  
KL Viggers ◽  
RB Cunningham ◽  
CF Donnelly
Keyword(s):  
Body Length ◽  
New South ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Canonical Variate ◽  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
Morphometric Variation ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Total Body

The results are described of a study of morphometric variation among populations of the mountain brushtail possum, Trichosurus caninus Ogilby. Trapping surveys were completed at seven sites from southern Victoria to central Queensland. The variables measured from each of the 102 animals captured included head length, skull width, total body length, tail length, pes length, length of the ear conch, body girth, belly girth and the pelage colour. Canonical variate analysis highlighted the existence of a marked separation between populations in Victoria and those in New South Wales and Queensland. The first canonical variate accounted for 89% of the variation between the populations and was dominated by the length of the ear conch, tail length and pes length. There also were differences between the populations for several other morphometric measures including the head and body length. We recorded considerable variation in the fur colour of T. caninus both within and between the populations surveyed. However, no consistent pattern in the geographic variation of fur coloration was evident. We do not know the ecological or evolutionary causes underlying the observed differences in morphological characteristics amongst the populations of T. caninus. Further work is planned to examine the genetic variability of the populations and to assess the taxonomic significance of our findings.

scholarly journals Eco-ethology and trait distribution of two congeneric species – different strategies for the plague pest Acanthoplus discoidalis and the long-legged A. longipes (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erminia Conti ◽  
Giovanni Costa ◽  
Christian Mulder
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Total Body Length ◽  
Species Level ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Measurements ◽  
Congeneric Species ◽  
Trait Distribution ◽  
High Trait ◽  
Total Body

AbstractHigh trait variability among insects reflects a combination of intra- and inter-phenotype variations. Our aim was to assess if the trait distribution of body measurements can be more significantly influenced by sex (intraspecific variance) or by species (interspecific variance). To achieve this, we collected in Namibia tettigoniids belonging to two congeneric species of armoured ground crickets: Acanthoplus discoidalis (a significant pest in African croplands) and the long-legged Acanthoplus longipes. We measured in the field the total body length, the maximal pronotal width and length, and the femur and tibia lengths of the hind legs in 106 adults. We also derived the body mass from length and width values of the sampled specimens. No significant differences emerged in the two species by sex. A discriminant analysis clearly shows that at species level the locomotory traits as captured by tibia and femur lengths and the size traits as captured by body and pronotal lengths account for 99% of the total variance and clearly separate this pest from its congeneric species. In essence, it is not primarily the body size that differentiates the two species, but rather the pronotum and hind leg larger sizes of A. longipes. Different eco-ethological requirements, like the peculiarity of the calling song and the movements within the vegetation (and the consequently needed energy), independently force these functional traits.

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