Sexual Size Dimorphism in the Plethodontidae

摘要: Sexual size dimorphism (or SSD for short) is common in vertebrate animals. It reflects the adaptation of males and females to different reproductive or ecological roles. male-biased when are larger than (as often case birds mammals), female-biased many ectothermic vertebrates invertebrates). usually considered a consequence selection on traits that roles females, including sexual traditional sense (reviewed Andersson, 1994, ch. 11;Fairbairn, 1997). Alternatively, sometimes viewed as intersexual niche divergence reduces competition between sexes food other resources (Selander, 1972;Shine, 1989;Slatkin, 1984). may be correlated with population density, relationship either intensity male-male breeding territories resource availability (Ghiselin, 1974;Stamps, 1983;Stamps et al., Very varies allometrically body among species within clade (Abouheif Fairbairn, 1997;Fairbairn,