Skull allometry in the marine toad, Bufo marinus.

摘要: Scaling predictions pioneered by A.V. Hill state that isometric changes in kinematics result from size. These have been difficult to support because few animals display truly growth. An exception this rule is said be the toads genus Bufo, which can grow over three orders of magnitude. To determine whether skull shape increases isometrically, I used linear measurements and geometric morphometrics quantify variation a size series 69 skulls marine toad, B. marinus. Toads ranged body mass 1.8 gm calculated 1,558.9 gm. Of all (S/V length, width, levator mass, depressor adductor foramen area), only area increased faster than mass; remaining variables more slowly. In addition, modeling lower jaw as lever-arm system showed lengths closing in- out-levers scaled isometrically with despite fact itself changing allometrically. Geometric discerned areas greatest variability increasing at rear squamosal bone foramen. This increase may allow muscle move relatively greater larger toads, although scales mass. If marinus feeds similar manner other these results imply morphological allometry still kinematic isometry. J. Morphol. 241:115–126, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.