Ecological determinants of clinal morphological variation in the cranium of the North American gray wolf

摘要: Abstract The gray wolf (Canis lupus) exhibits both genetic and morphologic clinal variation across North America. Although shape in populations has been documented, no study made to exhaustively quantify it, or correlate with environmental variables. This utilizes a large historical database of skull linear measurements analyze shape, attempts it ecology. A variety statistical tests are employed; size examined through principal component analysis calculation allometry vectors. Multiple regression (both global stepwise) then used test the resulting components against various biotic abiotic factors. In addition, effects sexual dimorphism taxonomy on morphology explored 1-way variance canonical variates analysis, respectively. Several patterns revealed, including increase latitude accord Bergmann's ...