鳄蜥对熟悉和陌生个体气味的辨别

个体辨别对于减少同种争斗以及配偶选择具有重要意义。我们用棉棒粘取鳄蜥(Shinisaurus crocodilurus)尿液作为气味源,以香水作为对照,测定鳄蜥对熟悉个体气味、陌生个体气味以及香水的舔舌次数和舔舌潜伏期,来探讨鳄蜥通过化学信息辨别熟悉和陌生个体的能力。结果显示,不论是雌性还是雄性,对不同个体尿液的舔舌次数均显著高于对香水的,舔舌潜伏期显著短于香水的;尽管雄性对陌生同性个体气味与熟悉同性个体气味的舔舌次数无显著差异,但对前者的舔舌潜伏期显著短于后者;雄性对陌生雌性气味的舔舌次数显著多于熟悉雌性气味的,对前者的舔舌潜伏期显著短于后者;雌性对陌生雄性气味的舔舌潜伏期显著短于对熟悉雄性气味的;雄鳄蜥对陌生雌性气味的舔舌次数显著多于雌鳄蜥对陌生雄性的。结果表明,鳄蜥能辨别同种个体的化学信息,并能通过化学信息来辨别熟悉和陌生个体,推测鳄蜥的这种辨别能力对其领域分配以及繁殖交配有重要作用。     

太行山猕猴的性打搅行为

性打搅是指动物在交配期间受到同种其他个体化学信息素、面部表情、声音、攻击等方面干扰的现象。性打搅行为作为非人灵长类繁殖行为生态研究的重要话题,具有高度的种间和种内差异,在种内主要受到性别和年龄等因素的影响。本研究于2021年9月至2022年8月在太行山猕猴国家级自然保护区五龙口地区,以太行山猕猴(Macaca mulatta tcheliensis) WLK-1A群为研究对象,采用焦点动物取样法和连续记录法观察并记录目标个体的交配行为,以期探讨太行山猕猴的性打搅行为及其性别-年龄组差异。结果表明：(1)太行山猕猴的性打搅行为仅发生在交配期,高峰期为11月;(2)从性打搅的发起者来看,雄性(成年和亚成年)个体占29.1%,雌性(成年和亚成年)个体占14.9%,青少年个体占7.5%,婴幼个体占48.5%;(3)与接触式性打搅相比,雄性(P=0.011)和雌性(P=0.033)的性打搅均以非接触式性打搅为主,青少年个体的非接触式与接触式性打搅之间无显著差异(P=0.334),婴幼猴以接触式性打搅为主(P=0.001);(4)雄性倾向于打搅交配中的雌性(P=0.040),雌性对交配中雄性与雌性...     

蓝尾石龙子的生长、两性异形及雌性繁殖

报道蓝尾石龙子（Eumeces elegans)的生长、两性异形和雌性繁殖,性成熟个体体色的两性差异显著,成年雄性体长、头长和头宽显著大于成年雌性,幼体体长生长率无显著的两性差异。成年雄体体长生长率显著大于成年雌体,因此,个体大小的两性异形是性成熟后发生的,体长小于50mm的幼体,头长和头宽无性差异;当体长大于50mm。雄性头长和头宽随体长的生长率显著大于雌性。并导致头部大小的两性异形,并随个体发育变得越来越显著,蓝尾石龙子产卵雌体的最小体长为69.3mm,大于此体长的雌体均年产单窝卵。窝卵数、窝卵重和平均卵重均与雌体体长呈正相关,平均值分别为6.4、2.783和0.554g。窝卵数与雌体产后状态无关,蓝尾石龙子雌体主要通过增加窝卵数和卵大小来增加繁殖输出。     

两种性比类群的雄性黄山短尾猴繁殖行为和攻击行为比较

有效性比（operational sex ratio, OSR）是指性成熟雄性数量与发情雌性数量的比值,可作为测量性选择强度的指标。本文对两种有效性比的黄山短尾猴(Macaca thibetana)鱼鳞坑YA1群和YA2群成年雄性在交配期（2007年8—12月）内的繁殖行为和攻击行为进行研究,采用目标动物取样法、随机取样法和连续记录法记录行为,探讨有效性比对雄性黄山短尾猴交配竞争的影响。研究期间,YA1群的有效性比为0.4:1,YA2群的有效性比为0.9:1,YA2群的有效性比大于YA1群。在繁殖行为上,高顺位成年雄性的性检查、做鬼脸、性追赶和交配行为在两群间均存在显著差异,YA1群高于YA2群（P＜0.01）;中等顺位成年雄性的性检查、做鬼脸、性追赶在两群间均存在显著差异,YA1群高于YA2群（P＜0.01）,交配行为在两群间存在显著差异,YA1群高于YA2群（P＜0.05）;低顺位成年雄性在两群间不存在显著差异。在攻击行为上,高顺位成年雄性在两群间存在显著差异,YA2群高于YA1群（P＜0.01）;中等顺位成年雄性在两群间存在显著差异,YA2群高于YA1群（P＜0.05）;YA1群低顺位成年雄性攻击行为发生频次为零。结果表明,雄雌有效性比越大,雄性黄山短尾猴的交配机会越少,繁殖行为发生频次下降,竞争压力增大,攻击行为频次上升,因此YA2群成年雄性交配竞争强度高于YA1群。本研究结果支持性选择理论中有效性比对交配竞争作用的预测。     

旱地沙蜥三个地理种群形态变异与两性异形——Bergmann法则、Allen法则和Rensch法则的检验

环境对动物体型和暴露附器大小的影响已有大量研究,但对两性异形的影响研究尚不多见,本文研究了旱地沙蜥Phrynocephalus helioscopus 3个地理种群形态的两性异形和地理变异,综合了Bergmann法则、Allen法则和Rensch法则分析其体型、四肢和尾部大小的变化规律。结果表明,伊宁和塔城种群的雌、雄亚成体体型差异无统计学意义(P0.05),北屯市雄性体型显著大于雌性(P0.05);伊宁和北屯种群的雌性成体体型均显著大于雄性(P0.05),但塔城地区两性体型差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。协方差分析结果表明,亚成体两性间只有塔城地区的雄性前肢长显著大于雌性(P0.05);3个地区雄性成体均具有较大的后肢和尾部(P0.01),伊宁市雌性具有较长的前肢(P0.05),塔城和北屯市两性前肢长差异均无统计学意义(P0.05),3个地区旱地沙蜥的体型呈反Bergmann法则的现象;四肢和尾部的大小遵循Allen法则;体型、前肢长、后肢长和尾长不遵循Rensch法则。旱地沙蜥3个地理种群受弥散性的自然选择压力比定向性的繁殖力选择和性选择的作用更强。     

红瘰疣螈玉龙雪山种群的两性异形

分别测量于2018年6—8月采自云南丽江玉龙雪山的32只(17♂,15♀)红瘰疣螈Tylototriton shanjing成体的全长、头体长、头长等13项形态特征指标,并检验该物种的两性异形。结果表明:雌性平均全长为160.72 mm±3.02 mm(n=15),雄性平均全长为138.58 mm±2.57 mm(n=17),雌性与雄性平均全长比为1.160,两性异形指数为0.138,属雌性大于雄性的两栖类;全长在两性间的差异有统计学意义;除了雌性的头宽、尾宽、尾高和腋至胯距外,其他形态特征与全长均有显著或极显著相关性;以全长为协变量的协方差分析结果显示,红瘰疣螈的头体长、头长、吻长、尾长和前肢长在两性间的差异有统计学意义;雌性的尾长和前肢长随全长的生长速率大于雄性,而头体长、头长和吻长随全长的生长速率小于雄性。生育力选择假说能解释红瘰疣螈玉龙雪山种群的两性异形现象。     

圈养大熊猫体重的变化规律

对中国大熊猫保护研究中心219只圈养大熊猫的体重进行分析,发现圈养大熊猫初生幼仔的体重为(0.16±0.04)kg,其与母兽的体重相关性不显著;幼仔期平均体重为(13.74±10.64)kg;亚成体期平均体重为(78.30±27.05)kg;成年个体平均体重为(112.25±12.04)kg;老年个体平均体重为(100.75±15.79)kg。初生幼仔体重雌、雄间无显著差异(P0.05);幼仔、亚成体、成年及老年个体的大熊猫,雌性个体体重均小于雄性个体(P0.05)。雌、雄大熊猫幼仔生长曲线均接近幂函数(Power),雌性亚成体大熊猫体重增长曲线接近三次方(Cubic)函数,雄性亚成体大熊猫体重增长曲线则呈S型;无论雌性和雄性,幼仔和亚成体期间均保持线性增长(P0.05)。成年大熊猫体重的年度和季节间无显著差异(P0.05),但进入成年后期时体重会下降。进入老年期后,雄性大熊猫的体重在后期有显著性下降(P0.001)。本研究补充完善了大熊猫整个生活史的体重增长规律,为大熊猫迁地保护中饲养管理措施的制定提供了参考依据。     

甘肃密点麻蜥三个地理种群的两性异形研究

通过测量和比较采自甘肃省兰州市、张掖市和民勤县3个地区的密点麻蜥Eremias multiocellata成体样本的8个形态学量度指标,分析密点麻蜥雌雄间的两性差异和异速生长。结果表明,密点麻蜥兰州种群和张掖种群体长的两性差异无统计学意义,民勤种群雄性体长显著大于雌性。3个种群的头部大小、附肢长、尾部及最大腹宽在两性间均存在差异,具有两性异形现象。雄性个体头部较大、附肢和尾部较长;而最大腹宽在不同种群中有所不同,兰州种群和张掖种群雄性的最大腹宽显著小于雌性,民勤种群雄性则显著大于雌性。在个体发育过程中,前肢长、后肢长、头长、头宽、头高、尾长及最大腹宽均出现了不同程度的异速生长。     

蓝尾石龙子的头部两性异形和食性

通过测量头、体大小和胃检研究浙江泰顺产蓝尾石龙子 (Eumeceselegans)个体发育过程中两性异形和食性的变化。蓝尾石龙子成体个体大小和头部大小的两性差异显著 ,雄性大于雌性。不同发育阶段雌性头长与SVL的线性回归斜率无显著差异 ,头宽与SVL线性回归斜率的差异显著 ,成体和SVL <5 0mm幼体头宽随SVL的增长速率显著小于SVL为 5 0 - 6 9mm的幼体。雄性头部相对于SVL呈加速式异速生长。两性比较发现 :雌雄幼体头长和头宽随SVL的增长速率无显著差异 ,SVL <5 0mm幼体特定SVL的头长和头宽无显著的两性差异 ,但SVL为 5 0 - 6 9mm的雄性幼体头长和头宽大于SVL相同的雌性幼体 ;雄性成体头长和头宽随SVL的增长速率显著大于雌性。SVL <5 0mm的雌性幼体头部相对小于SVL为 5 0 - 6 9mm的同性幼体 ,性成熟雌体头部相对小于SVL为 5 0 - 6 9mm的同性幼体。雌性幼体、雄性幼体、雌性成体和雄性成体食物生态位宽度分别为 12 3、 12 5、 4 8和 14 4。雌雄幼体食物生态位重叠度最高 ,雌雄成体食物生态位重叠度次之 ,成体与幼体食物生态位重叠度较小。成体摄入食饵的大小 (用胃内完整食物长度的平均值表示 )和变化范围大于幼体。两性成、幼体摄入的食饵大小差异显著。两性个体摄入的食饵大小均与其SVL呈正相关 ,表明较大     

鲶鱼和胡子鲶的两性异形与雌性个体生育力

检测了鲶鱼(Silurus asotus)和胡子鲶(Clarias fuscus)繁殖期18个形态特征的两性异形以及雌性个体生育力。结果表明,鲶鱼和胡子鲶雌雄性别比例均符合1∶1。One-way ANOVA显示,鲶鱼雌雄个体体长差异不显著,胡子鲶雌性个体体长显著小于雄性个体(P0.05)。以体长为协变量的One-way ANCOVA显示,特定体长的鲶鱼雌性个体的眼间距和体高显著大于雄性个体(P0.05),两性间其它局部特征不存在显著的两性差异;特定体长的胡子鲶雌性个体的体高、腹鳍基前距和腹鳍臀鳍间距显著大于雄性个体,雌性个体的臀鳍基长、尾柄高和尾鳍长显著小于雄性个体(P0.05),两性间其它局部特征不存在显著的两性差异。Two-way ANOVA显示,胡子鲶体长显著大于鲶鱼(P0.05),性别及物种与性别两因素的相互作用对体长影响不显著。以体长为协变量的Two-way ANCOVA显示,胡子鲶的头长、头宽、吻长、眼间距、尾柄高、尾鳍长、背鳍基前距、背鳍基长、腹鳍基前距、腹鳍臀鳍间距、体重和去内脏体重显著大于鲶鱼,头高、体高、臀鳍基长显著小于鲶鱼(P0.05),物种间的其他形态特征变量差异不显著;雌性个体的体高、背鳍基前距、腹鳍基前距、腹鳍臀鳍间距显著大于雄性个体,臀鳍基长、尾柄高、尾鳍长、背鳍基长显著小于雄性个体(P0.05),两性间的其他形态特征变量差异不显著;物种与性别两因素的相互作用对体高、臀鳍基长、尾柄高、尾鳍长、背鳍基长和腹鳍臀鳍间距影响显著,对其余的形态特征变量影响不显著。15个形态特征变量的主成分分析(Eigenvalue≥1)发现,前2个主成分共解释68.4%的变异。头宽、眼间距、尾柄高、尾鳍长、背鳍基前距、背鳍基长、腹鳍基前距和腹鳍臀鳍间距在第一主成分有较高的正负载系数,臀鳍基长在第一主成分有较高的负负载系数(解释51.2%变异);眼后头长在第二主成分有较高的负负载系数(解释17.2%变异)。胡子鲶在第一主成分和第二主成分的分值均显著大于鲶鱼,雌雄两性的差异以及两因素的相互作用对分值的影响均不显著。实验检测的鲶鱼、胡子鲶的怀卵数量与体长和体重回归关系显著。One-way ANCOVA及矫正平均值Tukey's检验显示,特定体长的胡子鲶的产卵数量显著大于鲶鱼。性选择是胡子鲶大个体雄性形成的主要原因,同时影响与运动相关的尾部特征。生育力选择更多的影响与雌性胡子鲶较大腹腔容积相关的形态特征变异。环境因子、食物可得性和营养状况同时影响了个体大小两性异形的形成。     

Evolution of the relative width of the head and alveolar surfaces in map turtles (Testudines: Emydidae: Graptemys)

Replicate adaptive radiations are dichotomous morphological patterns related to resource use and repeated in a series of isolated habitats. Biologists have long noted a dichotomy in relative head width and alveolar width among species of map turtles ( Graptemys ), particularly with regard to adult females, which are much larger dian adult males in all 12 species. I measured plastron length (PL), head width (HW), and alveolar width (AW) of nearly 2300 specimens representing the 12 recognized species, and used allometric regressions to investigate this genus as an example of both sexual dimorphism in trophic morphology and replicate adaptive radiation. Sexual dimorphism was noted in HW after correction for PL, with females having wider heads than males of similar body sizes, but AW as corrected for HW was not dimorphic, thus absolute differences in AW are the simple result of differences in HW. Sexual differences in HW probably relate to the dimorphic niches of Graptemys , as females of three species have been reported to occupy deeper water further from shore than conspecific males. Based on predicted HW at maximum PL in adult females, species were categorized as mega-, meso-, or microcephalic. Differences in relative head width are related to differences in degree of molluscivory, with little molluscivory in microcephalic females, moderate to high molluscivory in mesocephalic females, and high molluscivory in megacephalic females. Distributions of Graptemys species in sympatry and allopatry reveal patterns consistent with structuring of distributions via competitive interactions. Superimposing data on relative HW on a phylogeny of the genus suggests there may have been one or two episodes of character displacement, widi subsequent character assortment, in Graptemys evolution. This conclusion is similar to the current model for the evolution of body size during the radation of Anolis lizards in the northern Lesser Antilles.     

东北林蛙的两性异形和抱对个体的形态相关性

2012年4月,在吉林省长白山地区,对正在抱对的30对东北林蛙(Rana dybowskii)成体的体长、头长、头宽、前肢长和后肢长进行测量,使用统计学的方法分析抱对个体形态特征的两性异形及配偶间形态特征的相关性.结果表明,两性的所有局部形态特征均与其体长呈显著正相关,其中,前肢长和后肢长随体长的增长速率在两性间无显著差异,而头长和头宽随体长的增长速率存在显著差异.雌性成体显著大于雄性成体;特定体长下雄性的前肢显著大于雌性,其他局部特征没有显著的两性差异;雌性个体与抱对的雄性个体的后肢长呈显著正相关,其余形态特征两性间无相关性.因此,在东北林蛙的配偶选择中,雌性对雄性形态特征的选择与两性异形的形成无显著的相关性.     

浙江丽水中国石龙子的食性、两性异形和雌性繁殖

丽水分布的中国石龙子（Ｅｕｍｅｃｅｓ ｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）摄入的食物均为无脊椎动物,分别属于环节、软体和节肢动物,涉及３０余科,成体和幼体的食物生态位宽度分别为７．２６和６．６９,成体的幼体的食物生态们重叠度为０．５９。性成熟雄性个体大于雌体。成雄和幼体的头长和头宽随体长ＳＶＬ的增长速率大于成雌,成雄头长随ＳＶＬ的增长速度显著大于幼体,成雌和幼体的头长随ＳＶＬ的增长速率无显著差异。成雄头部大于成雌     

奇台沙蜥生长过程中的两性异形

研究奇台沙蜥Phrynocephalus grumgrzimailoi头、尾、腋胯距大小在个体发育过程中的变化.成体体长(SVL)无显著的两性差异,两性异形主要表现为雄性个体有较大的头部(头长和头宽)和尾部,雌性具有较大的腋胯距.头、尾、腋胯距大小的两性异形在幼体就已存在,并随个体发育的进行变得更加显著.不同年龄组两性个体头部、尾部、腋胯距随SVL呈异速增长,表现为两性头部的增长速率在个体发育过程中逐渐增大,尾部的增长速率逐渐减慢,腋胯距在雌性蜥蜴中增长速率逐渐增大,在雄性中逐渐变小.     

Biometric studies of some stoneflies and a mayfly (Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera)

Aspects of the nymphal/adult developmental change were investigated in biometric studies of several species of Plecoptera: Nemouridae near Schlitz, Hesse, Germany. Preliminary information on the mayfly, Baetis vernus Curtis, is also provided. Nemourid nymphs pass through 3 wing bearing stages before reaching adulthood. Instars can be identified by their characteristic shapes, as expressed by the wing length/head width (WL/HW) ratio. Size does not allow instar discrimination, mainly due to sexual size differences. HW is ca 10% larger in last instar female than in male nemourid nymphs; exuviae shed at the moult to adult represent about 14% of nymphal ash free dry weight (AFDW). Biomass lost with exuviae during the many larval moults should be accounted for in estimates of production. Freshly emerged nemourid females are about 6% larger and 30% heavier than males. The HW/AFDW relationship is the same in both sexes. Through terrestrial feeding during adult life, males double their weight on average. Mature females are up to three times heavier than freshly emerged ones. They invest about 30% of their final AFDW in reproduction.Shape of last instar nymphal Baetis was expressed as the ratio wing length/mesonotum length. It is size-dependent, a characteristic, instar-specific shape may not occur in this mayfly. Nymphal and subimaginal exuviae together represent about 14% of last instar nymphal dry weight. Females of Baetis are about 55% heavier than males. Unlike in Plecoptera, the size/weight (ML/AFDW) relationship differs between sexes.     

Sexual dimorphism in lizard body shape: the roles of sexual selection and fecundity selection

Sexual dimorphism is widespread in lizards, with the most consistently dimorphic traits being head size (males have larger heads) and trunk length (the distance between the front and hind legs is greater in females). These dimorphisms have generally been interpreted as follows: (1) large heads in males evolve through male-male rivalry (sexual selection); and (2) larger interlimb lengths in females provide space for more eggs (fecundity selection). In an Australian lizard (the snow skink, Niveoscincus microlepidotus), we found no evidence for ongoing selection on head size. Trunk length, however, was under positive fecundity selection in females and under negative sexual selection in males. Thus, fecundity selection and sexual selection work in concert to drive the evolution of sexual dimorphism in trunk length in snow skinks.     

Sexual dimorphism in neuromuscular junction size on a muscle used in courtship by green anole lizards

The green anole lizard exhibits seasonal courtship behavior that is sexually dimorphic. This courtship consists of the extension of a bright red throat fan (dewlap) associated with head‐bobbing display behavior. While males extend their dewlaps in aggressive encounters as well as in courtship, females use their considerably smaller dewlaps much less frequently and mainly in agonistic encounters. In parallel, a number of components of the neuromuscular system controlling dewlap extension are greater in males than in females during the breeding season, including dewlap motoneuron soma size and muscle fiber size and number. These features do not seem to change substantially in adulthood, despite a dramatic decline in dewlap use during the nonbreeding season. We explored the morphology of this neuromuscular system in more detail in the present experiment in males and females during both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Fiber and whole muscle length (approximately perpendicular to the fibers) were measured. Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry was used to visualize neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), and the surface area and density of NMJs were assessed for each animal. During the breeding season, NMJ size was larger in males than in females, but NMJ density along each fiber was equivalent between the sexes. In addition, whole muscle length and that of individual muscle fibers, was larger in males than in females. However, when corrected for body size, the sex difference in muscle fiber length disappeared. In the nonbreeding season, the sexual dimorphisms were maintained, suggesting that these features do not change substantially due to differences in circulating testosterone or a difference in use across seasons. Overall, these results are consistent with the idea that enhanced NMJ size is a relatively stable feature of the dewlap muscle in adulthood that either facilitates or is a consequence of using a larger muscle to extend a bigger dewlap in males compared to females. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 50: 24–30, 2002     

Head shape allometry and proximate causes of head sexual dimorphism in Podarcis lizards: joining linear and geometric morphometrics

Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli are two lacertid species endemic to the western Iberian Peninsula, and both show head size and shape sexual dimorphism. We studied immature and adult head sexual dimorphism and analysed ontogenetic trajectories of head traits with body and head size, aiming to shed light on the proximate mechanisms involved. Immatures were much less dimorphic than adults, but geometric morphometric techniques revealed that head shape sexual differences are already present at this stage. Males and females differed in allometry of all head characters with body size, with males showing a disproportionate increase of head size and dimensions. On the other hand, head dimensions and head shape changed with increasing head size following similar trends in both sexes, possibly indicating developmental restrictions. Consequently, adult sexual dimorphism for head characters in these species is the result of both shape differences in the immature stage and hypermetric growth of the head in relation to body size in males.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 93 , 111–124.     

蜡皮蜥的两性异形和繁殖输出

为研究蜡皮蜥(Leiolepis reevesii)两性异形和繁殖输出,于2002、2003年4月下旬从海南乐东一种群捕获423头蜡皮蜥。经检测得到繁殖雌体的最小体长为89．0mm,据此判定≥89．0mm的个体为性成熟。研究结果表明：①蜡皮蜥具有两性异形,雄性大于雌性且具有较大的头部。成体雄性头长和头宽随体长的增长速率大于雌性,幼体头长和头宽随体长的增长速率无显著的两性差异。以性别和年龄(成、幼体)为因子的双因子ANOVA比较两性头长和头宽与体长的回归剩余值发现,雄性头部大于雌性,幼体头部相对大于成体。②饲养于实验室的母体中有42头于2002、2003年5月22日～7月16日产出正常卵,这些繁殖雌体具有年产多窝卵的潜力。窝卵数和卵重的变异系数分别为0．18和0．13,前者变异度大于后者。窝卵数、窝卵重和卵重均与母体体长无关。卵重与相对生育力之间无显著的负相关性,表明蜡皮蜥缺乏卵数量与卵大小之间的权衡。相对窝卵重与母体体长呈显著的负相关,表明较小的母体具有相对较大的繁殖输出。因雌体繁殖会滞缓其生长,小母体具有相对较大的繁殖输出,至少部分地解释了雌性蜡皮蜥的成体为什么个体较小。     

乐山棒花鱼形态特征的两性异形和雌性个体生育力

测定了乐山棒花鱼(Abbottina kiatingensis)繁殖期形态特征包括体长、头长、头宽、头高、吻长、眼后头长、眼径、眼间距、体高、尾柄长、尾柄高、尾鳍长、背鳍基前距、背鳍基长、腹鳍基前距、腹臀间距、体重和去内脏体重的两性异形和雌性个体生育力。繁殖期雄性个体的数量显著多于雌性个体,雌雄两性个体的体长差异不显著。特定体长的雌性个体的头长、头宽、头高、吻长、眼后头长、尾柄高、背鳍基前距、背鳍基长和去内脏体重显著小于雄性个体,其余指标不存在明显的差异。回归分析表明,乐山棒花鱼的怀卵数量与体长和体重回归关系显著,雌性通过个体大小(体长和体重)的增加来提高个体生育力。