草原沙蜥幼体的形态两性异形

于2011年9月在内蒙古库布齐沙漠捕获118条草原沙蜥(Phrynocephalus frontalis)幼体,测量其部分身体指数并对其两性异形进行研究。结果表明,雄性幼体和雌性幼体的平均体长分别为36.3 mm和34.0 mm,雄性的体长显著大于雌性。两性异形表现为雄性幼体有较大的头部和尾部,雌性幼体具有较大的腋胯距。草原沙蜥幼体的局部形态特征皆与体长成正相关。     

青海沙蜥红原亚种成体腹部和尾尖腹面色斑两性异形与季节变化的初步研究

对分布于青藏高原东部若尔盖高寒生境中的青海沙蜥红原亚种Phrynocephalus vlangalii hongyuanensis成体腹部和尾尖腹面色斑的两性异形及其与环境因子的关系进行了初步研究.结果 表明:在5月份(繁殖季节),雄性腹部色斑显著大于雌性(t41,74=-2.309,P=0.023),而尾尖腹面色斑在两性间差异不显著(Z=-0.939,P=0.347).雄性在非繁殖季节(4月初)腹部色斑显著大于繁殖季节(5月份)(t38,41=5.312,P＜0.000),而尾尖腹面色斑在4、5月间无显著变化(t38,41=-1.734,P=0.087).成体腹部色斑大小与体重(r=-0.07,P=0.39,n=154)和肥满度(r=-0.05,P=0.53,n=154)无显著相关性,尾尖腹面色斑与体重(r=0.09,P=0.27,n=154)和肥满度(r=0.1,P=0.24,n=154)也无显著相关性.气象资料表明若尔盖4月份气温低于5月份,推测雄性青海沙蜥红原亚种腹部色斑大小的季节变化可能是对温度适应的结果,而雄性尾尖腹面色斑大小随季节无显著变化,推测该特征可能与环境变化关系不大.     

Effects of Sand Grain Size on Habitat Selection in Steppe Toad-headed Lizard(Phrynocephalus frontalis)

To understand the effects of sand grain size on habitat selection, we conducted a field study on the steppe toad-headed lizard in Hunshandake Desert northern China. Methods of mark-recapture and transect survey were used to investigate the density of steppe toad-headed lizards and the environmental variables. The comparison on lizard densities among the habitats with different environmental factors revealed that: 1) population density of the steppe toad-headed lizard differed significantly among the habitats with different sand grain size indexes(SGSIs, representing roughness of sand substrate): the highest lizard density was found in the group with an SGSI of 0.30, whereas the lowest density was found in the group with an SGSI of 0–0.15; and 2) vegetation cover, soil moisture, invertebrate diversity index, and abundance had no significant effects on the lizard density. These results implied that the sand grain size was the most important determinant of habitat selection for steppe toad-headed lizards in Hunshandake Desert. Steppe toad-headed lizards could avoid structural habitats that have negative effects on their maximal sprinting capabilities. Considering the changing sand grain size in the development phase of sand dunes, the sand lizard could be used as an indicator of the process of desertification.     

旱地沙蜥的两性异形

旱地沙蜥Phrynocephalus helioscopus是一种在我国仅分布于新疆北部的蜥蜴。通过测量和比较采自新疆塔城地区旱地沙蜥的体长、口宽、头宽、头高、头长、眼间距、腹部长、尾长等8个形态特征研究旱地沙蜥的两性异形。本研究共采集到旱地沙蜥51只,其中,雌性23只,雄性28只。雌雄平均体长分别为48.03 mm和47.69 mm。结果表明旱地沙蜥两性体长的差异无统计学意义,其体长与口宽、头宽、头高、头长、眼间距、腹部长和尾长7个形态特征均显著正相关。在控制体长的基础上比较得出,雌雄个体在头高、头长、腹部长和尾长上的差异有统计学意义,口宽、头宽、眼间距的差异无统计学意义。其中,雄性的头高、头长和尾长均大于雌性,雌性的腹部长则明显大于雄性。旱地沙蜥的腹部长呈现明显的异形生长,雌性的生长速率明显大于雄性。旱地沙蜥的两性异形可能是性选择压力与生育力选择压力共同作用的结果,雄性头部更大、尾部更长,在性选择中具有优势;雌性腹部更长,能够繁育更多的后代。     

The Proximate Causes of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Phrynocephalus przewalskii

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a common phenomenon and is a central topic in evolutionary biology. Recently, the importance of pursuing an ontogenetic perspective of SSD has been emphasized, to elucidate the proximate physiological mechanisms leading to its evolution. However, such research has seldom focused on the critical periods when males and females diverge. Using mark-recapture data, we investigated the development of SSD, sex-specific survivorship, and growth rates in Phrynocephalus przewalskii (Agamidae). We demonstrated that both male and female lizards are reproductively mature at age 10–11 months (including 5 months hibernation). Male-biased SSD in snout-vent length (SVL) was only found in adults and was fully expressed at age 11 months (June of the first full season of activity), just after sexual maturation. However, male-biased SSD in tail length (TL), hind-limb length (LL), and head width (HW) were fully expressed at age 9–10 months, just before sexual maturation. Analysis of age-specific linear growth rates identified sexually dimorphic growth during the fifth growth month (age 10–11 months) as the proximate cause of SSD in SVL. The males experienced higher mortality than females in the first 2 years and only survived better than females after SSD was well developed. This suggests that the critical period of divergence in the sizes of male and female P. przewalskii occurs between 10 and 11 months of age (May to June during the first full season of activity), and that the sexual difference in growth during this period is the proximate cause. However, the sexual difference in survivorship cannot explain the male-biased SSD in SVL. Our results indicate that performance-related characteristics, such as TL, HW, and LL diverged earlier than SVL. The physiological mechanisms underlying the different growth patterns of males and females may reflect different energy allocations associated with their different reproductive statuses.     

Geographical Variation in Body Size and Sexual Size Dimorphism in an Australian Lizard,Boulenger's Skink (Morethia boulengeri)

Ecogeographical rules help explain spatial and temporal patterns in intraspecific body size. However, many of these rules, when applied to ectothermic organisms such as reptiles, are controversial and require further investigation. To explore factors that influence body size in reptiles, we performed a heuristic study to examine body size variation in an Australian lizard, Boulenger''s Skink Morethia boulengeri from agricultural landscapes in southern New South Wales, south-eastern Australia. We collected tissue and morphological data on 337 adult lizards across a broad elevation and climate gradient. We used a model-selection procedure to determine if environmental or ecological variables best explained body size variation. We explored the relationship between morphology and phylogenetic structure before modeling candidate variables from four broad domains: (1) geography (latitude, longitude and elevation), (2) climate (temperature and rainfall), (3) habitat (vegetation type, number of logs and ground cover attributes), and (4) management (land use and grazing history). Broad phylogenetic structure was evident, but on a scale larger than our study area. Lizards were sexually dimorphic, whereby females had longer snout-vent length than males, providing support for the fecundity selection hypothesis. Body size variation in M. boulengeri was correlated with temperature and rainfall, a pattern consistent with larger individuals occupying cooler and more productive parts of the landscape. Climate change forecasts, which predict warmer temperature and increased aridity, may result in reduced lizard biomass and decoupling of trophic interactions with potential implications for community organization and ecosystem function.     

Sexual Dimorphism of Head Size in Phrynocephalus przewalskii: Testing the Food Niche Divergence Hypothesis

Sexual size dimorphism （SSD） is a general phenomenon in lizards, and can evolve through sexual selection or natural selection. But natural selection, which was thought to operate mainly through reducing the competition be- tween the two sexes （niche divergence hypothesis）, gave rise to a lot of controversy. We tested the niche divergence hypothesis in the toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus przewalskii by comparing diet composition and prey sizes between males and females. The species was found to be sexual dimorphic, with males having relatively larger snout-vent length, head width, head length, and tail length, while females have relatively larger abdomen length. Based on analysis of 93 studied stomachs, a total of 1359 prey items were identified. The most common prey items were formicid, lygaeid and tenebrionid. The two sexes did not differ in the relative proportions of prey size categories they consumed and the dietary overlap based on prey species was high （O = 0.989）. In addition, the meal size, the volume or any maximal dimension of the largest prey item in the stomach was not explained by the sexes. According to our results, food niche divergence might not play an important role in the SSD evolution ofP. przewalskii.     

Sexual Size Dimorphism,Canine Dimorphism,and Male-Male Competition in Primates

Sexual size dimorphism is generally associated with sexual selection via agonistic male competition in nonhuman primates. These primate models play an important role in understanding the origins and evolution of human behavior. Human size dimorphism is often hypothesized to be associated with high rates of male violence and polygyny. This raises the question of whether human dimorphism and patterns of male violence are inherited from a common ancestor with chimpanzees or are uniquely derived. Here I review patterns of, and causal models for, dimorphism in humans and other primates. While dimorphism in primates is associated with agonistic male mate competition, a variety of factors can affect male and female size, and thereby dimorphism. The causes of human sexual size dimorphism are uncertain, and could involve several non-mutually-exclusive mechanisms, such as mate competition, resource competition, intergroup violence, and female choice. A phylogenetic reconstruction of the evolution of dimorphism, including fossil hominins, indicates that the modern human condition is derived. This suggests that at least some behavioral similarities with Pan associated with dimorphism may have arisen independently, and not directly from a common ancestor.     

丽纹攀蜥头体大小的两性异形和繁殖期的生长

测定了丽纹攀蜥的体长、头长、头宽、头高、尾长和体重等形态指标,以及通过44天的生长后体长、头长、头宽和头高的增长。表明成年两性个体体长无显著的两性异形,局部形态特征皆与体长呈正相关。协方差分析表明,雄性的头长、头宽、头高和尾长显著大于雌性个体,繁殖期雌性个体的体重显著大于雄性个体。丽纹攀蜥繁殖期雄性体长的增长显著大于雌性体长的增长,雌雄两性头长、头宽和头高的增长无显著的差异。     

草原沙蜥秋季食性分析

利用剖胃法对采自内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯库布齐沙漠的草原沙蜥(Phrynocephalus frontalis)进行食性分析研究。结果表明,该地区的草原沙蜥在8～9月间,以昆虫类动物为主要食物,占全部食物的95.8%。不同性别草原沙蜥取食的食物种类差异不显著,雌雄个体的食物百分率相似性指数及营养生态位重叠值均较大,雄性的食物多样性指数(IFD)及营养生态位宽度(BTN)均大于雌性。成体和亚成体之间以及亚成体和幼体之间食物种类存在差异但不显著,而成体和幼体间的食物种类差异极显著,不同年龄草原沙蜥的食物百分率相似性指数较小,IFD值与BTN值均是成体最大,幼体最小。总有益系数、不同性别的有益系数分别为V总=22.44%,V雌=12.76%,V雄=9.83%,草原沙蜥是对荒漠化草原有益的类群。     

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.     

The Impact of Phenotypic Characteristics on Thermoregulation in a Cold-Climate Agamid lizard,Phrynocephalus guinanensis

Physiological and metabolic processes of ectotherms are markedly influenced by ambient temperature. Previous studies have shown that the abdominal black-speckled area becomes larger with increased elevation in plateau Phrynocephalus, however, no studies have verified the hypothesis that this variation is correlated with the lizard's thermoregulation. In this study, infrared thermal imaging technology was first used to study the skin temperature variation of torsos, heads, limbs and tails of a cold-climate agamid lizard, Phrynocephalus guinanensis. The heating rates of the central abdominal black-speckled skin area and peripheral non-black-speckled skin area under solar radiation were compared. Our results showed that the heating rates of limbs and tails were relatively faster than the torsos, as heating time was extended, rates gradually slowed before stabilizing under solar radiation. Under the environment without solar radiation, the cooling rates of limbs and tails were also relatively faster than the torsos of lizards, the rates slowed down and finally became stable as the cooling time was extended. We also found that the heating rate of the abdominal black-speckled skin area was faster than the nearby non-black-speckled skin area. These results increased our insights into the functional significance of these phenotypic traits and help explain their covariation with the thermal environment in these cold-climate agamid lizards.     

新疆沙虎的两性异形

通过测量和比较采自新疆且末县的新疆沙虎Teratoscincus przewalskii成体的体型和口宽等6个形态特征,研究了新疆沙虎的两性异形。研究共采集64只新疆沙虎(雌性26只,雄性38只),雌雄成体最小体长(SVL)分别为63.6 mm和59.7 mm。口宽、头宽、头高、眼间距和尾长5个局部形态特征均与体长呈显著正相关。新疆沙虎体长雌雄间无差异,其它身体形态特征仅口宽具有显著的两性差异,且口宽相对于体长呈异速生长,雌性增长速率大于雄性。新疆沙虎口宽的两性异形可能与两性间食性的差异有关,而体长和其它身体形态特征无显著两性差异则可能与性选择和自然选择的综合作用有关。     

Allometry of Sexual Size Dimorphism in Domestic Dog

Background

The tendency for male-larger sexual size dimorphism (SSD) to scale with body size – a pattern termed Rensch''s rule – has been empirically supported in many animal lineages. Nevertheless, its theoretical elucidation is a subject of debate. Here, we exploited the extreme morphological variability of domestic dog (Canis familiaris) to gain insights into evolutionary causes of this rule.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We studied SSD and its allometry among 74 breeds ranging in height from less than 19 cm in Chihuahua to about 84 cm in Irish wolfhound. In total, the dataset included 6,221 individuals. We demonstrate that most dog breeds are male-larger, and SSD in large breeds is comparable to SSD of their wolf ancestor. Among breeds, SSD becomes smaller with decreasing body size. The smallest breeds are nearly monomorphic.

Conclusions/Significance

SSD among dog breeds follows the pattern consistent with Rensch''s rule. The variability of body size and corresponding changes in SSD among breeds of a domestic animal shaped by artificial selection can help to better understand processes leading to emergence of Rensch''s rule.     

贵南沙蜥染色体核型与聚类分析

贵南沙蜥Phrynocephalus guinanensis为近年沙蜥属新命名的物种,形态上区别于贵德沙蜥P.putjatia与青海沙蜥P.vlangalii,而最近沙蜥分子系统发育研究的结果不支持贵南沙蜥为一有效种,它在分子树拓扑结构上与贵德沙蜥一亚分支样本聚在一起。本文观察贵南沙蜥核型为2n=24I+24m,具有12对大染色体和12对小染色体,其中大染色体均为端部类型,且无性别相关的异型染色体。青海11个沙蜥种群染色体特征的聚类分析表明贵南沙蜥与贵德沙蜥聚于同一分支,该分支构成青海沙蜥分支的姐妹支,证实贵南沙蜥与贵德沙蜥具有较近的核型演化关系。研究结果不支持贵南沙蜥为有效物种。     

东方蝾螈性二型性特征分析

以东方蝾螈大别山种群为实验材料,随机选取162只蝾螈(雄52只,雌110只),通过单变量、双变量、多变量分析的方法,进行11项体征的测量分析.结果表明,头体长是本研究的最适单变量,且头体长与腋胯距之间的相关性最高;PCl在雄性和雌性中均与头体长密切相关,且大多数体征与头体长进行比例分析均显示出异速生长关系,东方蝾螈性二型性普遍存在.本研究中11项体征呈现符合Renseh法则的雌性依赖性二型性演化特征,这种性二型性特征可能是一系列复杂的非对称性选择的结果.