Patterns of sexual size dimorphism in cattle breeds support Rensch’s rule |
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Authors: | Jakub Polák and Daniel Frynta |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničn? 7, 12844 Praha 2, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | Rensch’s rule describes the pattern of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) claiming that in taxa where males are the larger sex,
larger species generally exhibit higher male to female body size ratios. Agreement with Rensch’s rule is manifested by the
slope of the allometric relationship between male and female body size exceeding one. In this paper we have tested the hypothesis
that recent rapid evolutionary changes of body size accompanying domestication process and morphological radiation of domestic
breeds follow Rensch’s rule. We have analyzed literature data on adult body size of males and females in domestic cows, yaks,
buffaloes and other bovines (315, 12, 24 and 2 breeds, respectively) and compared it with SSD in 18 wild species/subspecies
of the subfamily Bovinae. Male to female body mass ratio in domestic cows (1.48) was fairly comparable to that found in other species of domestic and
wild bovines except domestic buffaloes (1.19). In cows we have demonstrated clear positive allometry of male to female body
mass ratio (slope 1.21) predicted by Rensch’s rule, however, no such clear relationship was found when body mass was replaced
by shoulder height. These findings are in agreement with those we have previously reported in other livestock species, goats
and sheep. |
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