Title: Sexual Dimorphism and Sexing of Mediterranean Colubrids Based on External Characteristics
Abstract: Sexual dimorphism was studied in seven colubrid species living in the Mediterranean area of the Iberian Peninsula. Six variables of external morphology were considered: numbers of ventral and subcaudal scales, snout-vent and tail lengths, body and tail surface in a cross section close to the vent, and certain ratios of these variables. To determine which traits enable us to distinguish between the sexes, we used a stepwise discriminant analysis. The ventral and subcaudal scales, because their numbers are fixed at birth, were the best predictors of the sex of a randomly-chosen specimen. Using the number of ventral scales and certain ratios, we correctly identified the sex in all individuals of Elaphe scalaris and Natrix maura, nearly 100% of the individuals of Coluber hippocrepis and Natrix natrix, and almost 95% of Coronella girondica and Macroprotodon cucullatus. The method did not work with Malpolon mon- spessulanus, which is sexually monomorphic in the characteristics used here.
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 33
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