Sexual dimorphism and allometry in primate ossa coxae

Bibliographic Data

ID8317009
AuthorsKaren Steudel (University of Wisconsin–Madison, corresponding author)
Year1981
Volume55
Issue2
Pages209-215
Publication date1981-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.1330550208
PMID7258342
OpenAlexW2137753899
LanguageEN
Citations received25
References cited17

Five measurements were taken on the ossa coxae of 454 adult primates representing Ceboidea, Cercopithecoidea and Hominoidea. Sex differences in these variables and their relationships to overall body size and sexual dimorphism were tested by means of Student's t‐test and regression analysis. The study attempts to clarify the nature of primate pelvic sexual dimorphism, including allometric effects, and more specifically, test the assertion made by Mobb and Wood (1977) that sexual dimorphism in body size in not an important determinant in pelvic sex differences. Variables that contribute to the size of the birth canal tend to be larger in females than males in all taxa studied except two. In these, Hylobates and Alouatta , there were no significant differences between the sexes for any of the five variables. In general, sexual dimorphism in variables contributing to the size of the birth canal was correlated (r ≃ 0.8) with sexual dimorphism in body size. Furthermore, the coefficients of allometry underlying pelvic sex differences were shown to be moderately correlated (r ≃ 0.5) with sexual dimorphism in size. The influence of other adaptive factors on primate pelvic sexual dimorphism are also briefly discussed

Allometry · Biology · Primate · Sexual dimorphism · Zoology · Anatomy · Ecology · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Morphological variations and asymmetry · Wildlife Ecology and Conservation