Extrinsic factors affecting cub development contribute to sexual size dimorphism in the European badger (Meles meles)

Zoology : Analysis of Complex Systems, ZACS
Nadine Adrianna SugiantoChristina Dagmar Buesching

Abstract

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is common among mammals, with males typically being larger than females, as a product of sex-specific differences in growth rate and growth duration. The Musteloidea, however, exhibit a hypo-allometric reduction in SSD with increasing body size (contrary to Rensch's rule). A variety of extrinsic factors can affect juvenile growth rates and end body size, where one sex may demonstrate greater vulnerability than the other towards a specific factor, moderating patterns and degrees of SSD. Here, we analyse how male and female European badgers (Meles meles) differ in their somatic growth patterns. We compare the sex-specific growth curves across a range of somatic parameters and investigate what extrinsic (social and environmental) factors affect cub growth rates during the first 2 years of life leading to their sexual-dimorphic adult sizes. We found that average male final size of all measurements was significantly larger than those of females. Although male and female weanling cubs had similar body sizes, growth curves diverged significantly from ca. 11 months onwards due to continuous rapid growth of males versus slowing female growth. Consequently, females always concluded growth earlier than did mal...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 17, 2020·Biology Letters·Sil H J van LieshoutHannah L Dugdale
Jun 9, 2021·Molecular Ecology·Sil H J van LieshoutHannah L Dugdale

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