Premium
Sexual dimorphism in two subspecies of Ethiopian baboons ( Papio hamadryas ) and their hybrids
Author(s) -
PhillipsConroy Jane E.,
Jolly Clifford J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330560203
Subject(s) - sexual dimorphism , biology , zoology , hybrid zone , subspecies , papio anubis , interspecific competition , evolutionary biology , ecology , genetic variation , genetics , gene flow , baboon , gene
Sexual dimorphism in mammals has been related to such variables as absolute body size, ecology, and various aspects of social behaviour. Attempts to relate dimorphism to any of these variables have necessarily used small heterogeneous samples to represent the relevant species. We are concerned by the inevitable exclusion of any measure of variability in dimorphism and the consequent impossiblity of assessing the significance of observed interspecific differences. In this paper we describe aspects of sexual dimorphism in anubis,hamadryas, and hybrid baboons from Ethiopia. Samples are large enough to permit a measure of intrapopulation variability. Hamadryas baboons are more dimorphic than anubis in epigamic features, but not in postcanine dentition, nor, contrary to previous reports, in body weight or canine tooth size. Hybrid males are more hamadryas‐like and hybrid females more anubis‐like, as would be predicted by the proposed mechanism for the establishment of the hybrid zone, namely the capture of anubis females by hamadryas males.