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Morphological clues to genetic species: Multivariate analysis of greater Galago sibling species
Author(s) -
Masters Judith,
Lubinsky David
Publication year - 1988
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.1330750106
Subject(s) - biology , taxon , univariate , zoology , galago , bivariate analysis , genetic divergence , evolutionary biology , divergence (linguistics) , skull , multivariate statistics , ecology , anatomy , primate , statistics , population , linguistics , philosophy , demography , mathematics , sociology , genetic diversity
Several studies conducted in diverse fields indicate the presence of a genetic discontinuity within the taxon Galago crassicaudatus E. Geoffroy—the thick‐tailed bushbaby. One of these areas is morphology. This contribution details a statistical analysis of skull material classified under this taxon in order 1) to confirm the objective existence of two morphotypes, and 2) to investigate the characters that allow the skull types to be distinguished. Emphasis is placed on multivariate techniques, although univariate and bivariate techniques are included where they are felt to be appropriate. All statistical analyses point to the reality of the morphological discontinuity between the groups. This is true even when size considerations have been reduced by rescaling the data. The results support separation of the populations at a specific level: G. crassicaudatus and G. garnettii. In addition, the structural changes observed in the two taxa—including an increase in overall size in G. crassicaudatus —are indicative of a divergence in preferred habitats: G. garnettii is adapted to more mesic environmental conditions, and to a softer, less fibrous diet than is its more robust sibling.