Sexual size and shape dimorphism in Brachydesmus troglobius Daday, 1889 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida)

By

Vujić, Vukica
Lučić, Luka
Pavković-Lučić, Sofija
Ilić, Bojan
Jovanović, Zvezdana
Makarov, Slobodan
Dudić, Boris

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

930

Pages

75--88

Subjects

flat-backed millipedes , geometric morphometrics , intersexual morphological differences , polydesmidan millipedes , sexual shape dimorphism

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.930.48285

 

Abstract

Until now, morphological trait variation has been investigated in several millipede species using geometric morphometrics. The present study is the first attempt to explore sexual shape and size dimorphism (SShD and SSD) of morphological structures in Polydesmida. We here analyse antennal, head, and leg SShD and SSD inBrachydesmus troglobiusDaday, 1889. Our results show that SSD exists in all of the analysed structures, while SShD is present only in the legs. In comparison with females, males possess longer and wider legs, as well as longer antennae and a shorter head. Contrary to previous findings in some Julida, inB. troglobiusSSD of the antennae and legs varies more than SShD in these morphological structures.