Digit ratio in three species of tropidurid lizards

By

Miranda, Kelton Gonçalves
Goulart, Marcella Junqueira
Galdino, Conrado Barbosa

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021-3-9

Original Publication

Herpetozoa

Volume

34

Pages

67--70

Subjects

digit length ratio , Neotropical , Population , sexual dimorphism , Tropiduridae

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.34.e59064

 

Abstract

Proportions between pairs of digits are linked to fitness in tetrapods and they can be influenced by sex hormones through individuals’ ontogenies. Therefore, in many species, the proportions amongst finger length ratios (referred as digit ratio, i.e. 2D second and 4D fourth digits) can differ between males and females. We investigated whether the three most commonly used forelimb digit ratios are sexually dimorphic in three tropidurid species. In one of the three lizard species, Eurolophosaurus nanuzae, males and females differ for only 2D:4D digit ratio. Otherwise, our results on the studied Tropidurus species conform to previous studies showing no differences in digit ratios between males and females. Hence, it might be the case of local selective forces shaping interpopulation variation in the expression of sexual dimorphism for digit ratio.