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<p>Sexual dimorphism in head morphology represents an important aspect of lizard evolution, reflecting both ecological adaptations and reproductive strategies. In this study, geometric morphometric methods were applied to investigate sexual shape dimorphism in the head of <i>Darevskia obscura</i> for the first time. A total of 40 adult specimens (20 males and 20 females) were analyzed using 42 dorsal, 14 ventral, and 16 lateral landmarks. Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA), Procrustes ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) were performed to evaluate shape variation between sexes. The results revealed significant sexual differences in dorsal and lateral head configurations, whereas ventral differences were less pronounced. Males exhibited larger centroid size values and more elongated posterior head regions compared to females, indicating a combination of size and shape related dimorphism. These findings highlight the influence of allometric growth and sexual selection on head morphology in <i>D. obscura</i> and provide valuable insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving sexual dimorphism within the genus <i>Darevskia</i>.</p>

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Geometric morphometric analysis of sexual dimorphism: head shape variation in Darevskia obscura (Lantz and Cyrén, 1936)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月26日

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  • Cantekin Dursun,
  • Osman Tüzer,
  • Gökdeniz Kurt,
  • Serkan Gül

摘要

Sexual dimorphism in head morphology represents an important aspect of lizard evolution, reflecting both ecological adaptations and reproductive strategies. In this study, geometric morphometric methods were applied to investigate sexual shape dimorphism in the head of Darevskia obscura for the first time. A total of 40 adult specimens (20 males and 20 females) were analyzed using 42 dorsal, 14 ventral, and 16 lateral landmarks. Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA), Procrustes ANOVA, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) were performed to evaluate shape variation between sexes. The results revealed significant sexual differences in dorsal and lateral head configurations, whereas ventral differences were less pronounced. Males exhibited larger centroid size values and more elongated posterior head regions compared to females, indicating a combination of size and shape related dimorphism. These findings highlight the influence of allometric growth and sexual selection on head morphology in D. obscura and provide valuable insights into the evolutionary mechanisms driving sexual dimorphism within the genus Darevskia.