Size-free shape differences between male and female Western Australian dragon lizards (Agamidae)

Authors

Graham Thompson, Edith Cowan University
Philip Withers

Document Type

Journal Article

Publisher

Brill Academic Publishers

Faculty

Faculty of Business and Public Management

School

School of Marketing, Tourism and Leisure

RAS ID

3053

Comments

Thompson, G. G., & Withers, P. C. (2005). Size-free shape differences between male and female Western Australian dragon lizards (Agamidae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 26(1), 55-63. Available here

Abstract

Examination of size-free body shape for males and females of 41 species of Western Australian dragon lizards (Agamidae) indicate that males generally have a proportionally longer head, and females a proportionally longer abdomen. Principal component and cluster analyses show that size-free body shape differences between males and females are neither uniform nor consistent within the Agamidae, or the genus Ctenophorus. This inconsistency is problematic when linking morphological characteristics with performance traits, use of space, or preferred habitat for species. We recommend that male and female dragons are treated separately in morphological analyses, but acknowledge that this increases the complexity of analyse and interpretations.

DOI

10.1163/1568538053693332