Sexual dimorphism in size and shape of the head in the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus (Hydrophiinae, Elapidae) - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Scientific Reports Année : 2021

Sexual dimorphism in size and shape of the head in the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus (Hydrophiinae, Elapidae)

Richard Shine

Résumé

Abstract In snakes, divergence in head size between the sexes has been interpreted as an adaptation to intersexual niche divergence. By overcoming gape-limitation, a larger head enables snakes of one sex to ingest larger prey items. Under this hypothesis, we do not expect a species that consumes only tiny prey items to exhibit sex differences in relative head size, or to show empirical links between relative head size and fitness-relevant traits such as growth and fecundity. Our field studies on the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus falsify these predictions. Although these snakes feed exclusively on fish eggs, the heads of female snakes are longer and wider than those of males at the same body length. Individuals with wider heads grew more rapidly, reproduced more often, and produced larger litters. Thus, head shape can affect fitness and can diverge between the sexes even without gape-limitation. Head size and shape may facilitate other aspects of feeding (such as the ability to scrape eggs off coral) and locomotion (hydrodynamics); and a smaller head may advantage the sex that is more mobile, and that obtains its prey in narrow crevices rather than in more exposed situations (i.e., males).

Dates et versions

hal-03462671 , version 1 (02-12-2021)

Identifiants

Citer

Richard Shine, Claire Goiran. Sexual dimorphism in size and shape of the head in the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus (Hydrophiinae, Elapidae). Scientific Reports, 2021, 11 (1), ⟨10.1038/s41598-021-99113-2⟩. ⟨hal-03462671⟩

Collections

UNC ISEA-UNC
46 Consultations
0 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

Gmail Facebook X LinkedIn More