Acta Zoologica最新文献

Growth and Variation in Fallow Deer (Dama dama L.) From Two Contrasting Habitats in Southern Britain 小鹿（Dama Dama L.）生长与变异英国南部两个截然不同的栖息地

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-07-30 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70002

Adrian M. Lister, Norma G. Chapman

{"title":"Growth and Variation in Fallow Deer (Dama dama L.) From Two Contrasting Habitats in Southern Britain","authors":"Adrian M. Lister, Norma G. Chapman","doi":"10.1111/azo.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70002","url":null,"abstract":"We have compiled a unique data set on the age, sex, body weight and dimensions of over 500 European fallow deer from two contrasting areas of habitat in southern England: a high-density managed parkland population and a lower-density feral woodland one. We plot growth in body weight, shoulder height and bone dimensions against individual age, assessing sexual dimorphism and regional differences in growth from birth, the timing of cessation of growth and adult size. This variation can be related to differences in habitat, feeding, population density and season of death between the two populations. We highlight the biases inherent in body weight comparisons and contrast them with size comparisons based on postcranial bones. We also identify potential differences in bodily dimensions between the colour morphs of European fallow deer. Finally, we generate predictive equations enabling the estimation of sex, shoulder height and body mass from isolated metapodials, of value for relating fallow deer remains to palaeoenvironmental variation at archaeological and palaeontological sites.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"385-408"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904235","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphology of Guard Hairs in Amazonian Marsupials: Intergeneric Variation, Habitat and Habit Association in a Phylogenetic Framework of the Order Didelphimorphia 亚马逊有袋动物的护毛形态：属间变异、栖息地和习性在双豚目系统发育框架中的关联

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-09-02 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70008

Matheus M. Bitencourt, Ana Cristina Mendes-Oliveira, Gleomar F. Maschio, Maria Clara S. Ribeiro, Alexandra M. R. Bezerra

{"title":"Morphology of Guard Hairs in Amazonian Marsupials: Intergeneric Variation, Habitat and Habit Association in a Phylogenetic Framework of the Order Didelphimorphia","authors":"Matheus M. Bitencourt, Ana Cristina Mendes-Oliveira, Gleomar F. Maschio, Maria Clara S. Ribeiro, Alexandra M. R. Bezerra","doi":"10.1111/azo.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70008","url":null,"abstract":"The cuticle and medulla of guard hairs exhibit distinct morphological patterns among mammalian species. To investigate this variability in marsupials from the Brazilian Amazon, we analysed guard hairs from nine Didelphimorphia species and incorporated data from an additional 25 didelphid species. We examined how these patterns relate to habitats and habits and proposed phenotypic evolutionary hypotheses within Didelphimorphia. Furthermore, we provide the first descriptions for Philander pebas, P. canus and Didelphis imperfecta. No intraspecific variation was found in cuticle morphology or its relationship with habitats. However, conoidal and lozenge cuticular patterns may be associated with arboreal and terrestrial habits, respectively. While the microstructure of guard hairs is useful for genus-level identification of mammals, species-level identification in the diverse Amazonian marsupials remains challenging due to pattern repetition and the reliance on more subjective characteristics.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"460-469"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70008","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphometric and Paleobiological Insights Into Pleistocene Sicilian Wolf Populations 更新世西西里狼种群的形态计量学和古生物学研究

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-08-08 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70004

Domenico Tancredi, Carolina Di Patti, Sabrina Lo Brutto, Matteo Cammarata

{"title":"Morphometric and Paleobiological Insights Into Pleistocene Sicilian Wolf Populations","authors":"Domenico Tancredi, Carolina Di Patti, Sabrina Lo Brutto, Matteo Cammarata","doi":"10.1111/azo.70004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70004","url":null,"abstract":"The Pleistocene wolves (Canis lupus) from Sicily represent one of the few known insular populations of this species from that time period. Despite their potential relevance for understanding carnivore adaptations in insular contexts, no dedicated study has previously investigated their morphology and evolutionary significance. This study presents the first detailed analysis of Pleistocene wolf remains from Sicily, providing new insights into their morphometric variability and paleobiological implications. Fossil specimens from seven deposits in the north-western region of the island were analysed using a detailed morphometric approach, including log-ratio diagrams and principal component analysis (PCA). Estimates of body mass and shoulder height were also obtained through multiple regression equations. The results reveal considerable variability in size and dental proportions among the Sicilian specimens, which span the range documented in coeval peninsular Italian populations. Notably, some individuals from Arena Cave display divergent dental patterns and pronounced tooth wear, possibly reflecting ecological specialisation or early domestication processes. While preliminary, these findings underscore the complexity of wolf populations in Pleistocene Sicily and provide a foundation for future investigations into their evolutionary history and ecological adaptations.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"409-431"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphology and Ultrastructure of Puye (Galaxias maculatus) Spermatozoa Puye （galaxas maculatus）精子的形态和超微结构

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-09-27 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70010

Leydy Sandoval-Vargas, Maritza Pérez Atehortúa, José Zamorano, Paola Niedmann, Elías Figueroa, Osvaldo Merino, Jennie Risopatrón, Iván Valdebenito

{"title":"Morphology and Ultrastructure of Puye (Galaxias maculatus) Spermatozoa","authors":"Leydy Sandoval-Vargas, Maritza Pérez Atehortúa, José Zamorano, Paola Niedmann, Elías Figueroa, Osvaldo Merino, Jennie Risopatrón, Iván Valdebenito","doi":"10.1111/azo.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 This study characterises basic seminal and sperm parameters of puye (Galaxias maculatus maculatus), including sperm concentration, seminal plasma osmolality and cell viability. In addition, it provides a detailed description of sperm ultrastructure. Wild males (n = 21) were captured in southern Chile. A small and variable volume of milt was collected per male; the samples exhibited a high sperm concentration (55.84 ± 8.25 × 109 spermatozoa mL−1) and high viability (94.38% ± 2.78%). Spermatozoa had a total length of 26.9 ± 0.63 μm and consisted of an elongated head lacking an acrosome, a short mid-piece with ring-shaped mitochondrion, and a relatively short flagellum. The nucleus contained a deep nuclear fossa occupying almost the entire head, from which the flagellum emerged. The flagellum exhibits the classical 9 + 2 axoneme structure and consists of a long main piece and a short end-piece. The main piece presents a pair of side-fins of variable length, oriented in the plane of the central microtubules. This study provides the first detailed description of sperm ultrastructure in G. maculatus, revealing similarities with various fish families. This information could be valuable for future research on reproductive physiology, sperm evolution and potential applications in assisted reproduction and conservation.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"480-489"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Ecogeographical Divergence in Morphological Female Traits of a Widespread Viviparous Lizard in Mexico 墨西哥一种广泛分布的胎生蜥蜴形态雌性特征的生态地理差异

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-10-20 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70012

César A. Díaz-Marín, Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista, Uriel Hernández-Salinas

{"title":"Ecogeographical Divergence in Morphological Female Traits of a Widespread Viviparous Lizard in Mexico","authors":"César A. Díaz-Marín, Aurelio Ramírez-Bautista, Uriel Hernández-Salinas","doi":"10.1111/azo.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 Ecogeographic rules explain intra- and interspecific variation in the morphological and reproductive traits of animal species through the heat balance hypothesis, resource availability hypothesis, and dehydration resistance hypothesis. Here, we focused on determining whether populations of female Sceloporus grammicus could be classified by morphological and reproductive traits and whether there is a relationship with environmental temperature, precipitation, and aridity of their habitats according to the heat balance, resource availability, and dehydration resistance hypotheses. Our results showed that populations of female S. grammicus could be classified based on their morphological and reproductive traits. The first discriminant function, which corresponded to large heads and short forearms, was negatively correlated with environmental temperature. However, there was no relationship with precipitation or aridity index. Therefore, our results support the converse of Allen's rule, where short-limbed lizards are favoured in warm climates, whereas long-limbed lizards confer advantages in cold climates. This ecogeographical pattern could influence the physiological and locomotor performance of female S. grammicus in different ways and may represent a baseline for future research and conservation agendas.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"490-500"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Skull Shape Variation Among Domestic Duck Breeds and Their Wild Ancestor: Orvia, Pekin and Mallard 家鸭品种及其野生祖先：欧维亚鸭、北京鸭和绿头鸭的颅骨形状变异

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-08-06 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70006

Burak Ünal, Sokol Duro, Barış Can Güzel, Buket Çakar, Ermiş Özkan, Gülsün Pazvant, Ozan Gündemir

{"title":"Skull Shape Variation Among Domestic Duck Breeds and Their Wild Ancestor: Orvia, Pekin and Mallard","authors":"Burak Ünal, Sokol Duro, Barış Can Güzel, Buket Çakar, Ermiş Özkan, Gülsün Pazvant, Ozan Gündemir","doi":"10.1111/azo.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 The skull is a critical structure for morphological characterisation across species and breeds, providing valuable insights into taxonomic classification and functional anatomy. This study aimed to investigate the cranial morphological variations among Orvia and Pekin domestic ducks and the wild Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758) using geometric morphometric methods. Furthermore, it examined whether these morphological characterisations could differentiate between domestic breeds and Mallard, and whether they exhibited allometric effects. In this study, the skulls of 59 one-year-old male ducks were analysed after slaughter. The skulls were modelled in 3D and subjected to geometric morphometric analysis. The results revealed significant differences in skull size among the Orvia, Pekin, and Mallard ducks (p < 0.001), with Orvia exhibiting the largest skull size. While overall shape differences were found among the duck groups, no statistically significant shape differences were observed between the Pekin and Mallard groups. The Orvia displayed broader skulls, whereas the Pekin and Mallard groups exhibited narrower and more elongated skull shapes. Additionally, a significant size-shape relationship was observed in the Pekin and Mallard groups, but no significant allometric relationship was found for the Orvia group. These findings contribute valuable insights into the morphological differentiation and anatomical understanding of domestic and wild ducks, offering a foundation for further comparative morphological studies.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"442-449"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Histological Characteristics of Selected Organs of Pseudecheneis sulcatus 沟状假鼻虫器官的组织学特征

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-08-13 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70005

Junjie Huang, Yang Chen, Shibo Zhang, Lu Qun, Shanlin Li, Hangyu Lin, Jianhu Liu, Tao He

{"title":"Histological Characteristics of Selected Organs of Pseudecheneis sulcatus","authors":"Junjie Huang, Yang Chen, Shibo Zhang, Lu Qun, Shanlin Li, Hangyu Lin, Jianhu Liu, Tao He","doi":"10.1111/azo.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 Pseudecheneis sulcatus, an omnivorous fish, is one of the protected species in the Binglangjiang basin. Through histological sections and microphotographic observation, this paper analyzes the histological characteristics of oesophagus, stomach, intestine, liver, kidney, eggs, barbels, and brain of P. sulcatus. The results show that P. sulcatus contains a short oesophagus with numerous goblet cells, a stomach with the muscularis mucosae and gastric glands, and an intestine with long and complex mucosal folds, corresponding to its omnivorous habit. The boundaries of hepatic lobules are indistinct, and the size of hepatocytes is large. The cerebellum is small, which is in line with its benthic living habits. The barbels of P. sulcatus have numerous taste buds while having fewer goblet cells. In addition, all the eggs of P. sulcatus collected in this survey are at stage III of development, indicating that it has the univoltine ovary. There is no significant difference in the kidney compared with other teleost fishes. This study enriches the basic biological content of P. sulcatus and provides basic data for its artificial reproduction and resource protection, thereby effectively protecting this species and the biodiversity of the Binglangjiang.\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"432-441"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Morphology of the First Zoeal Stage of the Shrimp Typton distinctus Chace, 1972: The Second for the Genus Typton O.G. Costa, 1844 After 100 Years 典型虾（Typton distinctus Chace）的第一动物阶段形态学，1972；典型虾属（Typton）的第二动物阶段形态学，O.G. Costa, 1844, 100年后

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-11-08 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70013

Matheus Sene, Rogerio Caetano Costa, Rafael Carvalho Santos

{"title":"Morphology of the First Zoeal Stage of the Shrimp Typton distinctus Chace, 1972: The Second for the Genus Typton O.G. Costa, 1844 After 100 Years","authors":"Matheus Sene, Rogerio Caetano Costa, Rafael Carvalho Santos","doi":"10.1111/azo.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70013","url":null,"abstract":"The marine shrimp of the genus Typton are widely distributed, known to be associated with sessile organisms such as sponges. Information about this genus is limited, highlighting the scarcity of important features in its biology, including larval forms. This study aims to describe the first larval stage of Typton distinctus, marking the third larval description for the genus and the second for the first zoea after 100 years. An ovigerous female was sampled manually by freediving in January 2019 at Cais do Porto, Itaguá Bay, Ubatuba, São Paulo. The parental female was kept in an aquarium until the larvae hatched. The morphology of the first larval stage was described and illustrated, then compared to the only first zoea of the genus available in the literature in this stage, T. spongicola, to identify diagnostic larval patterns in the genus. Both species shared similar morphological characteristics, typical of first zoea in caridean shrimp; however, an elevated number of distinct traits were identified too that could be a result of incomplete details in the description of T. spongicola. This study enhances the understanding of Typton larvae, assisting in their identification and providing information for future research on this genus through the morphological data provided.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"501-510"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70013","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Crushing and Cutting: Shape Variation and Morphological Integration Between the Claws of Two Swimming Crab Species (Brachyura: Portunidae) 挤压和切割：两种游泳蟹（短尾目：梭子蟹科）的爪形变化和形态整合

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-08-22 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70007

Julia Tadiotto, Alexandre Ribeiro da Silva, Julia Fernandes Perroca, Rogerio Caetano Costa, Caio Santos Nogueira

{"title":"Crushing and Cutting: Shape Variation and Morphological Integration Between the Claws of Two Swimming Crab Species (Brachyura: Portunidae)","authors":"Julia Tadiotto, Alexandre Ribeiro da Silva, Julia Fernandes Perroca, Rogerio Caetano Costa, Caio Santos Nogueira","doi":"10.1111/azo.70007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70007","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated shape variations and morphological integration between the components of crusher and cutter claws in two species of swimming crabs, Callinectes danae and Callinectes ornatus. The propodi and dactyli of the claws were analysed in males and females of both species, using geometric morphometric techniques to identify subtle shape differences and analyse the integration between the components. The analysis of morphological integration assesses the coadaptation between two correlated traits, whose modifications may result in improvements in functional performance. The crusher claws, associated with agonistic interactions and breaking prey with hard tissues, showed greater robustness than the cutter claws, which are specialised in cutting tasks and agile capture. Despite these functional differences, a high degree of morphological integration was found between the propodus and dactylus in both types of claws, regardless of sex or species. Statistical analyses confirmed significant differences in the shape of the structures between crusher and cutter claws, highlighting variations in robustness and proportions of the components. These findings indicate that, even though each type of claw is frequently used to acquire different resources, they do not differ in terms of morphological integration, as they are coadapted to perform different functions with high efficiency.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"450-459"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70007","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Weaponry Investment in the Socially Monogamous Snapping Shrimp Alpheus brasileiro (Decapoda: Alpheidae) 社会一夫一妻制的巴西虾的武器投资（十足目：虾科）

IF 1.1 4区生物学

Acta Zoologica Pub Date : 2026-09-05 Epub Date: 2025-09-12 DOI: 10.1111/azo.70009

Leonardo Moreira, Caio Santos Nogueira, Régis Augusto Pescinelli, Rogerio Caetano Costa

{"title":"Weaponry Investment in the Socially Monogamous Snapping Shrimp Alpheus brasileiro (Decapoda: Alpheidae)","authors":"Leonardo Moreira, Caio Santos Nogueira, Régis Augusto Pescinelli, Rogerio Caetano Costa","doi":"10.1111/azo.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70009","url":null,"abstract":"Weapons are morphological structures used by animals in various contexts, especially in intra-specific contests and visual displays. In snapping shrimps of the genus Alpheus, particularly the monogamous species Alpheus brasileiro, both sexes bear enlarged chelipeds, potentially conferring advantages in mate competition or territorial defence. However, little is known about sex-specific weapon investment value (WIV) in socially monogamous species. This study investigated WIV in males and females of A. brasileiro through monthly sampling from April 2015 to March 2016 in a southeastern Brazilian estuary. Shrimps were measured for carapace and chela (propodus + dactyl) dimensions, and allometric analyses were performed to assess relative growth patterns. WIV was quantified by comparing the dry weight of the major chela to total body dry weight. Both sexes showed positive allometry for weapon growth, indicating increased energy allocation to chela development. However, males invested significantly more (≈26%) of their body weight in weaponry compared to females (≈20%). These findings suggest that males face stronger selective pressures favouring larger weapons, possibly due to intra-sexual competition, predatory defence or display behaviours. Our results provide new insights into sex-based differences in weapon development in Alpheus, emphasising the relevance of investigating morphological traits in socially monogamous crustaceans.","PeriodicalId":50945,"journal":{"name":"Acta Zoologica","volume":"107 4","pages":"470-479"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/azo.70009","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148904037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0