On the issue of sex differences in metric characters in Anguis colchica (Nordmann in Demidoff, 1840) (Anguidae, Reptilia)

The length of the body without a tail (L.) and the length of an intact tail (L. cd.) were measured in 91 males and 110 females of Anguis colchica from the Chamzinsky rayon of the Republic of Mordovia. A comparative analysis of three morphometric characters (L., L. cd., L. / L. cd.) of males and females was carried out with the construction of variation series and using the frequency approach. Range of variability of L. and L. cd. (from 120 to 279 mm) were divided into eight classes, of which, according to body length without the tail, males were represented in seven, females in eight classes; According to the length of the tail, males were represented in six, and females in eight classes. Tail length depended on body length in males (r = 0.903, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.81) and females (r = 0.925, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.857). The proportions of males and females with a body length of 159 mm and less in the sample did not differ (p = 0.337), in the average size classes (from 160 to 199 mm) males predominated (p = 0.05), in size classes greater than 220 mm – females (p = 0.021). In the size class 200–219 mm, long-tailed females predominated.