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Morphometric analysis of skull features and sexual size dimorphism in Microtus arvalis from Slovakia

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Abstract

The results of a morphometric analysis of the common vole, Microtus arvalis, were evaluated in this study. Twenty cranial variables were measured and evaluated on 105 skulls (34 males, 71 females) with respect to sex. The main aim of this study was to analyse the presence of sexual dimorphism on skull morphological variation. We showed that values for adult females of M. arvalis were higher than for males. Therefore, the results presented here reveal sexual differences in the measured cranial traits most expressed for the length of the mandible, the length of the lower molar row measured in alveoli and the thickness of the incisor.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Jana Kočišová, Michal Stanko, Jana Fričová and Monika Onderová for their help the field and laboratory work. Our thanks also go to Mr. David McLean for revision of the English language in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, Department of Biology, University of Prešov, 17. novembra 1, SK-081 16, Prešov, Slovakia

    Alexander Csanády

  2. Záturecká 20, Martin, Slovakia

    Ladislav Mošanský

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  1. Alexander Csanády
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  2. Ladislav Mošanský
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Correspondence to Alexander Csanády.

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Author Alexander Csanády: declares that he has no conflict of interest. 

Author Ladislav Mošanský: declares that he has no conflict of interest.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. The handling of small mammals complies with the laws of the Slovak Republic (No. 297/108/06).

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Csanády, A., Mošanský, L. Morphometric analysis of skull features and sexual size dimorphism in Microtus arvalis from Slovakia. Biologia 76, 2913–2920 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-021-00764-3

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