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Sexual Dimorphism in Primates

The Effects of Size

  • Chapter
Size and Scaling in Primate Biology

Part of the book series: Advances in Primatology ((AIPR))

Abstract

Secondary sexual differentiation in sexually reproducing organisms leads to more or less pronounced sexual dimorphism in an array of interrelated morphological, physiological, and behavioral features. Among primates morphological sexual differences occur in a wide range of characteristics, including (1) size (body weight and linear body dimensions such as trunk, head, and tail length), (2) dentition (such as canine size), (3) cranial features (such as prognathism, or sagittal and nuchal cresting), (4) locomotor apparatus (dimensions of axial and appendicular skeleton, muscular development), (5) internal organs (such as brain and heart size), (6) external features (such as pelage color and markings, shoulder capes and manes, permanent skin ridges, and coloration, particularly on the face), and (7) maturational, seasonal, or periodic morphological changes associated with reproductive cycles (Leutenegger, 1982a).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA

    Walter Leutenegger

  2. Departments of Anthropology, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 60201, USA

    James M. Cheverud

Authors
  1. Walter Leutenegger
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  2. James M. Cheverud
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York, USA

    William L. Jungers

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© 1985 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Leutenegger, W., Cheverud, J.M. (1985). Sexual Dimorphism in Primates. In: Jungers, W.L. (eds) Size and Scaling in Primate Biology. Advances in Primatology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3647-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3647-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-3649-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-3647-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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