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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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
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