Evolution of sexual segregation in mammalian herbivores: kangaroos as marsupial models


Autoria(s): Coulson, G.; MacFarlane, A. M.; Parsons, Stuart; Cutter, J.
Data(s)

2006

Resumo

Sexual segregation is best known in sexually dimorphic ungulates. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the evolution of sexual segregation in ungulates, but all are reducible to the influence of two factors: body size and sex-specific reproductive strategy. Definitive tests of these hypotheses are lacking in ungulates because these factors are confounded, all males being somewhat larger than females. Kangaroos represent a parallel radiation of terrestrial herbivores, but their populations are composed of a spectrum of adult body sizes, ranging from small males the same size as females to large males more than twice the size. We exploited this heteromorphism to assess the independent influences of size and sex in these ungulate analogues. We conducted a preliminary study of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) in north-western Victoria, Australia. Adult males predominately occupied grassland habitat, whereas females occurred mostly in lakebed, woodland and shrubland. Single-sex groups occurred more often than expected during the non-mating season. The diet of large males had the highest proportion of grass, and females had the least. These initial results indicate that both size and sex influence segregation in this species, confirming the worth of kangaroos as marsupial models for research into the evolution of sexual segregation.

Identificador

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/81285/

Relação

DOI:10.1071/ZO05062

Coulson, G., MacFarlane, A. M., Parsons, Stuart, & Cutter, J. (2006) Evolution of sexual segregation in mammalian herbivores: kangaroos as marsupial models. Australian Journal of Zoology, 54(3), p. 217.

Direitos

CSIRO

Tipo

Journal Article