ARE LION TAMARINS (Leontopithecus: PRIMATES) SEXUALY DIMORPHIC IN REGARD TO BODY MEASUREMENTS?

• Autor(a) principal: Burity, Carlos Henrique Freitas
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Pissinatt, Alcides, de Lacerda, Carlos Alberto Mandarim
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Medicine
• Texto Completo: https://rbmv.org/BJVM/article/view/863
• topic: Tamarins de leão; Leontopithecus; corpo; morfometria; Lion tamarins; Leontopithecus; body and morphometry

ABSTRACT. Burity C.H.F., Pissinatti A. & Lacerda C.A.M. de. Are lion tamarins (Leontopithecus: Primates) sexualy dimorphic in regard to body measurements? [Os micos leões (Leontopithecus: Primates) são sexualmente dimorficos a pesar das medidas corporais?] Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 32(4):205-210, 2010. Escola de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Grande Rio, Rua Professor José de Souza Herdy, 1160, Duque de Caxias, RJ 25071-200, Brasil. E-mail: [e-mail] The Leontopithecus genus comprises the following four recognized species: L. rosalia, L. chrysomelas, L. chrysopygus, and L. caissara, which are considered the largest genus in the Callitrichidae family. They occupy areas of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, the former three species being critically endangered. Primates are sexually dimorphic in a range of morphological characteristics, such as body weight, fur, organs, and cranial, axial, and appendicular skeletons. This study assessed sexual dimorphism in body morphological characteristics of Leontopithecus kept in captivity. Body morphological variations were studied in a significant sample of the genus Leontopithecus. The analyses were performed aiming at testing possible sexual dimorphism. Welch’s approximate t test was used for assessing 13 body measurements, some of which were sexually dimorphic, such as chest perimeter, and arm, thigh, and foot lengths. No sexual dimorphism was evidenced for body weight in L. rosalia and L. chrysopygus. Body weight in L. chrysomelas, however, was dimorphic. As a whole, our study confirmed the lack of sexual dimorphism for body weight in Leontopithecus. On the other hand, it emphasized the findings regarding body weight in L. chrysomelas, as well as the significant differences found in the appendicular skeleton and chest perimeter in the sample studied.