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305316

The Variation of the Skull and Sexual Dimorphism of Red Fox Sample from Egypt

Article

Last updated: 24 Dec 2024

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Abstract

Numerous species of carnivores have been described, along with their cranial traits and sexual dimorphism. Despite the red fox's widespread distribution worldwide, very few studies have specifically addressed its cranial variations in Egypt. Despite the fact that many have focused on sexual dimorphism in carnivore skull size, other few studies have attempted to examine sexual dimorphism in skull shape in carnivores. In order to understand how shape and size relate to skull variability and differentiation, the current study analyses the morphometry of red fox sample skulls from Egypt. Multivariate statistical techniques were used to examine a total of 186 red fox skulls that had been collected around the whole country. All measurements were subjected to principal component analysis in order to categorize specimens according to size and shape. The skulls of red foxes exhibit significant individual variation. Age is related to the size and shape variations in red foxes. The size and shape of the skulls of sub-adult and adult red foxes largely overlap. Red fox skulls exhibit quietly pronounced sexual dimorphism, with older males being slightly larger than females. According to their cranial measurements, red foxes from the Western Mediterranean Coastal Desert and Western Desert Oases differ from those from the other regions of the country.

DOI

10.21608/eajbsz.2023.305316

Keywords

Vulpes vulpes, skull morphometry, geographic variation, Sexual dimorphism

Authors

First Name

Mahmoud

Last Name

Younes

MiddleName

I.

Affiliation

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt, 11884,

Email

myounes@azhar.edu.eg

City

Cairo

Orcid

0000-0001-5545-7233

Volume

15

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

38899

Issue Date

2023-06-01

Receive Date

2023-05-24

Publish Date

2023-06-29

Page Start

259

Page End

274

Print ISSN

2090-0759

Online ISSN

2090-0821

Link

https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/article_305316.html

Detail API

https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=305316

Order

305,316

Type

Original Article

Type Code

672

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology

Publication Link

https://eajbsz.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

The Variation of the Skull and Sexual Dimorphism of Red Fox Sample from Egypt

Details

Type

Article

Created At

24 Dec 2024