Variation in the skulls and antlers of Wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsoni Bailey)

Date
1972
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Abstract
Two hundred and seventy two skulls and one hundred and ninety four antlers of Rocky Mountain Wapiti (Ce~vus elaphus nelsoni) and twenty-five skulls of the Manitoba Elk (C. e. manitobensis) collected from different locations were analysed with the aid of a digital computer. Individual variation in the male and female skulls conformed to a normal distribution, with the exception of the nasal width, foramen magnum width and basioccipital width. Individual variation in antlers was extreme except for the angles formed in the main beam and the length of the beam to Tine 4. The growth of male and female skulls and antlers is discussed. Differences in allometric growth patterns in skulls were tested by a covariance analysis of regression coefficients of selected skull traits against the condylobasal length. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced in the skulls, with the exception of upper and lower toothrows, the widths of PM2 and M2, the width across the maxillaries at M2, the lower diastema and the brain cavity height. Pedicel development in females is discussed. Geographic variation was tested by an analysis of variance followed by repeated t-testing. Thirteen measurements were found to differ between locations in adult female skulls, 11 of which differed within locations of the subspecies neZsoni as well as between subspecies of nelsoni and manitobensis. These differences are discussed in terms of population quality resulting from high or low nutritional regimes. The validity of the North American races nelsoni, manitobensis and merriami is discussed.
Description
Bibliography: p. 134-139.
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Citation
Hutton, D. A. (1972). Variation in the skulls and antlers of Wapiti (Cervus elaphus nelsoni Bailey) (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/13777