Testing the morphological constraint hypothesis of tail length in the sexually dimorphic Cerastes vipera and new perspectives
Abstract The morphological constraint hypothesis (MCH) states that, in snakes, males typically have relatively longer tails than females to accommodate the hemipenes and retractor muscles. To date, most studies testing the MCH have been interspecific and results have been equivocal. We tested the MC...
Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-03-01
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Series: | Scientific Reports |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31624-6 |