Sexual dimorphism and interpopulational variability in the lower carnassial of the cave bear, Ursus spelaeus Ros-Hein

Abstract

[Abstract] A morphometric study on the lower carnassial (M1 of Ursus spelaeus from three european populations has been carried out. Multivariate statistic methods have been used for this purpose. It has been proved that the variability caused by the sexual dimorphism interferes to an important degree in the suposed interpopulational differences. Once the intrapopulational variability has been put aside, significative differences between the analized populations have been found. These differences are well-marked in the degree of development of the cusps, and specially in the metaconid.[Resumen] En este trabajo se realiza un estudio morfométrico de la carnicera inferior (M1) de Ursus spelaeus de tres poblaciones europeas, mediante métodos de estadística multivariante. Se comprueba cómo la variabilidad producida por el dimorfismo sexual enmascara en gran medida las posibles diferencias interpoblacionales. Una vez eludida esa variabilidad intrapoblacional, se han encontrado diferencias significativas entre las poblaciones analizadas, especialmente marcadas en el desarrollo de las cúspides, y principalmente en el metacónido.