Sexual dimorphism in size and shape of the head in the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus (Hydrophiinae, Elapidae).

ABSTRACT: In snakes, divergence in head size between the sexes has been interpreted as an adaptation to intersexual niche divergence. By overcoming gape-limitation, a larger head enables snakes of one sex to ingest larger prey items. Under this hypothesis, we do not expect a species that consumes only tiny prey items to exhibit sex differences in relative head size, or to show empirical links between relative head size and fitness-relevant traits such as growth and fecundity. Our field studies on the sea snake Emydocephalus annulatus falsify these predictions. Although these snakes feed exclusively on fish eggs, the heads of female snakes are longer and wider than those of males at the same body length. Individuals with wider heads grew more rapidly, reproduced more often, and produced larger litter

SUBMITTER: Shine R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8501056 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature