title: The os coxae of a digging form of the northern water vole, Arvicola terrestris (Rodentia, Arvicolidae).
abstract: Data on the morphology, relative growth and sexual dimorphism of the os coxae of a digging form of the northern water vole Arvicola terrestris (A.t. monticola) are given. Two hundred ninety-nine specimens (146 males and 153 females) caught in the Aran Valley (Spanish Pyrenees) were analyzed. The specimens were distributed into six classes of relative age, according to the skull morphology, kind of coat, moulting state, weight and sexual state. The morphological features of the os coxae in these specimens are similar to those described in other species of Arvicolidae. The hormonal effect upon the pelvis in adult females during pregnancy and parturition leads to the appearance of marked intersexual differences in the obturator foramen length, the pubis length, the pelvis length and, specially, in the pelvis height and the pubis width. By means of Becker's and Dunmire's procedures both sexes can be correctly discriminated in a 78.87 and a 76.4% respectively. Conjugating the variation patterns obtained with Becker's index and the pelvis height, we have obtained a more effective method of sexual differentiation (an 85.51% of correct discrimination).
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gosálbez
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Götzens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012727:Sex Characteristics