Keywords
Didelphis marsupialis
Didelphis pernigra
mandibular heterochrony
mandibular isometry
mandibular shape
How to Cite
Abstract
In this study, the size and shape of the jaw were analyzed in three species of opossum (Didelphis sp.) from Colombia, using 2D geometric morphometry techniques. For this, the lateral plane of 139 hemimandibles of Didelphis albiventris n=20 (13 males + 7 females), D. marsupialis n=82 (41 males + 41 females), and D. pernigra n=37 (14 males + 23 females) from 17 reference points of the left hemimandible. All jaws were complete and came from non-lactating specimens. No sexual dimorphism was observed in size and shape. An isometric growth was found in the three species, which suggests that the mandible has a similar function in the three species from weaning onwards, possibly due to having identical feeding habits, despite the body differences between the three species, the mandible has maintained a similar form.
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