Sexual size dimorphism in ground beetle carabus cumanus fischer von waldheim, 1823 (Coleoptera, carabidae) and its variation in different traits

Abstract

© 2019, Baltic Institute of Coleopterology. All rights reserved. We analyzed six morphometric traits variation (elytra, pronotum, head length and width) in two samples of Ground Beetle Carabus cumanus. The latter were taken in two biotopes – steppe mountain slope and flood plain forest (Chechen Republic, Russia). In total more than 100 specimen were measured. Both females and males in forest stand had longer elytra, pronotum and head. Traits widths were similar in both samples. Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD) in Carabus cumanus was female-biased and varied in different traits and in different biotopes. It was most pronounced in the head length. RMA resulted in positive slopes in all traits, showing similar direction in traits variation in females and males. â-coefficient was significant in four out of six traits treated, showing females more sensitive to environmental conditions than males. Scaling of SSD with body size indicated that C. cumanus follows converse Rensch’s rule.