Abstract：Population divergence is a crucial step in speciation,and studies on patterns of intraspecific variation based on morphological traits can be helpful to uncover and further understand microevolutionary processes. In this research,we made a comprehensive comparison on skulls of Chinese white-bellied rat (Niviventer confucianus)populations among five mountains in middle and western China. The results indicated that skull variables among these populations are significantly different. In addition,discriminant function analyses further uncovered that Chinese white-bellied rat populations in the Qinling Mountains and Sichuan mountains have diverged completely in their skull morphology. Except for those between the Qionglai and Xiangling populations,skulls between the rest of the populations in Sichuan have diverged significantly,as well 69.1% of skulls were correctly classified to their source mountains,and variables including median palatal length and upper diastema length contributed most to their divergence,implying that the divergence in skulls morphology among the five populations perhaps primarily resulted from their food habits. Our results also illustrate that more caution should be taken to establish and discriminate intra-specific taxonomy units (such as subspecies)for small mammals which occupy a large geographical range.
樊智,张泽钧,韦伟,廖咏梅,孙宜然,张明春,母华强,胡锦矗. 中国中西部五大山系间社鼠头骨形态的地理分化[J]. , 2010, 30(2): 171-176.
FAN Zhi,ZHANG Zejun,WEI Wei,LIAO Yongmei,SUN Yiran,ZHANG Mingchun,MU Huaqiang,HU Jinchu. Comparison of skull morphology among Chinese white-bellied rat (Niviventer confucianus) populations from five mountains in China. , 2010, 30(2): 171-176.
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