Allometric Growth Pattern of Skull on Brown Bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) of the Alborz Mountain

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the allometric growth pattern in the skull of both sexes of Iranian brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Alborz Mountains. Allometric parameters were obtained from 2D pictures of skulls using the software ImageJ and allometric growth pattern was calculated as a power function of total length using non-transformed data. Allometric growth pattern also showed that difference between males and females during their ontogenic growth of skull. Results showed that during development of skull parts from Immature to adult in male and female, similar grow pattern will continue to a certain age, after thet sexual dimorphism appear. Growth pattern is a factor for the sexual dimorphism differences. Different charts shows more consolidate in different parts of the male skull. According to the results Males in different parts of the skull is stronger whereas have shown more length, narrower and weaker in females

Keywords

• brown bear, skull, allometric growth pattern, Alborz Mountain