A REEVALUATION OF SUBSPECIFIC VARIATION AND CANINE DIMORPHISM IN WOOLLY SPIDER MONKEYS (BRACHYTELES ARACHNOIDES) - BRIEF COMMUNICATION

A recent study suggests that differing populations of woolly spider mo nkeys exhibit a substantial degree of morphological, cytogenetic, and behavioral variation. We re-evaluate the differences between populatio ns in the degree of canine tooth height sexual dimorphism and in the f requency of thumbs. Statistical analysis of variation in the degree of canine sexual dimorphism between these populations fails to provide s trong evidence for subspecific variation: differences in the degree of canine dimorphism cannot be considered statistically significant. Dif ferences between populations in the frequency of thumbs are, however, statistically significant. The lack of clear distinctions between popu lations in the degree of canine dimorphism complicates assessments of behavioral variation between these populations. We suggest that the le vel of geographic variation in woolly spider monkey canine dimorphism is not consistent with subspecific status. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.