THE SIZE OF EASTERN COYOTES (CANIS-LATRANS) - A COMMENT

Authors
LARIVIERE S CRETE M
Citation
S. Lariviere et M. Crete, THE SIZE OF EASTERN COYOTES (CANIS-LATRANS) - A COMMENT, Journal of mammalogy, 74(4), 1993, pp. 1072-1074
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology
Journal title
Journal of mammalogy → ACNP
ISSN journal
00222372
Volume
74
Issue
4
Year of publication
1993
Pages
1072 - 1074
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-2372(1993)74:4<1072:TSOEC(>2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Thurber and Peterson (1991, Journal of Mammalogy, 72:750-755) analyzed data on body mass of North American coyotes, and speculated that the larger size of eastern coyotes was most likely attributed to a phenoty pic response to enhanced food supply. We argue that data on food habit s, cranial morphometrics, body mass in captivity, and behavior suggest rather that this larger size of eastern coyotes is due to genetic fac tors and represents an adaptation to a larger prey, namely, white-tail ed deer.