MULTIVARIATE MORPHOMETRICS AND ALLOMETRY IN A POLYMORPHIC ANT

In this paper we describe how morphological castes can be distinguishe d using multivariate statistical methods combined with jackknife estim ators of the allometric coefficients. Data from the polymorphic ant, C amponotus rufipes, produced two distinct patterns of allometric variat ion, and thus two morphological castes. Morphometric analysis distingu ished different allometric patterns within the two castes, with overal l variability being greater in the major workers. Caste-specific scali ng variabilities were associated with the relative importance of first principal component. The static multivariate allometric coefficients for each of 10 measured characters were different between castes, but their relative magnitudes within castes were similar. Multivariate sta tistical analysis of worker polymorphism in ants is a more complete de scriptor of shape variation than, and provides statistical and concept ual advantages over, the standard bivariate techniques commonly used.