NON-GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN MORPHOLOGICAL-CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOTTENTOT GOLDEN MOLE, AMBLYSOMUS-HOTTENTOTUS (INSECTIVORA, CHRYSOCHLORIDAE)

Intra-demic variation in dental characteristics, claw width, external measurements and cranial morphology within populations of A. hottentot us representing two subspecies (A. h. hottentotus and A. h. pondoliae) widespread in South Africa was analysed. Sex ratios did not deviate s ignificantly from parity. Variability in dental traits was marked in A . h. pondoliae, but negligible in a population from King Williams Town . The basis of dental variability appears to be the unusual sequence o f tooth replacement in chrysochlorids, so that deciduous and permanent teeth with differing morphologies may occur in the same toothrow. Sex ual size dimorphism is marked, males being significantly larger than f emales, but cranial shape divergence between the sexes is subtle, and involves only slight divergence in the configuration of the facial and mandibular regions. Age-related variation amongst adult cohorts is ne gligible, and involves only a slight increase in bullar size, maxillar y toothrow length and rostrum width. This pattern of intra-populationa l variation is similar to that of other African Insectivora.