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American Society of Mammalogists Journal of Mammalogy
American Society of Mammalogists Journal of Mammalogy
American Society of Mammalogists Journal of Mammalogy
Allometric Relationships and Sexual Dimorphism in Captive Killer Whales (Orcinus orca)
Author(s): Steven T. Clark and Daniel K. Odell
Source: Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 80, No. 3 (Aug., 1999), pp. 777-785
Published by: American Society of Mammalogists
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/1383247
Accessed: 16-10-2019 04:35 UTC
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ALLOMETRIC RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN
CAPTIVE KILLER WHALES (ORCINUS ORCA)
Morphometric data were collected on 30 captive killer whales (Orcinus orca, 10 males,
females) from 1984 to 1996 at SeaWorld parks to document allometric relationships an
sexual dimorphism. All nine characters examined exhibited negative allometric linear
lationships with total length. Proportional sexual dimorphism was apparent only in le
of flipper and height of dorsal fin among larger males. Absolute sexual dimorphism w
detected in all categories. Anterior and posterior length of flippers for males were be
approximated by a piecewise linear-regression model that suggested a greater rate of gro
in larger males. That may have been the result of onset of an adolescent growth spur
males and perhaps is necessary to maintain hydrodynamic stability. Girth measureme
(girth at anterior origin of dorsal fin, girth at axilla, girth at genital slit) regressed on
length were linear for males and smaller females (<500 cm total length). Increased var
ability of girth measurements and distance between mammary slits in females >500 c
apparently was due to pregnancies. A piecewise linear-regression described growth of do
fins of males. The growth coefficient was greater in larger males. Additionally, adult m
had greater dorsal fin ratios (height:base length) than females. The relationship of dista
from blowhole to tip of dorsal fin regressed on total length was significant. This morp
metric has applications for estimating length of killer whales during photogrammetric s
ies of wild animals.
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778 JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY Vol. 80, No. 3
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August 1999 CLARK AND ODELL-ALLOMETRY OF KILLER WHALES 779
6 0-4 ZN
N0N tN
9 z---' m .
flipper to total length was linear for fe-
c) r)z t- r) 000c
males (Fig. 2a). A piecewise linear-regres-
sion model was more appropriate in char-
acterizing allometric growth of flippers for
males (Fig. 2b). According to this model,
P-4
oo7ce7o&66
a break point occurred at ca. 435 cm total
length where the rate of growth increased.
w r- Nz00
A similar relationship existed between pos-
CI
0r Ci0 6~ t0
terior length of flippers and total length. In
both relationships, rate of growth in both
anterior and posterior lengths of flippers
became greater in larger males (>435 cm
CI
total length) than females. For both sexes,
the relationship of width of fluke to total
?6 t< ; ? ffi 06 4 length was linear. Allometry of distance
. 0 N o N , N - from rostrum to anterior origin of flippers
to total length was linear for both sexes.
t 4
All girth measurements (girth at anterior
origin of dorsal fin, girth at axilla, girth at
C?I 00 N ? ri C N 00 N C, genital slit) exhibited similar linear rela-
N ? In 0 tI I N 0NIn
tionships with total length. Among fe-
1" ,-- ,-- 0 ttq?'1 ', 6, males, greater variability occurred when
total lengths were >500 cm (Fig. 2c). That
variability was not evident in nulliparous
females (Fig. 2d). Concerning girth at gen-
CI
ital slit morphometric, growth coefficient
~. o 4
for males appeared greater than that of nul-
liparous females (males, 0.61; nulliparous
females, 0.53), although that difference
o
was not statistically significant. Distance
between mammary slits in females was lin-
ear, although the relationship was not as
strong (r2 = 0.32 and 0.60 for all and nul-
a . 0
liparous females, respectively) as others
examined; therefore, allometric equations
were suspect. Similar to the girth measure-
ments, there was a greater amount of vari-
CI
ability in females larger than ca., 500 cm
0
total length. A distinct cluster of points
4 -o 4-
that occurred at total lengths >550 cm
consisted almost exclusively of measure-
0 0
0 0
ments from the only two nulliparous killer
whales. Those animals were of North Pa-
- c 0 cific origin while the other females origi
nated from the North Atlantic. Greater to-
tal lengths of those females were due to
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TABLE 2.-Allometric growth relationships and analyses of proportional sexual dimorphism in adult and c
parks. All measurements were regressed on total length (TL). Homogeneity of slopes or Y-intercepts refers to
tests for homogenousness (** = P < 0.01, *** = P < 0.001, ns = not significant).
Males Femal
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August 1999 CLARK AND ODELL-ALLOMETRY OF KILLER WHALES 781
125 200
00 - females
4 10 males
C 150
75 -
100
50-
50
o 25- b
0 a
250 350 450 550 650 250 340 430 520 610 700
400- - ?
400-
0 300
300-
200
200
r.l
Id
1200 . Sd
100 100
250
Vr 250350
350450
450 550
550 650
650 250 350 450 550 650
300 j 200
-u males . males
- 250 150
S200 44 100
150 o 50
? e
100 l 0
200 300 400 500 600 700 200 300 400 500 600 700
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782 JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY Vol. 80, No. 3
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August 1999 CLARK AND ODELL-ALLOMETRY OF KILLER WHALES 783
50
E calf
born
45
calf
40 bornm
E
E 3calf
35 born
calf
30 L 3T0 born
25
150 650 1,150 1,650 2,150 2,650 3,150 3,650 4,150 4,650
Time (days)
FIG. 3.-Relationship between distance between mammary slits and time (days
during four pregnancies (animal 7806 from Duffield et al., 1995). Distance betw
increased during pregnancy and decreased rapidly after parturition.
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784 JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY Vol. 80, No. 3
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August 1999 CLARK AND ODELL-ALLOMETRY OF KILLER WHALES 785
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