IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Mukherjee, S.; Groves, C. | |
| Geographic Variation in Jungle Cat (_Felis chaus_) Body Size: Is Competition Responsible? | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
There is a striking difference in body size of jungle cats (_Felis chaus_) in the west and the east of their distribution with Israeli cats being 43% heavier than Indian cats. We tested the hypothesis that increasing competition from other small felids towards the east is responsible for the difference in body size. We measured jungle cat skulls for eight cranial and dental variables and related these to independent variables such as species richness (local and regional), latitude, longitude, temperature and precipitation. Data from a narrow band between latitudes 24.0 degrees N and 33.9 degrees N where Bergmann's rule was largely not observed showed that the western population (<50.0 degrees E longitude) of jungle cats is larger than the eastern (> 60.0 degrees E longitude) population with the size difference being most evident in the upper carnassials (P^4L). Species richness at the regional level showed a significant negative relation to P^4L. An even spacing in CBL for a smallcat guild from India through null model analysis indicated the occurrence of character displacement/release. The results support the hypothesis that competition is responsible for geographic variation in jungle cat body size in the region where Bergmann's rule does not apply. |
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