Guzmán Jonathan A, D'Elía Guillermo, Ortiz Juan Carlos
Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
Rev Biol Trop. 2009 Mar-Jun;57(1-2):421-32.
We studied the geographic variation of skulls of Lycalopex culpaeus using qualitative and quantative analyses. The sampling area covered Chile, from its northern portion, to Tierra del Fuego and the neighbouring Hoste Island, as well as part of Argentina. Five subespecies are currently recognized from this large area. We found two morphotypes that are segregated geographically. Both groups mostly differ by morphometric attributes, followed by qualitative features. Specimens from northern Chile (Tarapacá and Antofagasta) have small skulls, short rostrum, a liriform sagital zone, and lack the interparietal crest. The second group is formed by specimens from north-western and central Argentina, central-south Chile, Patagonia, and the austral islands of Tierra del Fuego and Hoste. This group presents a strong sagital crest, large rostrum, and a large skull. Our results agree with observed patterns of mitochondrial DNA variation. We propose to retain the name L. c. andinus for the populations of northern Chile and to synonymize L. c. magellanicus, L. c. lycoides, and L. c. smithersi under L. c. culpaeus.
我们使用定性和定量分析方法研究了草原狐（Lycalopex culpaeus）头骨的地理变异情况。采样区域覆盖了智利，从其北部一直到火地岛和邻近的霍斯特岛，以及阿根廷的部分地区。目前在这个广大区域内识别出了五个亚种。我们发现了两种在地理上隔离的形态型。两组主要在形态测量属性上存在差异，其次是定性特征。来自智利北部（塔拉帕卡和安托法加斯塔）的标本头骨较小，吻部较短，矢状区呈椭圆形，且没有顶间嵴。第二组由来自阿根廷西北部和中部、智利中南部、巴塔哥尼亚以及火地岛和霍斯特岛南部岛屿的标本组成。这一组呈现出明显的矢状嵴、较大的吻部和较大的头骨。我们的结果与观察到的线粒体DNA变异模式一致。我们建议保留“L. c. andinus”这个名称用于智利北部的种群，并将“L. c. magellanicus”、“L. c. lycoides”和“L. c. smithersi”同义于“L. c. culpaeus”。
