Sexual dimorphism in the South American water snake Helicops polylepis (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)

Abstract

Sexual selection, fecundity selection and ecological divergence have been the main explanations proposed for the origin and maintenance of sexual dimorphism. In this study we provide evidence of sexual dimorphism in the South American aquatic snake Helicops polylepis, which is mainly determined by body and head sizes. Males have longer tails and more subcaudal scales, and females have larger body and head and more ventral scales. The sexual dimorphism observed in different morphological characters of H. polylepis occurs in other species of xenodontine snakes and is interpreted as a consequence of sexual selection pressures. Data on growth rates associated with prey availability and female size-related offspring size are necessary to refine our analyzes and test specific hypotheses about the ecological and evolutionary bases of sexual dimorphism in H. polylepis.