FEMALE VOLUME, LOWEST HOURS OF SUNSHINE, MONTH WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF RAINY DAYS, RAINFALL, AND TEMPERATURES IN THE COOLEST AND WARMEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR ARE RELATED TO LATITUDE (AND LONGITUDE) ACROSS THE DISTRIBUTION OF PILL MILLIPEDES SPHAEROTHERIUM BRANDT, 1833

Author Name: M. I. Cooper

Volume/Issue: 03/01

Country: South Africa

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/06.2022-51527898/UIJIR

Affiliation:

University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

ABSTRACT

The objectives of this study were to determine what happened when Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD) and body size changed with eco-geographical factors. Female volume, rainfall, and temperature in the coolest and warmest months of the year were correlated with latitude and longitude in the forest millipede genus Sphaerotherium. Positive relationships between female volume and latitude (r = 0.75; Z score = 1.96, n = 7, p = 0.02) and longitude (r = 0.70, Z score = 1.74, n = 7, p = 0.04) found. There was a correlation between lowest average temperature and latitude (r=0.89, Z score=2.80, n=7, p<0.01) and longitude (r=0.88, Z score=2.78, n=7, p<0.01). There was a correlation between highest average temperature and latitude (r=0.92, Z score=3.16, n=7, p<0.01) and longitude (r=0.91, Z score=3.07, n=7, p<0.01). There was a correlation between precipitation and latitude (r=0.91, Z score=3.02, n=7, p<0.01) and longitude (r=0.71, Z score=1.78, n=7, p=0.04). There was a correlation between temperature and latitude (r=0.92, Z score=3.14, n=7, p<0.01) and longitude (r=0.91, Z score=3.00, n=7, p<0.01). There was a correlation between the month with the highest number of rainy days and latitude (r=0.76, Z score=1.99, n=7, p=0.02) and not longitude and lowest hours of sunshine and latitude (r=0.82, Z score=2.34, n=7, p<0.01) and not longitude. Eco-geographical variance in the polygynandrous reproductive systems occurs with larger females and higher SSD co-occurring with the lowest average temperature, higher rainfall, and warmer temperatures.

Key words: Dimorphic, eco-geography, gradient, size, species, volume