[Component analysis of craniologic characters of silver foxes (Vulpes fulvus Desm.) and their changes arising under domestication]

Abstract

The data on cranial measurements performed in silver foxes indicate that there are differences in sizes measured between the farm foxes--bred population and the population selected for domestication. A method of principal components was used to analyse the cranial measurements and their changes under domestication. The first component covers about 50% of cranial diversity, which is interpreted as variation in the total skull size. This component clearly separates the two sexes, but not different populations. The second component presumably reflects the growth rate allometry between the skull length and width. The third and fourth components are measurements of skull width; the fifth one reflects the sizes of brain skull. None of these components clearly separate the foxes from farm--bred and domesticated populations. However, some differences in distribution are observed.