PMID- 22482798
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20120913
LR  - 20120507
IS  - 1873-2232 (Electronic)
IS  - 0378-4320 (Linking)
VI  - 131
IP  - 3-4
DP  - 2012 Apr
TI  - Mammalian sexual dimorphism.
PG  - 109-22
LID - 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.02.007 [doi]
AB  - Sexual dimorphisms (SDs) have evolved in mammals to assure greater reproductive 
      success for individuals, usually males. Secondary sexual characteristics (SSC) 
      developed to further this objective, tending to be more pronounced in species 
      which are polygynous, diurnal and open-habitat dwellers. Sexual selection has 
      underpinned many of these changes, which are not necessarily advantageous for 
      individual survival. Domestication has affected certain characteristics, more in 
      terms of their quantitative rather than qualitative expression. However, 
      restrictions imposed by domestication can also affect behaviors such as isolation 
      and post-natal bonding while artificial selection can, by focusing on certain 
      traits, cause unforeseen effects in genetically linked traits, which, when 
      sex-specific or sex-linked, can be reflected in SD. On a global scale, 
      environmental changes can have important phylogenetic implications for species 
      which rely upon environmental cues for activities as migration, hibernation and 
      breeding, especially when SD occurs in response to such cues. Understanding the 
      evolutionary rationale behind the development of SDs, as well as the dynamics 
      which occur at the interface between natural and artificial selection, allows 
      positive insights into areas as diverse as wildlife preservation and livestock 
      management. For both, greatest "success" should be achieved when artificial 
      selection occurs in harmony with natural selection within a supportive 
      environment. Thus the aim of this review is to discuss current knowledge relating 
      to the evolution, benefits and costs of mammalian sexual dimorphisms and, where 
      possible, draw conclusions that might be beneficial for the husbandry and 
      propagation of mammals today.
CI  - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
FAU - McPherson, F J
AU  - McPherson FJ
AD  - School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, 
      New South Wales, Australia.
FAU - Chenoweth, P J
AU  - Chenoweth PJ
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
DEP - 20120222
PL  - Netherlands
TA  - Anim Reprod Sci
JT  - Animal reproduction science
JID - 7807205
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Breeding
MH  - Female
MH  - Male
MH  - Mammals/anatomy & histology/*genetics/*physiology
MH  - *Sex Characteristics
EDAT- 2012/04/10 06:00
MHDA- 2012/09/14 06:00
CRDT- 2012/04/10 06:00
PHST- 2011/11/07 00:00 [received]
PHST- 2012/02/09 00:00 [revised]
PHST- 2012/02/14 00:00 [accepted]
PHST- 2012/04/10 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2012/04/10 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2012/09/14 06:00 [medline]
AID - S0378-4320(12)00061-9 [pii]
AID - 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.02.007 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Anim Reprod Sci. 2012 Apr;131(3-4):109-22. doi: 
      10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.02.007. Epub 2012 Feb 22.