Body size variation in a guild of carrion beetles

Body size is a key biological trait, influencing the biomechanics, physiology, behaviour, and ecology of species. Describing variation in body size within and among co-occurring species within an ecological guild can provide important context for understanding the ecology of species and the structure of ecological communities. Here, we focus on a guild of carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) co-occurring in southeastern Ontario, Canada. We examine how body size varies (i) among species, (ii) within species, including among sexes, and (iii) across the active season, contrasting estimates of size based on mass with those based on morphological structure (elytron length). We find that body size varies significantly both within and among species. Five focal species show evidence for sexual dimorphism in size. All focal species show significant seasonal variation in size, but these patterns differ across species, and depend on our estimates of size. Overall, the observed variation in body...体型是一项关键的生物学性状，可影响物种的生物力学、生理学、行为学与生态学过程。阐明某一生态类群内同域共存物种之间及其内部的体型变异，可为理解物种生态学及生态群落结构提供重要研究背景。本研究聚焦于加拿大安大略省东南部同域共存的埋葬甲科（Coleoptera: Silphidae）生态类群，探讨体型的三类变异模式：(i) 物种间的体型差异；(ii) 物种内部的体型差异（包括雌雄个体间的性二态）；(iii) 活动季内的体型变化，并对比了基于体重与基于形态结构（鞘翅长度（elytron length））的体型评估结果。研究结果表明，体型在物种内部及物种间均存在显著变异。5个目标物种均表现出显著的体型性二态性。所有目标物种的体型均存在显著的季节变异，但该变异模式因物种而异，且取决于所采用的体型评估方式。总体而言，本次观测到的体型变异……