Body Proportions of Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena (Cetacea, Phocoenidae) in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea

摘要

The studies of the allometric growth of the body parts in harbour porpoises have shown that the growth of body parts during the postnatal ontogenesis of the harbour porpoise differs substantially in four body sectors, which correspond to the skull and the parts of vertebral column. The highest rates of allometric growth are observed in the thoracic and caudal departments. The middle part of the body is characterized by maximum rates of allometry in both sexes. The hypothisis was brought forward that the two-stage growth of the organism is determined by the periodicity of growth of the caudal department. Sexual dimorphism of the body size is determined by the body parts, which exhibit positive allometry or isometry in both part. Sexual differences in growth rates are observed in the lumbar part but the differences of absolute length values concern only anus-genital distance.