Figure 2: The first two canonical variates of the canonical variate analysis (CV1 and 2) of skull shape variation amongst localities of R. cf. simulator . Light blue outline represents the average shape; Dark blue outline shows the variation of shape of skulls from the average. Locality abbreviations are the same as in Fig. 1.

Mandibles

For R. simulator , the first two canonical variates of the canonical variate analysis (CVA) of shape variation amongst the localities of R. simulator explained 95% of the variation (Fig. 3). CV1 was only associated with the thickness of the alveolar bone, all the other dimensions seemed consistent with the average shape (60% of the variation; Fig. 3). The NE locality fell at the positive end of CV1 and had an outline implying a thicker alveolar bone relative to the average. SZ, NZ and SE fell at the negative end of CV1 and appeared to have a thinner alveolar bone relative to the average (Fig. 3). CV2 was associated with changes in height of the ascending ramus and the thickness of the alveolar bone (35% of the variation; Fig. 3). The SE and NZ locality fell at the positive end of CV2 and appeared to have a shorter ascending ramus and a thicker alveolar bone relative to the average. Conversely, SZ locality fell at the negative end of CV2 and had a taller ascending ramus and a thinner alveolar bone relative to the average. NE fell within the intermediate shape zone (Fig. 3). CV3 (5% of the variation; S3 Fig) did not show much variation in the mandible, all the localities grouped on the average shape space except the NZ locality which seemed to have a slightly thinner alveolar bone (at the anterior region of the bone).