Morphological differentiation between European Storm-Petrel subspecies: New results regarding two Mediterranean populations [Discrimination Morphologique des Sous-Espèces d'Océanite Tempête: Nouveaux Résultats Pour Deux Populations Mediterranéennes]
Abstract
The morphology of two Mediterranean and one Atlantic populations of European Storm-Petrel was analysed using discriminant analysis. Four separate morphological characters were studied to separate Mediterranean and Atlantic populations; five were used within the Mediterranean meta-populations. Results confirm Mediterranean Storm-Petrels to be markedly different from those from the Atlantic and indicate significant variations within Mediterranean populations. The differentiation between the two Mediterranean populations studied relies on two morphological characters: height of the mandible and length of the folded wing.