Rensch's rule

Rensch's rule is a biological rule on allometrics, concerning the relationship between the extent of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and which sex is larger. Across species within a lineage, size dimorphism will increase with increasing body size when the male is the larger sex, and decrease with increasing average body size when the female is the larger sex.

Examples of phylogenetic lineages that appear to follow this rule include primates, pinnipeds, and artiodactyls.^[1]

It was proposed by Bernhard Rensch in 1950.^[2]

References

↑ Fairbairn, D.J. (1997). "Allometry for Sexual Size Dimorphism: Pattern and Process in the Coevolution of Body Size in Males and Females". Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 28 (1): 659–687. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.28.1.659.
↑ Rensch, B. (1950). Die Abhängigkeit der relativen Sexualdifferenz von der Körpergrösse. Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 1:58-69.

Biological rules

Allen's rule Shorter appendages in colder climates
Bergmann's rule Larger bodies in colder climates
Cope's rule Bodies get larger over time
Foster's rule Small species get larger, large species smaller, after colonizing islands
Gloger's rule Lighter coloration in colder, drier climates
Haldane's rule Hybrid sexes that are absent, rare, or sterile, are heterozygous
Jordan's rule Inverse relationship between water temperature and no. of fin rays, vertebrae
Rapoport's rule Latitudinal range increases with latitude
Rensch's rule Sexual size dimorphism increases with size when males are larger, decreases with size when females are larger)
Thorson's rule No. of eggs of benthic marine invertebrates decreases with latitude

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