Functional mechanics of beetle mandibles: Honest signaling in a sexually selected system

Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part A, Ecological Genetics and Physiology
Maria R MillsBrook O Swanson

Abstract

Male stag beetles possess colossal mandibles, which they wield in combat to obtain access to females. As with many other sexually selected weapons, males with longer mandibles win more fights. However, variation in the functional morphology of these structures, used in male-male combat, is less well understood. In this study, mandible bite force, gape, structural strength, and potential tradeoffs are examined across a wide size range for one species of stag beetle, Cyclommatus metallifer. We found that not only does male mandible size demonstrate steep positive allometry, but the shape, relative bite force, relative gape, and safety factor of the mandibles also change with male size. Allometry in these functionally important mandibular traits suggests that larger males with larger mandibles should be better fighters, and that the mandibles can be considered an honest signal of male fighting ability. However, negative allometry in mandible structural safety factor, wing size, and flight muscle mass suggest significant costs and a possible limit on the size of the mandibles. J. Exp. Zool. 325A:3-12, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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Citations

Jan 15, 2016·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Jana GoyensPeter Aerts
Aug 26, 2017·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Devin M O'BrienDouglas J Emlen
Oct 27, 2017·Environmental Entomology·Nut SongvorawitChatchawan Chaisuekul
Jul 21, 2016·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Jana GoyensPeter Aerts
Nov 8, 2018·PloS One·Devin M O'Brien, Romain P Boisseau
Jun 21, 2018·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Alejandro Rico-Guevara, Kristiina J Hurme
Aug 13, 2017·Scientific Reports·Maximilian KörnerJoël Meunier
Jun 27, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Devin M O'BrienDouglas J Emlen
Aug 10, 2021·Ecology and Evolution·Callum McLeanCharlotte Brassey

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