Strong geographical variation in wing aspect ratio of a damselfly, Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Zygoptera)

PeerJ
Christopher Hassall

Abstract

Geographical patterns in body size have been described across a wide range of species, leading to the development of a series of fundamental biological rules. However, shape variables are less well-described despite having substantial consequences for organism performance. Wing aspect ratio (AR) has been proposed as a key shape parameter that determines function in flying animals, with high AR corresponding to longer, thinner wings that promote high manoeuvrability, low speed flight, and low AR corresponding to shorter, broader wings that promote high efficiency long distance flight. From this principle it might be predicted that populations living in cooler areas would exhibit low AR wings to compensate for reduced muscle efficiency at lower temperatures. I test this hypothesis using the riverine damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, sampled from 34 sites across its range margin in North America. Nine hundred and seven male specimens were captured from across the 34 sites (mean = 26.7 ± 2.9 SE per site), dissected and measured to quantify the area and length of all four wings. Geometric morphometrics were employed to investigate geographical variation in wing shape. The majority of variation in wing shape involved changes in wing as...Continue Reading

References

May 21, 1999·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·F O Lehmann
Jul 25, 2007·PLoS Biology·Thomas AlerstamOlof Hellgren
Jul 22, 2008·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Koen BerwaertsHans Van Dyck
Feb 1, 2002·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Robert Dudley

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Citations

Jun 9, 2016·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Francesc Muñoz-MuñozIgnacio M Soto
Jul 13, 2017·The Journal of Animal Ecology·David Outomuro, Frank Johansson
Apr 4, 2020·Journal of Evolutionary Biology·Franziska GünterKlaus Fischer
Oct 22, 2020·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Sebastián MenaMaría F Checa

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