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The Influence of Body Size and Agility in Displacement Capacity of Male Damselflies (Odonata, Protoneurinae)

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Abstract

Alternative mating tactics (AMT) occur in several animal taxa as a way to respond to physiological or environmental factors that affect reproductive success. In other words, males can exhibit different mate acquisition tactics associated with phenotypic variations. Here we present the case of Epipleoneura williamsoni, a non-territorial Neotropical damselfly in which larger males actively search for females along the margins of streams and smaller males remain perched on the vegetation and adopt a sit-and-wait strategy. Males were captured, marked and behavioral observations were conducted to take notes on the spatial displacement of individuals. We then measured male body size and agility to test whether these traits could be used to predict flight ability and thus AMT’s. Agility was measured by the ȓ2(S) coefficient, which is a surrogate of flight ability and maneuverability. The results show that body size was positively correlated with male flight ability and agility. However, male agility did not predict the adopted AMT. These results suggest that the strategies adopted by E. williamsoni males may be a reflection of body condition. This study adds evidence on how selection may act on different phenotypes within a population and how body size variations may result in different displacement capacities and flight agility.

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Acknowledgements

DSV thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for scholarship grant (Proc. 140732/2016-0). KDC thanks CNPq for regular financial support (Proc. 301605/2013-0). RGF thanks CNPq and FAPESP for constant support. We thank Adolfo Cordero Rivera and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, CEP 14.040-901, Bairro Mte. Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    Diogo Silva Vilela

  2. Institute of Biology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

    Kleber Del-Claro

  3. Department of Hydrobiology, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

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  1. Diogo Silva Vilela
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  2. Kleber Del-Claro
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  3. Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira
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Correspondence to Diogo Silva Vilela.

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Vilela, D.S., Del-Claro, K. & Guillermo-Ferreira, R. The Influence of Body Size and Agility in Displacement Capacity of Male Damselflies (Odonata, Protoneurinae). J Insect Behav 30, 759–767 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-017-9655-8

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