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- A Role for Ecology in the Evolution of Colour Variation and Sexual Dimorphism in Hawaiian Damselfiles
A Role for Ecology in the Evolution of Colour Variation and Sexual Dimorphism in Hawaiian Damselfiles
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The hypothesis that ecological differences play a role in the evolution of body colour variation within and between sexes in a radiation of endemic Hawaiian damsel? 1/4 ?ies is tested.
| creator | Cooper, Idelle A. (Class of 2001) |
| creator | Brown, Jonathan M., 1961-2019 (Faculty/Staff) |
| creator | Getty, T. |
| Title | A Role for Ecology in the Evolution of Colour Variation and Sexual Dimorphism in Hawaiian Damselfiles |
| supporting host | Grinnell College. Biology |
| Index Date | 2016 |
| Publisher | Grinnell College |
| Genre | Essays |
| Digital Origin | born digital |
| Extent | 10 pages |
| Media Type | application/pdf |
| note | Variation in traits that are sexually dimorphic is usually attributed to sexual selection, in part because the in? 1/4 ?uence of ecological differences between sexes can be dif? 1/4 ?cult to identify. Sex-limited dimorphisms, however, provide an opportunity to test ecological selection disentangled from reproductive differences between the sexes. Here, we test the hypothesis that ecological differences play a role in the evolution of body colour variation within and between sexes in a radiation of endemic Hawaiian damsel? 1/4 ?ies. We analysed 17 Megalagrion damsel? 1/4 ?ies species in a phylogenetic linear regression, including three newly discovered cases of species with female-limited dimorphism. We ? 1/4 ?nd that rapid colour evolution during the radiation has resulted in no phylogenetic signal for most colour and habitat traits. However, a single ecological variable, exposure to solar radiation (as measured by canopy cover) signi? 1/4 ?cantly predicts body colour variation within sexes (female-limited dimorphism), between sexes (sexual dimorphism), and among populations and species. Surprisingly, the degree of sexual dimorphism in body colour is also positively correlated with the degree of habitat differences between sexes. Speci? 1/4 ?cally, redder colouration is associated with more exposure to solar radiation, both within and between species. We discuss potential functions of the pigmentation, including antioxidant properties that would explain the association with light (speci? 1/4 ?cally UV) exposure, and consider alternative mechanisms that may drive these patterns of sexual dimorphism and colour variation. |
| citation/reference | Cooper, I.A., Brown, J.M., & Getty, T. 2016. A role for ecology in the evolution of colour variation and sexual dimorphism in Hawaiian damselflies. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 29: 418-427. |
| Language | English |
| Topic | Solar radiation |
| Topic | Physiological effect |
| Topic | Damselflies |
| Topic | Sexual dimorphism (Animals) |
| Topic | Natural selection |
| Geographic | Hawaii |
| Classification | QH |
| Related Item | Faculty Scholarship |
| Related Item | Scholarship at Grinnell |
| Related Item | Digital Grinnell |
| Identifier (hdl) | http://hdl.handle.net/11084/23042 |
| Identifier (local) | grinnell:23042 |
| Access Condition | Copyright to this work is held by the author(s), in accordance with United States copyright law (USC 17). Readers of this work have certain rights as defined by the law, including but not limited to fair use (17 USC 107 et seq.). |
| Type of Resource | text |