2020/07/02 by William G. Eberhard · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant and animal studies #Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior #Animal Behavior and Reproduction
paper · doi:10.1080/03949370.2020.1777209
openalex publication_date 2020/07/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
A recent theoretical model predicts that the allometries of structures under sexual selection vary according to their functions in sexual interactions. Structures that are specialized for exclusive use as courtship devices, and not as weapons or threat devices, were predicted to tend to show low allometric values. Detailed observations of behavior and morphological design in Leseha vespa indicated that the sexually dimorphic abdominal tergite VIII of males functions to court females, but does not function as a weapon or in threats directed toward other males. As predicted by the theory, the allometric slope of tergite VIII length was lower than those of other body traits that were not modified for sexual interactions.