Title: | "The evolution of sexual signal modes and associated sensor morphology in fireflies (Lampyridae, Coleoptera)" |
Author(s): | Stanger-Hall KF; Sander Lower SE; Lindberg L; Hopkins A; Pallansch J; Hall DW; |
Address: | "Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA ksh@uga.edu. Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Print) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Animals employ different sexual signal modes (e.g. visual, acoustic, chemical) in different environments and behavioural contexts. If sensory structures are costly, then evolutionary shifts in primary signal mode should be associated with changes in sensor morphology. Further, sex differences are expected if male and female signalling behaviours differ. Fireflies are known for their light displays, but many species communicate exclusively with pheromones, including species that recently lost their light signals. We performed phylogenetically controlled analyses of male eye and antenna size in 46 North American taxa, and found that light signals are associated with larger eyes and shorter antennae. In addition, following a transition from nocturnal light displays to diurnal pheromones, eye size reductions occur more rapidly than antenna size increases. In agreement with the North American taxa, across 101 worldwide firefly taxa in 32 genera, we found light displays are associated with larger eye and smaller antenna sizes in both males and females. For those taxa with both male and female data, we found sex differences in eye size and, for diurnal species, in antenna size" |
Keywords: | "*Animal Communication Animals Arthropod Antennae/anatomy & histology/physiology Compound Eye, Arthropod/anatomy & histology/physiology Female Fireflies/*anatomy & histology/*physiology *Light North America Sex Characteristics *Sexual Behavior, Animal *Sig;" |
Notes: | "MedlineStanger-Hall, Kathrin F Sander Lower, Sarah E Lindberg, Lauri Hopkins, Andrew Pallansch, Jenna Hall, David W eng T32 GM007103/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2018/01/19 Proc Biol Sci. 2018 Jan 31; 285(1871):20172384. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2384" |