Sex-related interannual plasticity in wing morphological design in Heliconius charithonia enhances flight metabolic performance.

ABSTRACT: Flight morphological variations and its consequences on animal performance are common in winged insects. In the butterfly Heliconius charithonia, sex-related differences in the wing morphological design have been described resulting in differences in foraging behavior, daily flight distances and flight aerodynamics. It has been suggested that these differences should be reflected in the metabolic capacities and energetic budgets associated with flight in both sexes. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between wing morphological variation and metabolic performance, flight aerodynamics and energetic reserves in females and males of Heliconius charithonia over two years. The results confirm the presence of wing shape sexual dimorphism, but also show an unexpected sex-related annual va

SUBMITTER: Ramos-Perez VI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7598497 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature