The effects of food shortage during larval development on adult body size, body mass, physiology and developmental time in a tropical damselfly

Pre- and post-weaning functional demands on body size and shape of mammals are often in conflict, especially in species where weaning involves a change of habitat. Compared with long lactations, brief lactations are expected to be associated with fast rates of development and attainment of adult traits. We describe allometry and growth for several morphological traits in two closely related fur seal species with large differences in lactation duration at a sympatric site. Longitudinal data were collected from Antarctic ( Arctocephalus gazella (Peters, 1875); 120 d lactation) and subantarctic ( Arctocephalus tropicalis (Gray, 1872); 300 d lactation) fur seals. Body mass was similar in neonates of both species, but A. gazella neonates were longer, less voluminous, and had larger foreflippers. The species were similar in rate of preweaning growth in body mass, but growth rates of linear variables were faster for A. gazella pups. Consequently, neonatal differences in body shape increased over lactation, and A. gazella pups approached adult body shape faster than did A. tropicalis pups. Our results indicate that preweaning growth is associated with significant changes in body shape, involving the acquisition of a longer, more slender body with larger foreflippers in A. gazella. These differences suggest that A. gazella pups are physically more mature at approximately 100 d of age (close to weaning age) than A. tropicalis pups of the same age.

Download Full-text

Heritability and adaptive phenotypic plasticity of adult body size in the mosquito Aedes aegypti with implications for dengue vector competence

Infection Genetics and Evolution ◽

10.1016/j.meegid.2010.10.019 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 11-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Jennifer R. Schneider ◽

Dave D. Chadee ◽

Akio Mori ◽

Jeanne Romero-Severson ◽

David W. Severson

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Aedes Aegypti ◽

Vector Competence ◽

Dengue Vector ◽

Adult Body Size ◽

Adult Body ◽

Adaptive Phenotypic Plasticity

Download Full-text

Grass-flower thrips of the genus Chirothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), with a key to species from Iran

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2411.1.3 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2411 (1) ◽

pp. 33 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

KAMBIZ MINAEI ◽

LAURENCE MOUND

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Species Group ◽

Identification Key ◽

Key To Species ◽

Adult Body Size ◽

Flower Thrips ◽

New Synonym ◽

Adult Body ◽

Structural Differences

Species of the genus Chirothrips Haliday breed and pupate only within grass florets. Each larva is restricted to a single floret, and adult body size is thus presumably related to floret size. Despite this, some Chirothrips species are distinguished only on states that are related to body size. The validity of some commonly recorded members of the C. manicatus species-group, including C. africanus and C. pallidicornis, is therefore considered questionable. Character states that have been used to define the genus Agrostothrips Hood are shown to be variable, and this genus is placed as a new synonym of Chirothrips. An identification key, based on illustrated structural differences, is provided to the Chirothrips known from Iran: C. aculeatus, C. atricorpus, C. kurdistanus, C. manicatus, C. meridionalis and C. molestus.

Download Full-text