Evolution of body size and wing shape trade-offs in arsenurine silkmoths

AbstractOne of the key objectives in biological research is understanding how evolutionary processes have produced Earth’s biodiversity. These processes have led to a vast diversity of wing shapes in insects; an unanswered question especially pronounced in moths. As one of the major predators of nocturnal moths, bats are thought to have been involved in a long evolutionary arms race with their prey. In response, moths are thought to have evolved many counter strategies, such as diverse wing shapes and large body sizes. However, the tradeoffs between body size and wing shape are not well understood. Here we examined the evolution of wing shape in the wild silkmoth subfamily Arsenurinae (Saturniidae). By using phylogenomics and geometric morphometrics, we established the framework to evaluate potential evolutionary relationships between body size and wing shape. The phylogeny was inferred based on 781 loci from target capture data of 42 arsenurine species representing all 10 recognized genera.We found there are evolutionary trade-offs between body size, wing shape, and the interaction of fore- and hindwing shape. Namely, body size decreases with increasing hindwing length, but increases as forewing shape becomes more complex. Additionally, hindwing shape has a significant effect on forewing shape complexity. The complex wing shapes that make Arsenurinae, and silkmoths as a whole, so charismatic are likely driven by the strong forces of natural selection and genomic constraints.One other important outcome was discovering within our data one of the most vexing problems in phylogenetic inference – a region of a tree that possesses short branches and no “support” for relationships (i.e., a polytomy). These parts of the Tree of Life are often some of the most interesting from an evolutionary standpoint. To investigate this problem, we used reciprocal illumination to determine the most probable generic relationships within the Arsenurinae by inspecting differing phylogenetic inferences, alternative support values, quartets, and phylogenetic networks to reveal hidden phylogenetic signal.

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Nestling telomere length does not predict longevity, but covaries with adult body size in wild barn swallows

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2013.0340 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 20130340 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Manuela Caprioli ◽

Maria Romano ◽

Andrea Romano ◽

Diego Rubolini ◽

Rosita Motta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Large Body ◽

Telomere Shortening ◽

Rearing Conditions ◽

Age Dependent ◽

In The Wild ◽

Barn Swallows ◽

The Cost

Telomere length and dynamics are increasingly scrutinized as ultimate determinants of performance, including age-dependent mortality and fecundity. Few studies have investigated longevity in relation to telomere length (TL) in the wild and none has analysed longevity in relation to TL soon after hatching, despite the fact that telomere shortening may mostly occur early in life. We show that TL in nestling barn swallows ( Hirundo rustica ) in the wild does not predict longevity. However, TL positively covaries with body size, suggesting that individuals with large TL can afford to grow larger without paying the cost of reduced TL, and/or that benign rearing conditions ensure both large body size and low rates of telomere shortening. Overall, our study hints at a role of TL in developmental processes, but also indicates a need for further analyses to assess the expectation that TL in young individuals predicts longevity in the wild.

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Cancer susceptibility and reproductive trade-offs: a model of the evolution of cancer defences

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2014.0220 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 370 (1673) ◽

pp. 20140220 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Amy M. Boddy ◽

Hanna Kokko ◽

Felix Breden ◽

Gerald S. Wilkinson ◽

C. Athena Aktipis

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Body Size ◽

Cancer Susceptibility ◽

Large Body ◽

Large Body Size ◽

Trade Off ◽

Extrinsic Mortality ◽

Sexually Selected Traits ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Selected Traits

The factors influencing cancer susceptibility and why it varies across species are major open questions in the field of cancer biology. One underexplored source of variation in cancer susceptibility may arise from trade-offs between reproductive competitiveness (e.g. sexually selected traits, earlier reproduction and higher fertility) and cancer defence. We build a model that contrasts the probabilistic onset of cancer with other, extrinsic causes of mortality and use it to predict that intense reproductive competition will lower cancer defences and increase cancer incidence. We explore the trade-off between cancer defences and intraspecific competition across different extrinsic mortality conditions and different levels of trade-off intensity, and find the largest effect of competition on cancer in species where low extrinsic mortality combines with strong trade-offs. In such species, selection to delay cancer and selection to outcompete conspecifics are both strong, and the latter conflicts with the former. We discuss evidence for the assumed trade-off between reproductive competitiveness and cancer susceptibility. Sexually selected traits such as ornaments or large body size require high levels of cell proliferation and appear to be associated with greater cancer susceptibility. Similar associations exist for female traits such as continuous egg-laying in domestic hens and earlier reproductive maturity. Trade-offs between reproduction and cancer defences may be instantiated by a variety of mechanisms, including higher levels of growth factors and hormones, less efficient cell-cycle control and less DNA repair, or simply a larger number of cell divisions (relevant when reproductive success requires large body size or rapid reproductive cycles). These mechanisms can affect intra- and interspecific variation in cancer susceptibility arising from rapid cell proliferation during reproductive maturation, intrasexual competition and reproduction.

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Within-host competition drives energy allocation trade-offs in an insect parasitoid

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.8810 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. e8810

Author(s):

J. Keaton Wilson ◽

Laura Ruiz ◽

Goggy Davidowitz

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Body Size ◽

Life History Theory ◽

Large Body ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Biological Organization ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Wide Range ◽

Body Sizes

Organismal body size is an important biological trait that has broad impacts across scales of biological organization, from cells to ecosystems. Size is also deeply embedded in life history theory, as the size of an individual is one factor that governs the amount of available resources an individual is able to allocate to different structures and systems. A large body of work examining resource allocation across body sizes (allometry) has demonstrated patterns of allocation to different organismal systems and morphologies, and extrapolated rules governing biological structure and organization. However, the full scope of evolutionary and ecological ramifications of these patterns have yet to be realized. Here, we show that density-dependent larval competition in a natural population of insect parasitoids (Drino rhoeo: Tachinidae) results in a wide range of body sizes (largest flies are more than six times larger (by mass) than the smallest flies). We describe strong patterns of trade-offs between different body structures linked to dispersal and reproduction that point to life history strategies that differ between both males and females and individuals of different sizes. By better understanding the mechanisms that generate natural variation in body size and subsequent effects on the evolution of life history strategies, we gain better insight into the evolutionary and ecological impacts of insect parasitoids in tri-trophic systems.

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Range of motion in the avian wing is strongly associated with flight behavior and body mass

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.aaw6670 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (10) ◽

pp. eaaw6670 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

V. B. Baliga ◽

I. Szabo ◽

D. L. Altshuler

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Range Of Motion ◽

Body Mass ◽

Phylogenetic Signal ◽

Emergent Property ◽

Wing Shape ◽

Flight Behavior ◽

Wing Morphology ◽

Avian Flight ◽

New Framework

Avian wing shape is highly variable across species but only coarsely associated with flight behavior, performance, and body mass. An underexplored but potentially explanatory feature is the ability of birds to actively change wing shape to meet aerodynamic and behavioral demands. Across 61 species, we found strong associations with flight behavior and mass for range of motion traits but not wing shape and strikingly different associations for different aspects of motion capability. Further, static morphology exhibits high phylogenetic signal, whereas range of motion shows greater evolutionary lability. These results suggest a new framework for understanding the evolution of avian flight: Rather than wing morphology, it is range of motion, an emergent property of morphology, that is predominantly reshaped as flight strategy and body size evolve.

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Behavioral dominance interactions between Nicrophorus orbicollis and N. tomentosus burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.10797 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e10797

Author(s):

Scott D. Schrempf ◽

Kevin W. Burke ◽

Jillian D. Wettlaufer ◽

Paul R. Martin

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Interference Competition ◽

Large Body ◽

Priority Effects ◽

Time Of Arrival ◽

Burying Beetles ◽

Large Body Size ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Nicrophorus Orbicollis ◽

Small Vertebrate

Asymmetric interference competition, where one species is behaviorally dominant over another, appears widespread in nature with the potential to structure ecological communities through trade-offs between competitive dominance and environmental tolerance. The details of how species interact and the factors that contribute to behavioral dominance, however, are poorly known for most species, yet such details are important for understanding when and why trade-offs occur. Here, we examine behavioral interactions between two species of burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) that compete for limited breeding resources (i.e., small vertebrate carcasses) in nature, to identify behaviors involved in interference competition and to test if large body size, species identity, or time of arrival best predict behavioral dominance among species. To test these ideas, we placed same-sex individuals of Nicrophorus orbicollis (early to mid-summer breeder) and N. tomentosus (late summer to fall breeder) into an enclosure together with a 25–30 g mouse carcass (Mus musculus). We then video-recorded all behaviors, including neutral and aggressive interactions, for 13 h per trial (N = 14 trials). For each interaction, we assigned a winner based on which beetle retained its position instead of fleeing or retained possession of the carcass; the overall behavioral dominant was determined as the individual that won the most interactions over the length of the trial. We found that large body size was the best predictor of behavioral dominance. In most interactions, N. orbicollis was larger and dominant over N. tomentosus; however, when N. tomentosus was larger they outcompeted smaller N. orbicollis, illustrating the importance of body size in aggressive contests. The order of arrival to the carcass (priority effects) did not predict behavioral dominance. The larger size and abundance of N. orbicollis in nature suggest a competitive asymmetry between the species, supporting the idea that N. orbicollis constrains the ability of N. tomentosus to breed earlier in the summer.

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A new species of the subgenus Scheloribates (Topobates) (Acari: Oribatida: Scheloribatidae) from Panama

Zoosystematica Rossica ◽

10.31610/zsr/2020.29.2.278 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 278-283

Author(s):

S.G. Ermilov

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Body Size ◽

Leaf Litter ◽

Related Species ◽

Large Body ◽

Oribatid Mite ◽

Neotropical Region ◽

Large Body Size ◽

First Time ◽

A New Species

The oribatid mite subgenus Scheloribates (Topobates) Grandjean, 1958, is recorded from the Neotropical region for the first time. A new species of this subgenus is described from the leaf litter collected in Cayo Agua Island, Panama. Scheloribates (Topobates) panamaensis sp. nov. differs from its related species by the very large body size and presence of a strong ventrodistal process on the leg femora II–IV.

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Independent evolution towards larger body size in the distinctive Faroe Island mice

G3 Genes|Genome|Genetics ◽

10.1093/g3journal/jkaa051 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ricardo Wilches ◽

William H Beluch ◽

Ellen McConnell ◽

Diethard Tautz ◽

Yingguang Frank Chan

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Small Body ◽

Laboratory Mouse ◽

Large Body ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Size Variation ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Island Population ◽

Multiple Loci

Abstract Most phenotypic traits in nature involve the collective action of many genes. Traits that evolve repeatedly are particularly useful for understanding how selection may act on changing trait values. In mice, large body size has evolved repeatedly on islands and under artificial selection in the laboratory. Identifying the loci and genes involved in this process may shed light on the evolution of complex, polygenic traits. Here, we have mapped the genetic basis of body size variation by making a genetic cross between mice from the Faroe Islands, which are among the largest and most distinctive natural populations of mice in the world, and a laboratory mouse strain selected for small body size, SM/J. Using this F2 intercross of 841 animals, we have identified 111 loci controlling various aspects of body size, weight and growth hormone levels. By comparing against other studies, including the use of a joint meta-analysis, we found that the loci involved in the evolution of large size in the Faroese mice were largely independent from those of a different island population or other laboratory strains. We hypothesize that colonization bottleneck, historical hybridization, or the redundancy between multiple loci have resulted in the Faroese mice achieving an outwardly similar phenotype through a distinct evolutionary path.

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Alternative Agri-Food Systems Under a Market Agencements Approach: The Case of Multifunctional Farming Activity in a Peri-Urban Area

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments8070061 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (7) ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

Maria Cecilia Mancini ◽

Filippo Arfini ◽

Federico Antonioli ◽

Marianna Guareschi

Keyword(s):

Urban Area ◽

Food Systems ◽

Food System ◽

Large Body ◽

Alternative Food ◽

Design Stage ◽

Alternative Food Networks ◽

Alternative Food Systems ◽

Design And Implementation ◽

Trade Offs

(1) Background: A large body of literature is available on the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of alternative food systems, but not much of it is devoted to the dynamics underlying their design and implementation, more specifically the processes that make an alternative food system successful or not in terms of its sustainability aims. This gap seems to be particularly critical in studies concerning alternative food systems in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). This paper explores how the design and implementation of multifunctional farming activity in a peri-urban area surrounding the city of Reggio Emilia in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy impact the achievement of its sustainability aims. (2) Methods: The environmental, social, and economic components of this project are explored in light of the sociology of market agencements. This method brings up the motivations of the human entities involved in the project, the role played by nonhuman entities, and the technical devices used for the fulfillment of the project’s aims. (3) Results: The alternative food system under study lacked a robust design phase and a shared definition of the project aims among all the stakeholders involved. This ended in a substantial mismatch between project aims and consumer expectations. (4) Conclusions: When a comprehensive design stage is neglected, the threefold aim concerning sustainability might not be achievable. In particular, the design of alternative food systems must take into account the social environment where it is intended to be put in place, especially in UPA, where consumers often live in suburban neighborhoods wherein the sense of community is not strong, thus preventing them from getting involved in a community-based project. In such cases, hybridization can play a role in the sustainability of alternative food networks, provided that some trade-offs occur among the different components of sustainability—some components of sustainability will be fully achieved, while others will not.

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