Sexual dimorphism in the wing geometry of Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) from Colombia

Abstract

Sexual dimorphism in flies has been evidenced in classical morphological characters, but little is known about the differentiation in wing geometry, a multivariate character highly controlled at the genetic level that influences the flight and impacts its life history and can be analyzed through geometric morphometrics. Here, we evaluated sexual dimorphism in the wing geometry of Musca domestica L., a cosmopolitan synanthropic fly. Specimens from Colombia were used for wing mounting, photography, and landmark-based geometric morphometric analysis. We found significant differences between male and female specimens in wing size and shape. Particularly, cross-validated classification based on wing shape resulted in high scores (90%) of correct sex attribution. The influence of wing geometry differences on the flight performance and life history in this species remains unknown.

Conserved and Divergent Aspects of Plasticity and Sexual Dimorphism in Wing Size and Shape in Three Diptera

“…In accordance with previous observations (Bitner-Mathé and Klaczko, 1999;Gilchrist et al, 2000;Gidaszewski et al, 2009;de Camargo et al, 2015;Siomava et al, 2016;Pieterse et al, 2017;Lemic et al, 2020;Rohner, 2020;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021), we detected a clear sexual dimorphism in wing size and shape in all three species, which was most pronounced in C. capitata. Sexual dimorphism in wing shape is most likely functionally relevant because it is widespread in insects (Cowley et al, 1986;Pretorius, 2005;Bogdanović et al, 2009;Gidaszewski et al, 2009;Ribak et al, 2009;Allen et al, 2011;Benítez et al, 2011;de Camargo et al, 2015;Gallesi et al, 2015;Virginio et al, 2015;Lorenz et al, 2017;Rodríguez and Liria, 2017;Pajač Živković et al, 2018).…”

“…Given that males of C. capitata produce courtship songs like D. melanogaster, it is not surprising that similar trends in wing size and shape have been observed in this species (Siomava et al, 2016;Pieterse et al, 2017;Lemic et al, 2020). Wing size (Siomava et al, 2016;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) and shape (Rohner, 2020;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) are also sexually dimorphic in M. domestica. Since this species does not produce songs, but relies on the initiation of mating in flight, it remains to be tested, whether sexual differences in wing shape reflect this mating behavior in comparison to song-producing Diptera, such as D. melanogaster and C. capitata.…”

Table_1.XLSX

“…In accordance with previous observations (Bitner-Mathé and Klaczko, 1999;Gilchrist et al, 2000;Gidaszewski et al, 2009;de Camargo et al, 2015;Siomava et al, 2016;Pieterse et al, 2017;Lemic et al, 2020;Rohner, 2020;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021), we detected a clear sexual dimorphism in wing size and shape in all three species, which was most pronounced in C. capitata. Sexual dimorphism in wing shape is most likely functionally relevant because it is widespread in insects (Cowley et al, 1986;Pretorius, 2005;Bogdanović et al, 2009;Gidaszewski et al, 2009;Ribak et al, 2009;Allen et al, 2011;Benítez et al, 2011;de Camargo et al, 2015;Gallesi et al, 2015;Virginio et al, 2015;Lorenz et al, 2017;Rodríguez and Liria, 2017;Pajač Živković et al, 2018).…”

“…Given that males of C. capitata produce courtship songs like D. melanogaster, it is not surprising that similar trends in wing size and shape have been observed in this species (Siomava et al, 2016;Pieterse et al, 2017;Lemic et al, 2020). Wing size (Siomava et al, 2016;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) and shape (Rohner, 2020;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) are also sexually dimorphic in M. domestica. Since this species does not produce songs, but relies on the initiation of mating in flight, it remains to be tested, whether sexual differences in wing shape reflect this mating behavior in comparison to song-producing Diptera, such as D. melanogaster and C. capitata.…”

Table_3.XLSX

“…Given that males of C. capitata produce courtship songs like D. melanogaster, it is not surprising that similar trends in wing size and shape have been observed in this species (Siomava et al, 2016;Pieterse et al, 2017;Lemic et al, 2020). Wing size (Siomava et al, 2016;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) and shape (Rohner, 2020;Cortés-Suarez et al, 2021) are also sexually dimorphic in M. domestica. Since this species does not produce songs, but relies on the initiation of mating in flight, it remains to be tested, whether sexual differences in wing shape reflect this mating behavior in comparison to song-producing Diptera, such as D. melanogaster and C. capitata.…”