Assessing the influence of allometry on sexual and non-sexual traits: An example in Cicindelidia trifasciata (Coleoptera: Cicindelinae) using geometric morphometrics

Morphological variability in Lophyra flexuosa (Fabricius, 1787) (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) in desert countries is affected by sexual dimorphism and geographic aspect

“…As suggested by Losos and Miles (1994), morphology is determined by both genotype and phenotype, so it can provide insights into the phylogeny and ecology of a studied taxon and the selective pressures driving its evolution. Prior to our study, interspecific and in- African desert tiger beetles and one of the only few in this beetle family in general (e.g., Doğan Sarikaya et al, 2020;Espinoza-Donoso et al, 2020;Franzen, 2007;Jaskuła, 2005;Pearson & Vogler, 2001).…”

“…In the case of tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), a family of predatory insects (Duran & Gough, 2020; López‐López & Vogler, 2017) with more than 2800 species distributed worldwide except polar regions and some oceanic islands (Cassola & Pearson, 2000; Wiesner, 2020), little is known about morphometric variability within particular species, except some data concerning sexual dimorphism. Generally, it is known that females are larger and wider than males (Espinoza‐Donoso et al, 2020; Jaskuła, 2005; Pearson & Vogler, 2001); in some genera different size and shape of labrum and mandibles between sexes was found too (Cassola & Bouyer, 2007; Jones & Conner, 2018; Kritsky & Simon, 1995). Doğan Sarikaya et al (2020) noted differences in shape and size of head and pronotum between males and females of tiger beetles.…”

Measuring the Inter and Intraspecific Sexual Shape Dimorphism and Body Shape Variation in Generalist Ground Beetles in Russia

“…Allometry is defined as the association between size and shape, or the covariation of parts due to a variation in size. It has been highly studied alongside SSD in insects [ 2 , 10 , 28 , 43 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 ] and particularly in beetles [ 24 , 28 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 ]. The type of allometry is classified according to the cause of variation; the inter- and intrasexual shape dimorphism found have a static allometric relationship (for adult insects).…”

Sexual Dimorphism and Morphological Modularity in Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): A Geometric Morphometric Approach

“…It has been hypothesized that bigger males have large amounts of sperm nutrient which are transferred to females, raising their fecundity. Although the data on the size dimorphism between females and males are abundant and the factors that contribute to the sex size differences are well examined, studies related to coleopteran sexual shape dimorphism are underexplored [ 5 , 7 , 10 , 11 ].…”

“…In addition, this approach enables analyzing allometry, which is defined as a relationship between changes in body shape and changes in body size [ 28 ]. Exploring allometry shape changes is of great importance in studying sexual shape dimorphism and the detection of modularity, because allometry can have major effects on the patterns of variation and integration [ 11 , 18 , 29 ]. By applying a geometric morphometric approach we explored and tested: (i) the specific morphological differences in size and shape between A. obtectus females and males; (ii) the influence of size on body shape changes; and (iii) the functional hypothesis of the two modules: thorax and abdomen in females and males separately.…”