Male Dragonflies Experience 'Wing Pigmentation' in Regions with Hotter Climates

A new study recently found that male dragonflies are experiencing sing pigmentation in regions with hotter climates.

A Phys.org specified that the research, led by Michael Moore at Washington University in St. Louis, shows that the male dragonflies' wing pigmentation evolves so consistently in reaction to the climate that it's among the most foreseeable evolutionary reactions ever observed for a mating-related trait.

This work, Moore explained, shows that mating-related traits can be just as essential to know how organisms are adapting to their climates as survival-related traits.

A lot of dragonflies have patches of dark black pigmentation on their wings that they're using to court potential mates, not to mention intimidate rivals.

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Wing Pigmentation

The lead author also said, beyond its work in reproduction, having too much dark pigmentation on the wings can heat male dragonflies by as much as two degrees Celsius, which is "quite a big shift!"

He also noted that would approximately be equivalent to a 3.5-degrees Fahrenheit change. While such a pigmentation can help dragonflies look for their mates, extra heating could result in them overheating in areas that are already hot.

The study authors were interested if this added heating might force the male dragonflies, specifically, to evolve different amounts of wing pigmentation in various climates.

For this particular research, a New Scientist report specified that the authors developed a database of more than 300 dragonfly species through field guides and observations of citizen scientists.

Furthermore, the researchers investigated the wing ornamentation in images submitted to iNaturalist and collected information about climate variables in the sites where the dragonflies were observed.

Male and Female Dragonflies

This new study, published in the PNAS journal, comprises projections based on climate warning situations that specify it will be advantageous for male wing pigmentation to shrink further as this planet warms over the next half-century.

However, the changes are not taking place in a similar way for both dragonfly genders. Different from the males, female dragonflies are not exhibiting any major shifts in how their coloration is changing with the present climate.

It remains unknown why males and females are quite different, although this does not show it should be assumed that the sexes will adjust to climate change in a similar way, explained Moore.

According to Mirage News, dragonflies have different amounts of pigment on their wings that help both sexes of the same dragonfly species identify each other.

Pigmentation and Climate Change

One of the most interesting consequences of this study is that the male wing pigmentation is evolving in response to rapid climate changes, and the female pigmentation is evolving in reaction to something else. Specifically, females may no longer identify males of their own species.

This, Moore elaborated, could lead them to mate with males of the wrong species. Rapid changes, he added, in mating-related traits might stop the ability of a species to distinguish the correct mate.

Even though this study suggests such changes in pigmentation appear likely to take place as the world warms, the consequences, he continued, are something they still really do not know all that much about yet.

Related information is shown on The Company of Biologists' YouTube Video below: