Eur. J. Entomol. 101 (3): 373-377, 2004 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2004.052

Sex- and morph-specific predation risk: Colour or behaviour dependency?

Hans VAN GOSSUM1,*, Tim ADRIAENS2, Henri DUMONT3, Robby STOKS4
1 Evolutionary Biology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
2 Institute for Nature Conservation, Kliniekstraat 25, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium; e-mail: tim.adriaens@instant.be
3 Institute of Animal Ecology, Ghent University, Ledeganckstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium; e-mail: Henri.Dumont@rug.ac.be
4 Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), De Bériotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium

The coexistence of discrete morphs within a species, with one morph more conspicuous than the other(s) is often thought to result from both sexual selection and predation. In many damselflies, sexual dimorphism occurs jointly with multiple female colour morphs. Typically, one morph is coloured like the male (andromorph), while the other(s) is not (gynomorph(s)). The mechanisms contributing to the maintenance of such female polymorphism in damselflies remain poorly understood, especially the role of predation. We tested the detectability of two different female colour morphs of the damselfly, Enallagma cyathigerum, using human observers as model predators; andromorphs were detected more frequently than gynomorphs. Field data on mortality of males and the two different female morphs due to predation or drowning were also collected, and these observations support morph-specific mortality. In natural populations predation risk was higher in males than females; gynomorphs, however, were more prone to predation than andromorphs. Differences in behaviour between morphs, rather than colour, may explain this result.

Keywords: Behaviour, colour, Odonata, Enallagma cyathigerum, damselfly, detection, polymorphism, andro-, gynomorphs, predation, survival

Received: May 28, 2003; Revised: December 12, 2003; Accepted: April 21, 2004; Published: September 20, 2004  Show citation

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GOSSUM, H.V., ADRIAENS, T., DUMONT, H., & STOKS, R. (2004). Sex- and morph-specific predation risk: Colour or behaviour dependency? EJE, 101(3), 373-377. doi: 10.14411/eje.2004.052
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