Genetics of Sexual Size Dimorphism Paper is Out !
September 01, 2023
We used isogenic lineages of Drosophila to measure sexual size dimorphism for 196 genotypes. We demonstrate extensive genetic variation for sexual size dimorphism, primarily driven by higher levels of genetic variation for body size among females than among males. Most of the variation in sexual size dimorphism is independent of sex-averaged body size and shows a strong genetic correlation with sex-specific size plasticity, such that increased female-biased sexual size dimorphism is associated with increased body size plasticity in females. Our data are consistent with the condition dependence hypothesis of sexual dimorphism and suggest that sexual size dimorphism in Drosophila is a consequence of selection on the developmental genetic mechanisms that regulate the plasticity of body size. American Naturalist. 202, 368-381 (https://doi.org/10.1086/725420)