Abstract:
Animals which migrate by flying should be subject to selection for optimal wing characteristics
that maximize energy efficiency during migration. We investigated wing shape and wing area
variation in the Globe Skimmer Dragonfly Pantala flavescens, which has the longest known
migration of any insect. Wing shape and wing area differences between individuals in southern
Peninsular India, and migrating individuals at a stop-over site on the Maldives, were compared.
Results suggest that individuals which successfully reached the Maldives, on their way from
India to Africa, had a broader wing base and an overall more slender wing shape than individuals in southern India. Contrary to our expectations, wing area did not differ significantly in
most of our comparisons between southern India and the Maldives, suggesting that wing shape
is more important than wing area for successful migration in P. flavescens. The results provide
indirect evidence of natural selection on wing shape in a migrating dragonfly.
