Territorial damselflies are larger and show negative allometry in their genitalia

Abstract The ‘functional allometry’ hypothesis proposes that the variation in allometric patterns of sexually selected traits is related to their function. We hypothesize for genitalia aggressively territorial organisms are different from those non-territorial and predict species, where body size directly reproductive success, males must allocate more resources than genitalia. studied 59 species damselflies 51 genera. Species were divided into three categories: highly aggressive; low not aggressive. measured length genital ligula, width at basis its maximum width, we used wing as descriptors size. slope relationships was estimated using ordinary least squares reduced major axis regressions. Our results indicated first, larger equivalent estimators odonates. Second, regressions provided some analyses. Third, found aggressive have less steep slopes non-aggressive both ligula basis.