Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants
Summary: Many animals undergo seasonal migrations in which they travel long distances aided by variations in morphology, physiology, and behavior. Here, we compare the flight characteristics, measured in a tethered flight mill, of autumn migratory and summer non-migratory morphs of the marmalade hov...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-12-01
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| Series: | iScience |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004224025707 |
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| author | Richard Massy Will Hawkes Scarlett Weston Toby Doyle Karl R. Wotton |
| author_facet | Richard Massy Will Hawkes Scarlett Weston Toby Doyle Karl R. Wotton |
| author_sort | Richard Massy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Many animals undergo seasonal migrations in which they travel long distances aided by variations in morphology, physiology, and behavior. Here, we compare the flight characteristics, measured in a tethered flight mill, of autumn migratory and summer non-migratory morphs of the marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (Diptera: Syrphidae), an ecologically and economically important pollinator, pest predator, and long-distance migrant. Our results show that migratory morphs flew twice as far as the non-migratory morphs. Body condition, reflecting the quantity of energy stores, had an even greater effect as hoverflies with fat abdomens flew almost five times the distance of those with thin abdomens, whereas speed varied only by size. These findings demonstrate enhanced flight capabilities in migratory morphs and underscore the importance of body condition for long-distance flight. Consequently, resource availability, feeding behavior, and the ability to accumulate and utilize fuel are likely to be key factors influencing the migration of hoverflies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-26028f47501242c7a259c86f354a03a5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2589-0042 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iScience |
| spelling | doaj-art-26028f47501242c7a259c86f354a03a52024-12-22T05:29:01ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422024-12-012712111345Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrantsRichard Massy0Will Hawkes1Scarlett Weston2Toby Doyle3Karl R. Wotton4Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UKCentre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK; Corresponding authorSummary: Many animals undergo seasonal migrations in which they travel long distances aided by variations in morphology, physiology, and behavior. Here, we compare the flight characteristics, measured in a tethered flight mill, of autumn migratory and summer non-migratory morphs of the marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (Diptera: Syrphidae), an ecologically and economically important pollinator, pest predator, and long-distance migrant. Our results show that migratory morphs flew twice as far as the non-migratory morphs. Body condition, reflecting the quantity of energy stores, had an even greater effect as hoverflies with fat abdomens flew almost five times the distance of those with thin abdomens, whereas speed varied only by size. These findings demonstrate enhanced flight capabilities in migratory morphs and underscore the importance of body condition for long-distance flight. Consequently, resource availability, feeding behavior, and the ability to accumulate and utilize fuel are likely to be key factors influencing the migration of hoverflies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004224025707ecologyentomologyevolutionary biology |
| spellingShingle | Richard Massy Will Hawkes Scarlett Weston Toby Doyle Karl R. Wotton Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants iScience ecology entomology evolutionary biology |
| title | Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| title_full | Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| title_short | Enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| title_sort | enhanced flight performance in hoverfly migrants |
| topic | ecology entomology evolutionary biology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004224025707 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT richardmassy enhancedflightperformanceinhoverflymigrants AT willhawkes enhancedflightperformanceinhoverflymigrants AT scarlettweston enhancedflightperformanceinhoverflymigrants AT tobydoyle enhancedflightperformanceinhoverflymigrants AT karlrwotton enhancedflightperformanceinhoverflymigrants |