David Outomuro

University of Pittsburgh | Pitt · Department of Biological Sciences

Large-scale latitudinal studies that include both north and south edge populations and address sex differences are needed to understand how selection has shaped trait variation. We quantified the variation of flight-related morphological traits (body size, wing size, ratio between wing size and body size, and wing shape) along the whole latitudinal...

There is growing evidence of widespread contamination of freshwater ecosystems with microplastics. However, the effects of chronic microplastic ingestion and its interaction with other pollutants and stress factors on the life-history traits and the host-microbiome of aquatic invertebrates are not well understood. This study investigates the effect...

Background Microplastics are a pervasive pollutant widespread in sea- and freshwater from anthropogenic sources, and together with the presence of pesticides, they can have physical and chemical effects on aquatic organisms and on their microbiota. Few studies have explored the combined effects of microplastics and pesticides on the host microbiome...

Background : Microplastics are a pervasive pollutant widespread in the sea and freshwater from anthropogenic sources, and together with the presence of pesticides, they can have physical and chemical effects on aquatic organisms and on their microbiota. Few studies have explored the combined effects of microplastics and pesticides on the host-micro...

How predators select on conspicuous prey traits is not well understood. We used a laboratory setup to investigate the role of learning in predator choice of conspicuous visual traits. We used a generalist predator, the great tit, and coloured wings of males of two species of damselflies as prey. Wing pigmentation differs between the species in colo...

Behavioural diversity is a basic component of biodiversity, with implications in ecological interactions at the intra- and interspecific levels. The reproductive behaviour of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) is unique among insects and conditioned by the anatomical separation between the male’s reproductive organs and the intromittent organ. P...

Understanding why species range sizes vary is important for predicting the impact of environmental change on biodiversity. Here we use a multi‐variable approach in a phylogenetic comparative context to understand how four morphological, two ecological, and two eco‐geographical variables are associated with range size, latitudinal range and longitud...

Wings are a key trait underlying the evolutionary success of birds, bats and insects. For over a century, researchers have studied the form and function of wings to understand the determinants of flight performance. However, to understand the evolution of flight, we must comprehend not only how morphology affects performance, but how morphology and...

Batesian mimics can parasitize Müllerian mimicry rings mimicking the warning color signal. The evolutionary success of Batesian mimics can increase adding complexity to the signal by behavioral and locomotor mimicry. We investigated three fundamental morphological and locomotor traits in a Neotropical mimicry ring based on Ithomiini butterflies and...

Wing shape is related to flight performance, which is expected to be under selection for improving flight behaviours such as predator avoidance. Moreover, wing conspicuousness, usually involved in sexual selection processes, is also relevant in terms of predation risk. In this study, we examined how predation by a passerine bird, the white wagtail...

Female-limited colour polymorphisms are widespread in Odonata, usually showing an androchrome and one or more gynochromes. Androchromes have been hypothesized to function as male mimics with a consequent decrease of male harassment, although males may also learn to recognize the different female colour morphs. In the Eurasian damselfly Lestes spons...

Territorial contests between males without weaponry are based on costly displays and can result in condition-dependent alternative reproductive tactics that maximize male fitness. Physiological and morphological traits such as fat content, body size or the expression of secondary sexual traits have been shown to contribute to male territory-holding...

Habitats are spatially and temporally variable, and organisms must be able to track these changes. One potential mechanism for this is dispersal by flight. Therefore, we would expect flying animals to show adaptations in wing shape related to habitat variation. In this work, we explored variation in wing shape in relation to preferred water body (f...

Background Wing size and shape have important aerodynamic implications on flight performance. We explored how wing size was related to wing shape in territorial males of 37 taxa of the damselfly family Calopterygidae. Wing coloration was also included in the analyses because it is sexually and naturally selected and has been shown to be related to...

Flight has conferred an extraordinary advantage to some groups of animals. Wing shape is directly related to flight performance and evolves in response to multiple selective pressures. In some species, wings have ornaments such as pigmented patches that are sexually selected. Since organisms with pigmented wings need to display the ornament while f...

Teratologies in adults of Calopteryx Leach, 1815 (Odonata: Calopterygidae) Several teratologies are described in adult specimens of Calopteryx virgo meridionalis, C. xanthostoma and C. haemorrhoidalis. These teratologies are mainly associated with the wing pigmentation but also with the abdomen. Se describen varias teratologías en ejemplares adu...

Ornaments may show hyperallometry in certain taxa, i.e. large individuals have proportionally larger ornaments than small ones. One hypothesis suggests that higher sexual selection intensity leads to steeper hyperallometric patterns.This study tested whether an ornamental trait subject to both intra- and intersexual selection showed steeper allomet...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

Con los datos que disponemos actualmente podemos afirmar que la especie no se encuentra en España. Se ha catalogado un ejemplar de un adulto de esta especie en la Región Biogeográfica Mediterránea en Portugal (Seabra, 1937), pero la localidad de captura presenta dudas (p. ej. Verdú & Galante, 2000). También se tiene una serie de citas de larvas asi...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of protected invertebrate species included in the Habitats Directive (European Union Directive 92/43/CEE) is evaluated. Bibliographic records are analysed in each bioregion, species biology, reproductive habitats and relationship with habitats included in Habitats Directive, percentages of populations wi...

The static allometry between the size of a trait and the body size results from the net selection forces acting on the evolution of both the trait and the body size. An increased knowledge of the functional significance of traits is necessary to understand observed allometric patterns. We studied several traits of males of the beautiful demoiselle...

Wing shape has been shown in a variety of species to be influenced by natural and sexual selection. In damselflies, front- and hind wings can beat independently, and functional differentiation may occur. Males of Calopteryx damselflies show species-specific nuptial flights that differ in colour signalling with the hind wings. Therefore, hind wing s...

Odonata from Cabañeros National Park (Ciudad Real, Central Spain) (Insecta: Odonata) A total of 37 species of Odonata from Cabañeros National Park (central Spain) have been recorded, eight of which are also new to the province of Ciudad Real. ---------------------------------- Se exponen los primeros datos sobre los odonatos del Parque Nacional de...

Body melanization may show adaptive variation related to thermoregulation ability, and it is to be expected that the degree of melanization will change among populations or closely related species across environmental gradients of solar radiation and/or environmental temperature. Some melanized secondary sexual traits may also play a role in sexual...

Under natural selection, wing shape is expected to evolve to optimize flight performance. However, other selective factors besides flight performance may influence wing shape. One such factor could be sexual selection in wing sexual ornaments, which may lead to alternative variations in wing shape that are not necessarily related to flight performa...

A larval population of Calopteryx virgo meridionalis Selys 1873 was monitored in northern Spain for a period of 18 months. Larvae were measured in the field and then released. Egg hatching was followed by rapid larval growth. Last stadium larvae were first collected in January. The larval life history and the developmental curve of the study popula...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Coenagrion mercuriale situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/17t9Bm4

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Coenagrion scitulum situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/10rxzw7

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Onychogomphus uncatus situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/17znH5n

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Onychogomphus costae situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/1avaU7Q

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Aeshna juncea situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/18r16uB

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Orthetrum nitidinerve situation in Spain is analysed and mapped. Open access pdf is also in Ministry webpage: http://bit.ly/1hsoHzJ

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Cordulegaster bidentata situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Gomphus simillimus situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Zygonyx torridus situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Coenagrion caerulescens situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

First records of Hemaris fuciformis (Linnaeus, 1758) from Asturias and of Hemaris tityus (Linnaeus, 1758) from León (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) (northern Spain) Abstract: The first records of the bee hawks Hemaris fuciformis and Hemaris tityus are reported respectively for Asturias and León provinces. ------------------------------------- Se aportan...

First record of Proserpinus proserpina (Pallas, 1772) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) from Palencia province (northern Spain) Abstract: The first record of Proserpinus proserpina from Palencia province (Spain) is reported.

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species is evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Gomphus vulgatissimus situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

Using bioclimatic belts as habitat and distribution predictors, the present study examines the implications of the potential distributions of the three Iberian damselflies, Calopteryx Leach (Odonata: Calopterygidae), with the aim of investigating the possible consequences in specific interactions among the species from a sexual selection perspectiv...

Wing teratology in Sympetrum flaveolum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Odonata: Libellulidae) A teratology involving the apical area of the left forewing of a Sympetrum flaveolum male is described.

Monitoring dragonfly populations show us interesting points on dragonfly biodiversity, conservation status of species and suitability of habitats and management actions in Odonata. Dragonfly monitoring programs should have a standardised methodology to detect variations among populations and among years, and conservation threats in each population....

Comparing species differences in covariance patterns of traits subject to divergent selection pressures can increase our understanding to the mechanisms of phenotypic divergence. Different species of calopterygid damselflies have diverged in the melanized wing patch of males. This trait serves multiple ecological functions and has behavioral conseq...

Anaciaeschna isoceles (Müller, 1767) in the Ibero-Balearic area (Odonata: Aeshnidae) Abstract: New six Iberian localities and biological data on Anaciaeschna isoceles (Müller, 1767) are presented, including the first records for Álava, Albacete and Toledo provinces, and the second one for Ciudad Real. A bibliographic review of the scarce Ibero-Bale...

Conservation status and Spanish distribution of threatened invertebrate species are evaluated. Distribution, life cycles and species biology rewieved. In this chapter, Brachytron pratense situation in Spain is analysed and mapped.

Two teratological specimens of Coenagrion puella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Brachytron pratense (Müller, 1764) in the Iberian Peninsula (Odonata, Aeshnidae) The distribution of Brachytron pratense (Müller, 1764) in the Iberian Peninsula is revised. Its current presence in Asturias (northern Spain) is confirmed with a new population. New data about ecological requirements, pond invertebrate community, phenology and ethology...

First record of Polyxenus lagurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diplopoda: Polyxenida) in Asturias (N Spain)

Confirmation of Anaciaeschna isosceles (Müller, 1767) in Asturias and first record from Cantabria (N Spain) (Odonata: Aeshnidae)