The genetic polymorphism linked to mate-securing strategies in the male damselfly Mnais costalis Selys (Odonata : Calopterygidae)

Alternative male mate-securing strategies are widespread among animal taxa, but there are few well-documented examples of genetic polymorphisms for them. In the Japanese calopterygid damselfly Mnais costalis, males occur as either orange-winged territorial fighter males, or clear-winged non-territorial sneaker males. It has previously been suggested that this behavioral polymorphism is genetically controlled. However, there was no direct evidence for this. By rearing two groups of larvae from the same female but sired by different male morphs, I show that differential morph development is genetically controlled and consistent with a single-locus two-allele autosomal genetic polymorphism.