{"paper_id":"8e6f9e66-b520-4b99-84b7-9063b733b190","body_text":"Wing Membrane Thickness, Allometric Scaling and Wing Interference Patterns in Damselflies - A Target of Sexual Selection? | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Wing Membrane Thickness, Allometric Scaling and Wing Interference Patterns in Damselflies - A Target of Sexual Selection? Meng Li, Masahito Tsuboi, Anna Runemark, Erik I. Svensson, Mikkel Brydegaard This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9009936/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Damselflies (Odonata: Zygoptera) have evolved highly developed visual systems for mate recognition, flight and prey detection. Wing Interference Patterns (WIPs), which are colors generated by thin-film interference in the wing membrane, could function as visual signals and play a role in sexual selection. Because the color of these signals depends on membrane thickness, a potential conflict exists between changes in wing area and the need to maintain a consistent signal. We examined how wing membrane thickness scales with wing area in two damselfly species, Ischnura elegans and Enallagma cyathigerum . Using hyperspectral imaging, we found that while wing area was highly variable, membrane thickness showed low intraspecific variability. We found no evidence for any significant correlation between wing thickness and wing area or any support for sexual selection operating on these traits. Low intraspecific variation of the membrane thickness results in a consistent Wing Interference Signal (WIS), which is useful for species identification with remote sensing approaches. Odonata Zygoptera thin-film interference hyperspectral imaging wing membrane Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 14 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 13 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 15 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 13 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 03 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 03 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 02 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-9009936\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":605577615,\"identity\":\"783eb73d-8dc7-4766-8003-a6f539615286\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Meng Li\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4ElEQVRIie3QIQ7CMBSA4UdINtNkyGeAE5CULFkmOExnVlMSJIpMgSnB7hjcgDUTmAUsjhEMAjFuQDfQ3SQJ/cVq+rWvA7DZfrYFjtwEQCUQdiUUfZI1BDsTiKQmvU5kstnmD6Ahl8hvKgWMEi/PjCQoTnGoB5tLFFTta4IxM5OLCGhNDihAlQ0h1Eyuz4Zwgrz8EO9ctdxC/FITRpB9BwNhFPotIgBGcSrJk6pU/+01xi2DHQu/qparMXH5/SWXs+HOy0vzNQAOsnoZ1F99vtO2X9f/vNbLOuy12Wy2v+wNRbpD/XA0ImUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Lund University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Meng\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Li\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":605577616,\"identity\":\"3000a437-e27c-4e32-ae79-dd2a7ae72b40\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Masahito Tsuboi\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Lund University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Masahito\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Tsuboi\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":605577620,\"identity\":\"0fd739e0-90f2-4513-b18d-e9cf3c9a36de\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Anna Runemark\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Lund University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Anna\",\"middleName\":\"\",\"lastName\":\"Runemark\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":605577621,\"identity\":\"949e8f8e-2669-487f-8458-d62e0d69654f\",\"order_by\":3,\"name\":\"Erik I. 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Wing Interference Patterns (WIPs), which are colors generated by thin-film interference in the wing membrane, could function as visual signals and play a role in sexual selection. Because the color of these signals depends on membrane thickness, a potential conflict exists between changes in wing area and the need to maintain a consistent signal. We examined how wing membrane thickness scales with wing area in two damselfly species, \\u003cem\\u003eIschnura elegans\\u003c/em\\u003e and \\u003cem\\u003eEnallagma cyathigerum\\u003c/em\\u003e. Using hyperspectral imaging, we found that while wing area was highly variable, membrane thickness showed low intraspecific variability. We found no evidence for any significant correlation between wing thickness and wing area or any support for sexual selection operating on these traits. Low intraspecific variation of the membrane thickness results in a consistent Wing Interference Signal (WIS), which is useful for species identification with remote sensing approaches.\\u003c/p\\u003e\",\"manuscriptTitle\":\"Wing Membrane Thickness, Allometric Scaling and Wing Interference Patterns in Damselflies - A Target of Sexual Selection?\",\"msid\":\"\",\"msnumber\":\"\",\"nonDraftVersions\":[{\"code\":1,\"date\":\"2026-03-16 18:32:17\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9009936/v1\",\"editorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"communityComments\",\"content\":0},{\"type\":\"decision\",\"content\":\"Revision requested\",\"date\":\"2026-05-14T14:44:17+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-05-13T05:17:51+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"173308195130012043696268920593317467098\",\"date\":\"2026-04-28T14:58:55+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-04-16T02:06:05+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewerAgreed\",\"content\":\"325569610228176298305171934020491636998\",\"date\":\"2026-04-07T15:49:52+00:00\",\"index\":\"hide\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"reviewersInvited\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-03-13T10:04:34+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorAssigned\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-03-03T14:10:08+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"checksComplete\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-03-03T14:06:41+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"submitted\",\"content\":\"Evolutionary Ecology\",\"date\":\"2026-03-02T11:52:24+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"}],\"status\":\"published\",\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"evolutionary-ecology\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"evec\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Evolutionary Ecology](https://www.springer.com/journal/10682)\",\"snPcode\":\"10682\",\"submissionUrl\":\"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10682/3\",\"title\":\"Evolutionary Ecology\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"em\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Springer Hybrid\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":false}}],\"origin\":\"\",\"ownerIdentity\":\"2afb5f9b-0ebb-4af6-93c4-930181481331\",\"owner\":[],\"postedDate\":\"March 16th, 2026\",\"published\":true,\"recentEditorialEvents\":[{\"type\":\"decision\",\"content\":\"Revision requested\",\"date\":\"2026-05-14T14:44:17+00:00\",\"index\":\"\",\"fulltext\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"editorInvitedReview\",\"content\":\"\",\"date\":\"2026-05-13T05:17:51+00:00\",\"index\":23,\"fulltext\":\"\"}],\"rejectedJournal\":[],\"revision\":\"\",\"amendment\":\"\",\"status\":\"in-revision\",\"subjectAreas\":[],\"tags\":[],\"updatedAt\":\"2026-05-14T14:54:35+00:00\",\"versionOfRecord\":[],\"versionCreatedAt\":\"2026-03-16 18:32:17\",\"video\":\"\",\"vorDoi\":\"\",\"vorDoiUrl\":\"\",\"workflowStages\":[]},\"version\":\"v1\",\"identity\":\"rs-9009936\",\"journalConfig\":\"researchsquare\"},\"__N_SSP\":true},\"page\":\"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]\",\"query\":{\"redirect\":\"/article/rs-9009936\",\"identity\":\"rs-9009936\",\"version\":[\"v1\"]},\"buildId\":\"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd\",\"isFallback\":false,\"isExperimentalCompile\":false,\"dynamicIds\":[84888],\"gssp\":true,\"scriptLoader\":[]}","source_license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_restricted":false}