Limnetica 33

When an odonate larva loses a leg, it has the ability to regenerate it in the next moult. In this study, our goal was to test whether this ability affects fluctuating asymmetry analyses (FA) using Calopteryx virgo (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae. We observed that asymmetries in the femur and tibia caused by regeneration in field samples are not always detected as outliers, and therefore they are not automatically eliminated by statistical tests. However, they increased the value of the composite index of asymmetry by approximately 30 % with respect to the sample where all of the cases of regeneration were eliminated. Next, we wanted to test whether costs associated with leg regeneration had an effect on the development of other structures by increasing the level of fluctuating asymmetry in this species. The results confirmed that the value of the composite index of asymmetry calculated using antennal and mask measures was significantly higher for individuals that had a regenerating leg. Thus, prior knowledge of the biology and the physiology of the traits of the species under study should be an essential topic in fluctuating asymmetry studies to guarantee reliable results, as regeneration ability clearly interferes in fluctuating asymmetry analysis in odonate larvae.