




The energetic costs of sexually selected traits. Design by Anita Weissflog.
paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bies.202000183
Elephant tusks, giraffe weevil heads, and antelope horns are all examples of animal weapons. These structures are striking, evolve very rapidly, and are often used in communication. I ask: Why are weapons so big and diverse? How do animals deal with the energetic costs of growing, carrying, and fighting with these weapons? How do animals use weapons as signals to avoid costly fights?
RESEARCH
CONTACT
Earl S. Tupper Post-Doctoral Fellow,
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Panama

