CBD seminar: The evolution of animal weapons Prof Christine Miller, University of Cambridge

Abstract: Sexually selected weapons, from the antlers of deer and claws of crabs to the tusks of beaked whales, are among the most striking examples of morphological diversity in nature. Their evolution is shaped not only by selection for combat performance, but also by the integration of multiple morphological components, trade-offs with other traits, responses to ecological conditions, and the mechanical demands imposed by fighting. In this talk, I will use leaf-footed cactus bugs as a model system to explore how these factors interact to shape the evolution and function of sexually selected weapons. More broadly, I will argue that understanding the evolution of complex phenotypes requires an integrative approach that considers how traits develop, function, interact with other traits, and respond to their ecological and evolutionary environments.