Data from: Patriline differences reveal genetic influence on forewing size and shape in a yellowjacket wasp (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Vespula flavopilosa Jacobson, 1978)

The wing venation is frequently used as a morphological marker to
distinguish biological groups among insects. With geometric morphometrics,
minute shape differences can be detected between closely related species
or populations, making this technique useful for taxonomy. However, the
direct influence of genetic differences on wing morphology has not been
explored within colonies of social insects. Here, we show that the
father’s genotype has a direct effect on wing morphology in colonies of
social wasps. Using geometric morphometrics on the venation pattern, we
found significant differences in wing size and shape between patrilines of
yellowjackets, taking allometry and measurement error into account. The
genetic influence on wing size accounted for a small part of the overall
size variation, but venation shape was highly structured by the
differences between patrilines. Overall, our results showed a strong
genetic influence on wing morphology likely acting at multiple levels of
venation pattern development. This confirmed the pertinence of this marker
for taxonomic purposes and suggests this phenotype as a potentially useful
marker for phylogenies. This also raises doubts about the strength of
selective pressures on this phenotype, which highlights the need to
understand better the role of wing venation shape in insect flight.