Developmental lines of least resistance predict standing genetic covariation but do not constrain plasticity or rapid evolution

Some phenotypic dimensions are more developmentally variable than others. Such developmental variability (or bias) is common and uncontroversial. However, how and at what timescales these biases constrain or facilitate the emergence of standing genetic variation, plastic responses, as well as adaptation, remains contentious. To investigate the extent to which developmental variability shapes genetic variation, plasticity, and evolution, we first quantify developmental variability in the shape of the dung beetle foreleg — a functional trait critical for the excavation of breeding tunnels. We do so by testing how random developmental perturbations, manifesting themselves in fluctuating asymmetry, shape standing genetic variation within populations. Next, we investigate whether such developmental variability is aligned with thermal plasticity and recently evolved latitudinal variation. We find that, while developmental variability is a strong predictor of standing genetic (co)variance (i.e..., Laboratory rearing and data acquisition
To investigate how developmental variability relates to genetic and environmental variation, we revisited a common garden study conducted by Rohner and Moczek 2021. In brief, this study sampled Onthophagus taurus beetles from one location in the native Mediterranean range (Italy) as well as four populations in the invasive range in the United States. Wild-caught females were brought into the laboratory, where they were then allowed to reproduce in plastic containers (27cm × 8cm × 8cm) filled with soil and defrosted cow dung. Reproductively active females excavate tunnels in the soil and construct so-called ‘brood balls’ underground. These brood balls were extracted from the soil using a sieve after five days. Because larval growth and adult morphology strongly depend on the size and quality of the brood ball, we removed eggs from their natural brood ball and placed them in standardized artificial brood balls (consisting of cow dung placed in 12-we..., , # Developmental lines of least resistance predict standing genetic covariation but do not constrain plasticity or rapid evolution

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7mg5](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7mg5)

This dataset contains landmark coordinates for tibia shape in two dung beetle species.

## Description of the data and file structure

The attached Excel file (data_for_dryad2.xlsx) contains the two-dimensional landmark data for a number of specimens. The left and right forelegs of all individuals were photographed twice, and the location of eight landmarks was digitized using TpsDig2. The X-and Y-components of each landmark are listed in the file. These are 'raw' landmarks in unit pixels. These coordinates have not yet been subjected to Procrustes analysis. Missing data are indicated as 'NA'.

Variables are defined on a separate sheet in the Excel file as well as below:

| variable | description ...,