DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbdk
title: Data from: Larval development under continuous and dynamic light pollution alters sexual dimorphism in a moth species

description: Larval development under artificial light at night (ALAN) can affect adult
 body mass, often in a sex-specific way. However, it is still unclear
 whether ALAN also affects other morphological traits. In this experimental
 study, we tested for differences in flight and fecundity-related
 morphology and wing melanisation in the noctuid moth Agrotis
 exclamationis, originating from populations under contrasting skyglow
 levels, and whose offspring were reared under either a dynamic ALAN,
 continuous ALAN or control dark treatment. In response to ALAN, adult body
 mass and wing size were affected in a sex-specific way, resulting in
 altered sexual size dimorphism. Wing aspect ratio was lower in populations
 originating from higher skyglow levels, but only in males. Under ALAN
 conditions, relatively more mass was allocated to the abdomen and less to
 the thorax. Sexual colour dimorphism was stronger in populations
 originating from higher skyglow levels, as males from these populations
 had lighter coloured wings and females had darker wings compared to
 populations from lower skyglow levels. We provide evidence for alterations
 of sexual dimorphism under ALAN. Different developmental effects of ALAN
 on males and females are likely to contribute to the significant though
 complex impacts of this type of sensory pollution in a wider range of moth
 and other insect species.
description: # Data from: Larval development under continuous and dynamic light
 pollution alters sexual dimorphism in a moth species Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbdk](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0k6djhbdk) ##
 Description of the data and file structure The dataset "EVdS et al -
 AE_Morph.xlsx" contains data on adult moth morphology. Larvae of a
 moth species (*Agrotis exclamationis*) originating from regions with
 different skyglow levels were grown under either: control dark nights,
 continuous ALAN or dynamic ALAN. For the resulting adults, we measured
 body mass, relative thorax and abdomen mass, wing morphology and wing
 melanisation. Missing values (i.e. "NA") are present when (i)
 the moths did not survive during larval development, (ii) the moths were
 no longer available for morpholgical measurements (due to other side
 experiments), or (iii) the wings got too damaged for measuring. ### Files
 and variables #### File: EVdS_et_al_-_AE_Morph.xlsx **Description:** This
 dataset contains all data used for our analyses. It contains data on adult
 moth morphology. ##### Variables * ID: Individual code * Room: number of
 the climate chamber * Fam: individual code for the mother * Region: B =
 province of Brabant, L = province of Luxembourg * Skyglow: skyglow level
 at population of origin. High = high-medium, Low = low-medium * Treatment:
 ALAN treatment: Dark = control, Full = continuous ALAN, Smart = dynamic
 ALAN * Site: sampling site * Sex: sex of the specimen * Spec: species: AE
 = *Agrotis exclamationis* * madult: adult wet body mass (g) * mtot: adult
 dry mass (g) * mth: thorax mass (g) * mab: abdomen mass (g) * relmth:
 relative thorax mass (mth/mtot) * relmab: relative abdomen mass (mab/mtot)
 * fwl: forewing length (mm) * fww: forewing width (mm) * area: forewing
 area (mm²) * fwar: forewing aspect ratio (4 x fwl²/fww) * wl: wing loading
 (g/mm²) * Melan: forewing melanisation (grey value) ## Code/software The
 data was analysed in R.