One aim of evolutionary biology is to understand how the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic variation affects trait evolution. The pathway from genotype to fitness is complex; genotypic variation is expressed through development and physiology, which generates and structures phenotypic variation. This phenotypic variation in turn produces variation in performance, ultimately leading to variation in fitness. Dr. W. Anthony Frankino’s research program studies each step along this pathway, often layering comparative, quantitative genetic, phenotypic engineering, or genetic approaches to address a particular set of questions. The ultimate aim, of course, is to understand how relationships between each step from genotypic variation to fitness shape trait evolution.

Frankino studies the expression and evolution of functionally and developmentally integrated suites of morphological or behavioral traits. In field, laboratory, and mesocosm studies, he uses naturally occurring and experimentally produced extreme trait variants to elucidate the relationships among variation in genotype, physiology, ecological performance, and reproductive success. His goal is to reveal how both internal proximate (e.g., genetic, developmental) mechanisms and external (natural, sexual) selection influence the evolution of complex trait suites. His current focus is primarily on morphological scaling, using insect wing and body size as a biological model.