Does fluctuating asymmetry of antlers in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fellow patterns predicted for sexually selected traits?

Secondary sexual characters have been hypothesized to signal male quality a nd should demonstrate a negative relationship between the size of the trait and degree of fluctuating asymmetry because the); are costly to produce. W e collected morphometric and antler data from 439 white-tailed deer (Odocoi leus virginianus) in Oklahoma? USA, in order to determine whether measures of antler asymmetry follow the patterns predicted for sexually selected cha racters. Relative fluctuating asymmetry was negatively related to antler si ze for all deer and within age groups up to five and a half years of age. W e did not detect an association between asymmetry and antler size among dee r that were six and a half years or older. When categorizing deer by antler size, we found that deer with small antlers (less than or equal to 33rd pe rcentile) had greater levels of relative asymmetry than deer with large ant lers (less than or equal to 67th percentile). The relative asymmetry of ant lers was negatively related to age and was greatest in deer, that were one and a half years old. Relative asymmetry was also negatively related to car cass mass, inside spread, skull length and body length. These data suggest that asymmetry in the antlers of white-tailed deer may he a reliable signal of quality and, as such, may be important in maintaining honesty in intras exual advertisements during the breeding season.