Cell type specific allometry controls sex-differences in Drosophila organ size

Species and sex-specific differences in organ size are fundamental features of animal biology, yet the mechanisms that drive these differences remain debated. Adult female Drosophila are larger than males. While most organs are present across both sexes, the underlying mechanisms driving sex-specific organ and body size scaling of Drosophila remain unclear. Using single-nucleus transcriptomes from the Fly Cell Atlas, combined with experimental validation, we show that different Drosophila organs scale through distinct strategies, including cell size, cell number, or a combination of both, in an allometric rather than uniform manner. Larger female flight muscles develop from more myoblasts than in males, while cardiomyocyte numbers are the same despite forming a larger heart in females. Female fat body cells are larger and express more ribosomal protein-coding mRNAs, supporting increased cell size per nucleus. In contrast, males have a greater number of fat body cells. Together, this sex-specific allometry in cell size and nuclei number define the cellular basis for differences in body and organ size between sexes in Drosophila. By uncovering how a developmental system produces sex-specific proportions through distinct cellular strategies, our work offers a framework for dissecting sex differences in other species and systems.