Projects per year
Abstract
Male genitalia exhibit patterns of divergent evolution driven by sexual selection. In contrast, for many taxonomic groups, female genitalia are relatively uniform and their patterns of evolution remain largely unexplored. Here we quantify variation in the shape of female genitalia across onthophagine dung beetles, and use new comparative methods to contrast their rates of divergence with those of male genitalia. As expected, male genital shape has diverged more rapidly than a naturally selected trait, the foretibia. Remarkably, female genital shape has diverged nearly three times as fast as male genital shape. Our results dispel the
notion that female genitalia do not show the same patterns of divergent evolution as male genitalia, and suggest that female genitalia are under sexual selection through their role in female choice.
notion that female genitalia do not show the same patterns of divergent evolution as male genitalia, and suggest that female genitalia are under sexual selection through their role in female choice.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1312 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Nature Communications |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2019 |
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Data from: Female genitalia evolve more rapidly and divergently than male genitalia
Simmons, L. (Creator), The University of Western Australia, 14 Nov 2018
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Projects
- 1 Finished
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The Evolutionary Biology of Seminal Fluid
Simmons, L. (Investigator 01)
ARC Australian Research Council
1/01/11 → 30/06/16
Project: Research