Genetic basis of species-specific genitalia reveals role in species diversification

The diversity of genital morphology among closely related animals with internal fertilization is well known, but the genetic backgrounds are unclear. Here, we show that, in Carabus (Ohomopterus) beetles showing correlated evolution of male and female genital parts, only a few major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) determine differences in genital dimensions between sister species, and sequence divergence is pronounced in the genomic regions containing genital QTLs. The major QTLs for male and female genital dimensions reside in different locations within the same linkage group, implying that coevolution between the sexes is only loosely constrained and can respond to sexually antagonistic selection. The same genomic regions containing the major QTLs show elevated divergence between three pairs of parapatric species with marked differences in genital parts. Our study demonstrates that species diversification can follow coevolution of genitalia between the sexes, even without tight linkage of loci affecting male and female genital dimensions.

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The Importance of Biosemiotics for Morphology

Biosemiotics ◽

10.1007/s12304-020-09399-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Joachim Schult ◽

Onno Preik ◽

Stefan Kirschner

Keyword(s):

Essential Role ◽

Scientific Practice ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Point Of View ◽

Nephila Clavipes ◽

Male And Female ◽

Complex Interactions ◽

Intraspecific Communication ◽

Species Specific ◽

Female Genital

AbstractMorphology and its relevance for systematics is a promising field for the application of biosemiotic principles in scientific practice. Genital coupling in spiders involves very complex interactions between the male and female genital structures. As exemplified by two spider species, Nephila clavipes and Nephila pilipes ssp. fenestrata, from a biosemiotic point of view the microstructures of the male bulb’s embolus and the corresponding female epigynal and vulval parts form the morphological zone of an intraspecific communication and sign-interpreting process that is one of the prerequisites for sperm transfer. Hence these morphological elements are of high taxonomic value, as they play an essential role in mating and fertilization and consequently in establishing and preserving a reproductive community. Morphology clearly benefits from a biosemiotic approach, as biosemiotics helps to sort out species-specific morphological characters and to avoid problematic typological interpretations.

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QTL for the species-specific male and female genital morphologies in Ohomopterus ground beetles

Molecular Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04883.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 19 (23) ◽

pp. 5231-5239 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

MASATAKA SASABE ◽

YASUOKI TAKAMI ◽

TEIJI SOTA

Keyword(s):

Ground Beetles ◽

Male And Female ◽

Species Specific ◽

Female Genital

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A bio-syringe mechanism and the pattern of genital correspondence in the weevil genus Sitona (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): an approach to the great interest of Sharp and Muir

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4933.4.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4933 (4) ◽

pp. 514-526

Author(s):

MAHMOOD ALICHI

Keyword(s):

Bursa Copulatrix ◽

Genital Morphology ◽

Male And Female ◽

Male Transfer ◽

Species Specific ◽

Thickened Wall ◽

Isolating Mechanism ◽

Transfer Apparatus ◽

Female Genital

The remarkable diversity in male and female genital morphology among the species of Sitona Germar might contribute to the understanding of the structural “lock-and-key” isolating mechanism. Recently, it has been found that in spite of the phallic sizes in male weevils of the genus Sitona, their internal sacs should precisely match with the vaginal infoldings of conspecific females. The present research also deals with the male transfer apparatus, which is a special organ for insemination procedure inside the female bursa copulatrix. A wedge-shaped structure with a fused ejaculatory pump was distinguished as the bio-syringe part of the transfer apparatus in the examined species. Two paired sclerites of the transfer apparatus support the bio-syringe, so that it would slide freely between them and lock precisely over the opening of the spermathecal duct inside the bursa copulatrix of the female. In this phenomenon, several new structures were also found, including a bursal sclerite (“bursal disc”) and a pair of miniature pouches (“bursal plugs”) which are embedded in the thickened wall of the female bursal lumen. These findings explain how the shapes of male and female copulatory organs are normally species-specific and provide an opportunity for understanding the role of the structural lock-and-key isolating mechanism.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Experimental coevolution of male and female genital morphology.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.12490956.13709054 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Nina Wedell

Keyword(s):

Genital Morphology ◽

Male And Female ◽

Female Genital

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Coevolution of theS-Locus GenesSRK,SLGandSP11/SCRinBrassica oleraceaandB. rapa

Genetics ◽

10.1093/genetics/162.2.931 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 162 (2) ◽

pp. 931-940 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Keiichi Sato ◽

Takeshi Nishio ◽

Ryo Kimura ◽

Makoto Kusaba ◽

Tohru Suzuki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brassica Oleracea ◽

Gene Conversion ◽

Phylogenetic Trees ◽

Hypervariable Region ◽

Recognition System ◽

Self Incompatibility ◽

Male And Female ◽

Diversifying Selection ◽

Tight Linkage ◽

Nonsynonymous Site

AbstractBrassica self-incompatibility (SI) is controlled by SLG and SRK expressed in the stigma and by SP11/SCR expressed in the anther. We determined the sequences of the S domains of 36 SRK alleles, 13 SLG alleles, and 14 SP11 alleles from Brassica oleracea and B. rapa. We found three S haplotypes lacking SLG genes in B. rapa, confirming that SLG is not essential for the SI recognition system. Together with reported sequences, the nucleotide diversities per synonymous and nonsynonymous site (πS and πN) at the SRK, SLG, and SP11 loci within B. oleracea were computed. The ratios of πN:πS for SP11 and the hypervariable region of SRK were significantly >1, suggesting operation of diversifying selection to maintain the diversity of these regions. In the phylogenetic trees of 12 SP11 sequences and their linked SRK alleles, the tree topology was not significantly different between SP11 and SRK, suggesting a tight linkage of male and female SI determinants during the evolutionary course of these haplotypes. Genetic exchanges between SLG and SRK seem to be frequent; three such recent exchanges were detected. The evolution of S haplotypes and the effect of gene conversion on self-incompatibility are discussed.

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Winklerites serbicus, a new endogean species of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Bembidiini) from southeastern Serbia

Archives of Biological Sciences ◽

10.2298/abs1302773c ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 773-780

Author(s):

S. Curcic ◽

D. Antic ◽

T. Radja ◽

S. Makarov ◽

B. Curcic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Ground Beetle ◽

Ground Beetles ◽

Beetle Species ◽

Southeastern Part ◽

Male And Female ◽

Female Genital ◽

Southeastern Serbia

A new endogean bembidiine ground beetle species, Winklerites serbicus sp. n., from a cave in the southeastern part of Serbia is both described and diagnosed. Male and female genital structures and other taxonomically important characters are illustrated. The new species is clearly distinct from its closest congeners. Fifteen species of the genus so far known are arranged in six groups. The new species is both endemic and relict, inhabiting southeastern Serbia only.

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Conspecific mortality cues mediate associative learning in crickets, Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Journal of Orthoptera Research ◽

10.3897/jor.27.25484 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 187-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alexander M. Shephard ◽

Vadim Aksenov ◽

C. David Rollo

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acid ◽

Associative Learning ◽

Chemical Nature ◽

Acheta Domesticus ◽

Male Body ◽

Mediated Learning ◽

Male And Female ◽

Body Extract ◽

Species Specific ◽

Aversive Behavior

Many terrestrial and aquatic animals learn associations between environmental features and chemical cues of mortality risk (e.g. conspecific alarm pheromones or predator-derived cues), but the chemical nature of the cues that mediate this type of learning are rarely considered. Fatty acid necromones (particularly oleic and linoleic acids) are well established as cues associated with dead or injured conspecifics. Necromones elicit risk aversive behavior across diverse arthropod phylogenies, yet they have not been linked to associative learning. Here, we provide evidence that necromones can mediate associative olfactory learning in an insect by acting as an aversive reinforcement. When house crickets (Achetadomesticus) were forced to inhabit an environment containing an initially attractive odor along with a necromone cue, they subsequently avoided the previously attractive odor and displayed tolerance for an initially unattractive odor. This occurred when crickets were conditioned with linoleic acid but not when they were conditioned with oleic acid. Similar aversive learning occurred when crickets were conditioned with ethanol body extracts composed of male and female corpses combined, as well as extracts composed of female corpses alone. Conditioning with male body extract did not elicit learned aversion in either sex, even though we detected no notable differences in fatty acid composition between male and female body extracts. We suggest that necromone-mediated learning responses might vary depending on synergistic or antagonistic interactions with sex or species-specific recognition cues.

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