Evolutionary patterns of asymmetric genitalia in the beetle tribe Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae)

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Authors
Breeschoten, Thijmen
Clark, Daniel R.
Schilthuizen, Menno
Advisors
Issue Date
2013-06-14
Type
Article
Keywords
Chirality , Left-right asymmetry , Micro-CT scanning , Morphometrics , Procrustes distance
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Citation
Breeschoten, Thijmen; Clark, Daniel R.; Schilthuizen, Menno. 2013. Evolutionary patterns of asymmetric genitalia in the beetle tribe Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae). Contributions to Zoology, v.82:no.2:pp.95-106
Abstract

The evolution of asymmetric genitalia is a common and recurrent phenomenon in a wide variety of insect taxa. However, little is understood about the evolution of left-right asymmetry in reproductive structures. Since a better knowledge of it could have an important impact on the study of genital evolution, in the present study we investigate the phylogenetic and evolutionary patterns of asymmetric male genitalia in Cyclocephalini. We use a Procrustes distance based method for quantifying asymmetry. Analysis of 119 species belonging to 14 genera revealed a diverse array of asymmetries with a strong indication that asymmetries are more strongly developed in the terminal part of the aedeagus. Further, we find that asymmetries have evolved repeatedly within this small taxon. Micro-CT scans, a technique not employed before in studies of genital asymmetry, are made of several symmetric and asymmetric species. This reveals unexpected asymmetric sclerotised structures inside the otherwise symmetric aedeagus of Cyclocephala amazona, which underlines that asymmetries are not restricted to the exterior of the male genitalia but are also found internally.

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The journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Publisher
The Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis, University of Amsterdam
Journal
Book Title
Series
Contributions to Zoology;v.82:no.2
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
1875-9866
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