Rapid divergent evolution of internal female genitalia and the coevolution of male genital morphology revealed by micro-computed tomography.

ABSTRACT: Animal genitalia are thought to evolve rapidly and divergently in response to sexual selection. Studies of genital evolution have focused largely on male genitalia. The paucity of work on female genital morphology is probably due to problems faced in quantifying shape variation, due to their composition and accessibility. Here we use a combination of micro-computed tomography, landmark free shape quantification and phylogenetic analysis to quantify the rate of female genital shape evolution among 29 species of Antichiropus millipedes, and their coevolution with male genitalia. We found significant variation in female and male genital shape among species. Male genital shape showed a stronger phylogenetic signal than female genital shape, although the phylogenetic signal effect sizes

SUBMITTER: Sloan NS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10827428 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature