Fight or flight alternative mating tactics may explain the iconic male polymorphism of the European stag beetle.

ABSTRACT: The existence of different male morphologies within a single species is associated with alternative mating tactics across different animal groups, offering textbook examples of evolutionary biology. The European stag beetle Lucanus cervus is a flagship species which has long fascinated naturalists for its charismatic appearance and behavior, with males possessing large mandibles used in ritualized ground fights for females. Males are polymorphic, with larger males possessing disproportionately larger mandibles and being better fighters, while smaller males require less food to develop and may have better chances to escape predation. We discovered an alternative mating tactic that opens a new interpretation on the evolution of the smaller males, based on aggregations of flying males competi

SUBMITTER: Giannetti D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11494050 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature