Have female twisted-wing parasites (Insecta: Strepsiptera) evolved tolerance traits as response to traumatic penetration?

ABSTRACT: Traumatic insemination describes an unusual form of mating during which a male penetrates the body wall of its female partner to inject sperm. Females unable to prevent traumatic insemination have been predicted to develop either traits of tolerance or of resistance, both reducing the fitness costs associated with the male-inflicted injury. The evolution of tolerance traits has previously been suggested for the bed bug. Here we present data suggesting that tolerance traits also evolved in females of the twisted-wing parasite species Stylops ovinae and Xenos vesparum. Using micro-indentation experiments and confocal laser scanning microscopy, we found that females of both investigated species possess a uniform resilin-rich integument that is notably thicker at penetration site

SUBMITTER: Jandausch K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9390352 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature