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Genital coevolution between the male and female in Bittacidae (Insecta: Mecoptera)
Qiu-Yue Qin1, Xiao-Tang Zhang1, Yan-Chun Yang1
1Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
Arthropod Structure & Development
|April 4, 2026
Summary
Male hangingflies have elongated penises for mating. This study reveals genital interactions and suggests coevolution between male spines and female plates, with penis and duct lengths correlating.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Bittacidae (hangingflies) exhibit a unique belly-to-belly mating posture.
- Male hangingflies possess an elongated penisfilum for insemination via the female spermathecal duct.
- The precise interaction of male and female genitalia in Bittacidae is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction of genital structures in three Bittacidae species.
- To explore potential antagonistic coevolution between male and female genitalia.
- To examine the correlation between male penisfilum length and female spermathecal duct length.
Main Methods:
- Morphological examination of genital structures across three Bittacidae species.
- Comparative analysis of male and female genital traits.
- Statistical correlation analysis between penisfilum and spermathecal duct lengths.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests antagonistic coevolution, with spines on male epandrial lobes interacting with the female subgenital plate.
- A significant positive correlation was found between the length of the male penisfilum and the female spermathecal duct.
- Morphological traits indicate coevolutionary patterns in hangingfly genitalia.
Conclusions:
- The study elucidates genital interactions in Bittacidae, highlighting potential sexual conflict.
- Genital morphology supports the hypothesis of antagonistic coevolution between sexes in hangingflies.
- The correlated lengths of the penisfilum and spermathecal duct suggest reciprocal evolutionary pressures.
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