Saitta Valerio, Rebora Manuela, Piersanti Silvana, Carboni Marri Giorgia, Masini Paolo, Gorb Elena, Iacovone Alessia, Salerno Gianandrea, Gorb Stanislav
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
J Morphol. 2025 Apr;286(4):e70041. doi: 10.1002/jmor.70041.
This study investigates the coevolution of male attachment devices and female elytral morphology in coccinellid beetles, focusing on the sexual dimorphism of claws and adhesive pads. We analyzed 11 species from different tribes with different feeding regime, examining the structure of male and female attachment organs (claws and hairy pads) in relation to the surface structure of female elytra. Our findings show that disco-setae, which enhance adhesion during mating, are present only in males of some species and are localized on the hairy pads of their legs. These setae exhibit morphological adaptations based on the surface structure of female elytra, with larger discoid setal tips in species with smooth elytra and smaller tips in those with hairy elytra. Additionally, male beetles with hairy elytra possess dimorphic claws, which enhance attachment efficiency compared to species with smooth elytra, where claw dimorphism is less pronounced. Our results reveal that sexual dimorphism in hairy pads is more pronounced in larger species, where claw dimorphism is absent, while in smaller species, claw dimorphism alone suffices for effective attachment. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary dynamics shaping attachment adaptations in Coccinellidae, with implications for reproductive strategies, pest management, and ecological interactions in this diverse beetle family.
本研究调查了瓢虫科甲虫雄性附着器官与雌性鞘翅形态的协同进化,重点关注爪子和黏附垫的两性异形。我们分析了来自不同食性类群的11个物种,研究了雄性和雌性附着器官(爪子和多毛垫)的结构与雌性鞘翅表面结构的关系。我们的研究结果表明,在交配过程中增强附着力的盘状刚毛仅存在于某些物种的雄性中,且位于它们腿部的多毛垫上。这些刚毛根据雌性鞘翅的表面结构呈现出形态适应性,鞘翅光滑的物种中盘状刚毛尖端较大,鞘翅有毛的物种中尖端较小。此外,鞘翅有毛的雄性甲虫具有二态性爪子,与鞘翅光滑的物种相比,其附着效率更高,而在鞘翅光滑的物种中爪子二态性不太明显。我们的结果表明,多毛垫的两性异形在体型较大的物种中更为明显,这些物种不存在爪子二态性,而在体型较小的物种中,仅爪子二态性就足以实现有效附着。这些发现有助于更深入地理解塑造瓢虫科附着适应性的进化动态,对这个多样化甲虫家族的繁殖策略、害虫管理和生态相互作用具有启示意义。