Evolutionary divergence in a non-genitalic sexual contact character in the beetle genus Choleva
Mike Groenhof, Henk van der Meulen, Alina von Thaden, Menno Schilthuizen · 2026
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Description
Mike Groenhof and colleagues published a 2026 study of mating contact shapes in Choleva beetles. Male genitals often differ fast between close species, and the team asked whether a non-genital contact part follows the same pattern. They studied a small leg joint, the metatrochanter, in males.
The team built a family tree for 19 species-level groups from DNA, then scanned the leg parts with micro CT, a fine form of X-ray. Overall, joint shape changed in a smooth, steady way over time. Yet some shape traits jumped at points where new species split. A plain middle-leg joint showed jumps too, which may reflect linked growth of the middle and hind legs.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Mike Groenhof, Henk van der Meulen, Alina von Thaden, Menno Schilthuizen |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 36154 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |