"Not Tonight Dear, I Have a Headache"
Sex for the female diving beetles, Dytiscus lapponicus and Graphoderus zonatus verrucifer, is so rough that they have come up with a more permanent solution of avoidance than the simple headache excuse. They have actually altered their physical appearance so that they could get away from their aggressive counterparts more easily. This is not to say that the sex is bad, its just that its one sided, with the males not taking into consideration the hardship that it causes the females.
The male diving beetles have a varying amount of suction cups on their legs which they use to hold the females under water without air for about 15 minutes during sex and this is only after they have shaken the female back and forth during swimming until she was to tired to resist them. Although the males aren't completely without some decency since they do bring the female back up to the surface to breathe when they are done with her. It is a very tiring experience for the female and with more than one male to contend with, anyone could see how she would develop a headache. In response to this, the females have developed furrows and granulation to their otherwise smooth backs so that they could simply get rid of these intent males. Since it is harder for the males to hold on to their rough backs, this also ensures that only the males with the most amount of suction cups will prevail in mating, which gives the females a break with the amount of partners they have to deal with and also allowing them to be less physically worn out in the process.
Of course as this battle between the sexes rages on, the male diving beetles will meet this challenge by adapting some form of change themselves to overcome the females response to deter their advances and the cycle of will continue. It will be interesting to see what type of adaptation evolves next and in which one, male or female and if this continues until a whole new species emerges. It seems that a little tylenol and therapy might not help these couples.
Posted by: KVC (12)
posted by PWH @ 8:35 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
This is an interesting and well written article. I think it is interesting that both beetles are evolving to be the most fit. The females can avoid the weak suction cupped males and the males with the strong suction cups will pass on their genes. This article is relevant to the material we just learned in class with regards to evolution over a short period of time. I would also like to see what would come of this species as they evolve over and over again to be the most sexually fit.
Posted by MJP (12)
This is an interesting and well written article. I think it is interesting that both beetles are evolving to be the most fit. The females can avoid the weak suction cupped males and the males with the strong suction cups will pass on their genes. This article is relevant to the material we just learned in class with regards to evolution over a short period of time. I would also like to see what would come of this species as they evolve over and over again to be the most sexually fit.
Posted by MJP (12)
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