The parameres in male Hemiptera are thought to play a central role in a hypothesized lock and key system of mate recognition. Parameres can be broadly divided into two regions, the paramere base (i.e., the site of muscular attachment) and the paramere body, which is often external to the genital capsule. In most members of the tribe Halyini (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae), there is a direct relationship between the surface area of the base of the paramere and the size/complexity of the paramere body. The mechanistic reasons behind this scaling relationship are intuitive: it takes big muscles to move big objects. Yet, some Australasian halyines display an inverse relationship between paramere basal surface area and body complexity. Further analysis of the male genital capsule and female genitalia in this Australasian clade suggests these bugs have unique and bizarre ways of...completing the circle of life.
Species 1: Heteroptera Pentatomidae (stink bug)
Keywords: mate recognition
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