Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #149112
Title: SEXUAL SELECTION

Author
item LLOYD, JAMES - ENT & NEM, UNIV OF FL
item Sivinski, John

Submitted to: Encyclopedia of Entomology
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2003
Publication Date: 8/1/2004
Citation: Lloyd, J., Sivinski, J.M. 2004. Sexual selection. In: Capinera,J.L., editor. Encyclopedia of Entomology. V. 3. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p. 1992-1994.

Interpretive Summary: N/A

Technical Abstract: Sexual selection acts to change gene frequencies in the context of reproduction, and is typically considered to take two forms: intra-sexual and inter-sexual selection. Intrasexual selection: In organisms where the two sexes do not invest equally in the production, maintenance or protection of the young there is competition among the lower investing sex (usually males) for access to the higher investing sex (usually females). This competition may result in greater male mobility, size and/or weapons. Intersexual selection: Females may improve their reproduction by choosing mates that either invest in the young or that contribute the best genes to the offspring. Males are selected to advertise their qualities to females and females are selected to discriminate among potential mates. Both forms of sexual selection are common in insects, and some examples include the horns of scarab beetles (intrasexual selection) and the "songs" of tephritid fruit flies (intersexual selection).