Sexual selection and the evolution of male pheromone glands in philanthine wasps (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae).
Katharina WeissGudrun HerznerErhard StrohmPublished in: BMC evolutionary biology (2017)
Our results show considerable variation in male head glands including the loss of an entire gland system and the evolution of a novel kind of secretory cells, confirming the prediction that interspecific diversity in head gland morphology is higher in male than in female Philanthini. We discuss possible causes for the remarkable evolutionary changes in males and we conclude that this high diversity has been caused by sexual selection.