Sexual selection in mites: copulation, conflict and complexity

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Sexual selection is an important force behind diversification of sexually reproducing organisms. Much research has examined the benefit to females of selecting males with particular attributes (e.g., males with bright colours may have 'good genes' that can be passed on to the female's offspring), but there is also a less mutually beneficial side to sexual selection. Sexual conflict occurs when there are different benefits to males and females of repeated matings, timing of mating, or fertilization of eggs. Species differ in potential for both female choice and sexual conflict based on proximity of male and female at the time of sperm transfer. For species with little or no contact (e.g., marine animals with broadcast spawning of gametes), potential for intrasexual selection is low. For those with close contact (e.g., animals that copulate), it is likely to be high, and can influence evolution of behaviour and morphology of structures involved in sperm transfer.