The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Vol. IDarwin, Charles
Science
The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, Vol. I
Darwin, Charles
Evolution (Biology); Human beings -- Origin; Sex differences; Sexual dimorphism (Animals); Sexual selection in animals
Some Longicorns, however, especially certain Prionidæ, offer an
exception to the common rule that the sexes of beetles do not differ in
colour. Most of these insects are large and splendidly coloured. The
males in the genus Pyrodes,[484] as I saw in Mr. Bates’ collection, are
generally redder but rather duller than the females, the latter being
coloured of a more or less splendid golden green. On the other hand, in
one species the male is golden-green, the female being richly tinted
with red and purple. In the genus Esmeralda the sexes differ so greatly
in colour that they have been ranked as distinct species: in one species
both are of a beautiful shining green, but the male has a red thorax. On
the whole, as far as I could judge, the females of those Prionidæ, in
which the sexes differ, are coloured more richly than the males; and
this does not accord with the common rule in regard to colour when
acquired through sexual selection.
[Illustration: Fig. 15. Chalcosoma atlas. Upper figure, male (reduced);
lower figure, female (nat. size).]
[Illustration: Fig. 16. Copris isidis. (Left-hand figures, males.)]
[Illustration: Fig. 17. Phanæus faunus.]
[Illustration: Fig. 18. Dipelicus cantori.]
[Illustration: Fig. 19. Onthophagus rangifer, enlarged.]
A most remarkable distinction between the sexes of many beetles is
presented by the great horns which rise from the head, thorax, or
clypeus of the males; and in some few cases from the under surface of
the body. These horns, in the great family of the Lamellicorns, resemble
those of various quadrupeds, such as stags, rhinoceroses, &c., and are
wonderful both from their size and diversified shapes. Instead of
describing them, I have given figures of the males and females of some
of the more remarkable forms. (Figs. 15 to 19.) The females generally
exhibit rudiments of the horns in the form of small knobs or ridges; but
some are destitute of even a rudiment. On the other hand, the horns are
nearly as well developed in the female as in the male of _Phanæus
lancifer_; and only a little less well developed in the females of some
other species of the same genus and of Copris. In the several
subdivisions of the family, the differences in structure of the horns do
not run parallel, as I am informed by Mr. Bates, with their more
important and characteristic differences; thus within the same natural
section of the genus Onthophagus, there are species which have either a
single cephalic horn, or two distinct horns.
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