Abstract
A gynandromorph is an organism combining both female- and male-type tissues. While the vast majority of studies have described the morphology of gynandromorphs, their sexual behaviours remain under-explored. We studied a predominantly bilateral gynandromorph specimen of the predatory wasp Discoelius dufourii (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Zethinae) reared from a trap-nest. In addition to describing the morphology, we explored the gynandromorph’s response to a conspecific female, comparing it with the behavioural interactions between normal males and females of D. dufourii and the phylogenetically related D. zonalis. For most specific behavioural elements, males of both Discoelius species exhibited a greater frequency and a higher probability of occurrences of the behaviour than did females. However, aggression and plopping behaviours were prevalent in females. The gynandromorphic specimen demonstrated behavioural activities similar to those of a male, including a relatively frequent mate body antennation and an attempt to mount a female. However, it approached the female less frequently in comparison to conspecific normal males, and it did not demonstrate substrate antennation and jumping, typical of Discoelius male mating behaviour. Based on the parameters of the nest cell, the probability of the development of the gynandromorphic specimen from an unfertilized (male) egg was higher than the probability of development from a fertilized (female) egg.
Highlights
IntroductionGynandromorphy is a developmental abnormality, resulting in chimaeric individuals, which combine patches of both genetically female- and male-type tissues (Narita et al 2010)
Gynandromorphy is a developmental abnormality, resulting in chimaeric individuals, which combine patches of both genetically female- and male-type tissues (Narita et al 2010). Their generation is thought to be associated with the sex-determination systems, and study of this phenomenon broadens our current knowledge of the evolutionary mechanisms driving the diverse sex determination and differentiation systems (Narita et al 2010; Yang and Abouheif 2011; Dobata et al 2012; Aamidor et al 2018)
The bilateral gynandromorphic individual of D. dufourii described in this paper appears to be the first documented case of gynandromorphy in the subfamily Zethinae
Summary
Gynandromorphy is a developmental abnormality, resulting in chimaeric individuals, which combine patches of both genetically female- and male-type tissues (Narita et al 2010). Impaternate gynandromorphs arising from unfertilized eggs may occur, when either one of the two meiotic spindles of the second meiotic division fails to segregate a heterozygous nucleus, or two of the four nuclear products of meiosis fuse to form a heterozygous for the csd gene alleles diploid nucleus (Cooper 1959). This nucleus and one of the two haploid meiotic products are believed to undergo cleavage producing a wholly gynogenetic embryo with female-determined diploid nuclei and male-determined haploid nuclei. The occurrence of gynandromorphism might be linked with an inbreeding depression (Kinomura and Yamauchi 1994), higher or lower than normal temperatures (Pereira et al 2004; Kamping et al 2007; Gjershaug et al 2016) or fluctuations of other specific environmental factors (Fateryga et al 2011)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
