Sexual Selection and Reproductive Isolation in Grasshopper Populations
Summary
Sexual selection in grasshoppers encompasses a suite of behavioural, morphological and genetic traits that influence mating success and drive divergence among populations. Male grasshoppers employ acoustic signals generated by stridulation, visual displays and, in some taxa, chemical cues to attract and compete for females. Female choice often hinges on signal characteristics such as song pattern complexity, frequency spectra and display intensity, while male–male competition can shape body size and weapon morphology. At the genetic level, divergent mating traits can correlate with variation in non-coding DNA regions, facilitating rapid differentiation even in the presence of gene flow. Reproductive isolation arises when these sexually selected traits become so distinct that interbreeding is reduced or prevented, setting the stage for speciation. Hybrid zones, where adjacent populations meet and mate, offer natural laboratories for studying the balance between selection favouring divergence and gene flow promoting homogenisation. Understanding these dynamics in grasshopper systems not only illuminates general principles of sexual selection and speciation but also informs conservation of biodiversity and management of pest species sensitive to landscape fragmentation.
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Sexual Selection and Reproductive Isolation in Grasshopper Populations publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sexual selection and reproductive isolation in grasshopper populations across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Genetic marker: A DNA sequence used to identify variation among individuals or populations.
Hybrid zone: A region where two genetically distinct populations meet and interbreed.
Stridulation: Sound production by rubbing specialised body parts, typically hind legs against forewings.
Sperm competition: Rivalry between sperm from different males to fertilise a female’s eggs.
References
- Tandem Repeat DNA Provides Many Cytological Markers for Hybrid Zone Analysis in Two Subspecies of the Grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus. Genes (2023).
- Ejaculate size varies with remating interval in the grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus erythropus (Caelifera: Acrididae). European Journal of Entomology (2007).
- New data on bioacoustics and courtship behaviour in grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae) from Russia and adjacent countries. ZooKeys (2024).
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