Trilobite tridents demonstrate sexual combat at 400 Mya.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 120(4): e2119970120, 2023 01 24.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36649420
ABSTRACT
The Devonian trilobite Walliserops carries a remarkable anterior cephalic trident posing a challenge to functional interpretation. A unique teratological specimen of Walliserops trifurcatus showing four, rather than three tines, is inconsistent with possible hypotheses connecting the trident to feeding techniques and suggests a sexually selected function. Malformations in a variety of living organisms support this conclusion. Morphometric comparisons to similar structures used for intraspecific combat in dynastine beetles show that the trident occupies a comparable shape space consistent with the hypothesis that it was a sexual combat weapon, the oldest reported example of its kind. This lends further credibility to the idea that some trilobites may have been strongly sexually dimorphic.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Artrópodos
/
Escarabajos
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article