The molecular interactions between a pest and its host plant are the consequence of an
evolutionary arms race based on the perception of the phytophagous arthropod by the plant …

Tetranychus urticae is one of the most important pests of many species of economically
important crops, cultivated both under cover and in open ground. Feeding T. urticae reduces …

Maternally transmitted symbionts such as Wolbachia can alter sex allocation in haplodiploid
arthropods. By biasing population sex ratios towards females, these changes in sex …

Theory predicts that local mate competition (LMC) favors the evolution of female-biased sex
ratios. Empirical support of this prediction is indirect and comes from comparative studies or …

Background Mitochondrial genes and nuclear genes cooperate closely to maintain the
functions of mitochondria, especially in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) pathway …

It is hard to overemphasize the importance of endosymbionts in arthropod biology, ecology
and evolution. Some endosymbionts can complement host metabolic function or provide …

When gene flow accompanies speciation, recombination can decouple divergently selected
loci and loci conferring reproductive isolation. This barrier to sympatric divergence …

Selection of a suitable habitat by animals before settlement is critical for their survival and
reproduction. In silk spinning arthropods like spider mites, denser webs offer protection from …

Mating usually modifies females' resource allocation pattern, often as a result of conflicts
between male and female partners. Can such a switch occur even in the absence of sexual …

Studying antagonistic coevolution between host plants and herbivores is particularly
relevant for polyphagous species that can experience a great diversity of host plants with a …