Sexual size dimorphism is one of the most striking animal traits, and among terrestrial
animals, it is most extreme in certain spider lineages. The most extreme sexual size …

The male reproductive system and spermatozoa of spiders are known for their high
structural diversity. Spider spermatozoa are flagellate and males transfer them to females in …

The pantropical orb web spider family Nephilidae is known for the most extreme sexual size
dimorphism among terrestrial animals. Numerous studies have made Nephilidae …

Caves are perceived as isolated, extreme habitats with a uniquely specialized biota, which
long ago led to the idea that caves are “evolutionary dead-ends.” This implies that cave …

Aggressive and cannibalistic female spiders can impose strong selection on male mating
and fertilization strategies. Furthermore, the distinctive reproductive morphology of spiders is …

Phylogenetic analyses have lent support to the concept of lineage selection: that biological
lineages can have heritable traits that influence their capacity to persist and diversify, and …

Strategic ejaculate adjustments occur when males modify their investment in sperm and
nonsperm components of the ejaculate according to the context. This strategy is expected to …

Integrating the insights derived from both phylogenetic and experimental approaches offers
a more complete understanding of evolutionary patterns and processes, yet it is rarely a …

The orb-web spider genus Argiope (Araneae) offers an excellent opportunity to detect cryptic
female choice and to identify the species-specific traits that might lead to its evolution and …

Background Metastasis is most often the root cause of cancer-related death. Human short
stature homeobox 2 (SHOX2), a homeodomain transcription factor, is a novel inducer of …