Discovery of a novel ejaculation mechanism in danceflies (Diptera: Empididae), with implications for genital elongation

Abstract

Genitalia are known to evolve rapidly and are among the most variable structures in insect morphology, making them a target of active research. However, function and evolutionary significance of internal genital structures remain less well understood. Here, we report the morphology and mechanism of a novel ejaculatory system that has evolved in the dancefly genus Rhamphomyia (Insecta: Diptera: Empididae). Using synchrotron µCT technology, we examined the male genitalia of five dancefly species and identified an ejaculatory system resembling a leverage hydraulic jack, which is thought to have derived from a plunger-like pumping system. This jacking system amplifies the applied muscle power by up to 4.2 times, allowing the system to produce the same pumping power with much smaller muscles. However, the volume of the pumping muscle in the jacking system is comparable to that of the plunger system, indicating a significant increase in ejaculation power in this genus. We hypothesize that the greater pumping power evolved through sexual selection favoring strong ejaculation to rapidly pass semen through a thin and elongated phallus and spermathecal duct.