Data from: Selection on an antagonistic behavioral trait can drive rapid genital coevolution in the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides

Male and female genital morphology varies widely across many taxa, and even among populations. Disentangling potential sources of selection on genital morphology is problematic because each sex is predicted to respond to adaptations in the other due to reproductive conflicts of interest. To test how variation in this sexual conflict trait relates to variation in genital morphology we used our previously developed artificial selection lines for high and low repeated mating rates. We selected for high and low repeated mating rates using monogamous pairings to eliminate contemporaneous female choice and male-male competition. Male and female genital shape responded rapidly to selection on repeated mating rate. High and low mating rate lines diverged from control lines after only 10 generations of selection. We also detected significant patterns of male and female genital shape coevolution among selection regimes. We argue that because our selection lines differ in sexual conflict, these results support the hypothesis that sexually antagonistic coevolution can drive the rapid divergence of genital morphology. The greatest divergence in morphology corresponded with lines in which the resolution of intrasexual conflict over mating rate was biased in favor of male interests.诸多分类类群（taxa）乃至同一类群的不同种群间，雌雄生殖器形态均存在广泛变异。由于生殖利益冲突，两性均会因对方的适应性演化做出相应响应，因此厘清针对生殖器形态的潜在选择压力来源颇具挑战。为探究该性冲突（sexual conflict）性状的变异与生殖器形态变异之间的关联，本研究采用了此前开发的、针对高、低重复交配率的人工选择品系（artificial selection lines）。本研究通过单配偶配对实验筛选出高、低重复交配率品系，以排除同期雌性选择与雄性间竞争的干扰。雌雄生殖器形态均对重复交配率的选择产生了快速响应：仅经过10代选择，高、低交配率品系便与对照品系出现了显著分化。本研究还在不同选择处理组中检测到了雌雄生殖器形态协同演化的显著模式。本研究认为，由于本研究的选择品系在性冲突程度上存在差异，上述结果支持以下假说：性拮抗协同演化（sexually antagonistic coevolution）能够推动生殖器形态的快速分化。生殖器形态分化程度最高的品系，其交配率相关的性内冲突（intrasexual conflict）的解决结果偏向于雄性利益。