Dung beetles borrowed wing genes to grow their horns

Dung beetles borrowed wing genes to grow their horns

4 years ago
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http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/11/dung-beetles-borrowed-wing-genes-grow-their-horns

The horns that dung beetles sport on their bodies rely on genes that encode wings to develop.

Beetles come in a staggering array of shapes and sizes. And so do the horns that grow out of the heads and bodies of the males of many species, which they use to battle over mates. Now, a study reveals a surprising link between fight and flight in beetles: The same set of genes that codes for their wings also helps to build their horns.