Sexual selection in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus: no good genes?

The mitochondrial genomes of two Gryllus crickets (Grylloidea: Gryllidae) via RNA-seq

Here, we used RNA-seq reads to assemble the complete mitochondrial genomes of the spring field cricket, Gryllus veletis, and the variable field cricket, Gryllus lineaticeps. The mitochondrial genomes of G. veletis (15,686 bp, MW322713) and G. lineaticeps (15,607 bp, MW315773) each contain the expected 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a large control (D-loop) region. The arrangements of these features were similar for both species and consistent with other closely related Orthoptera. A phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial genome sequences revealed that G. veletis and G. lineaticeps cluster with the other Gryllus species and all reside in a clade with the Gryllidae.

An introduction to genetic quality in the context of sexual selection

This special issue of Genetica brings together empirical researchers and theoreticians to present the latest on the evolutionary ecology of genetic quality in the context of sexual selection. The work comes from different fields of study including behavioral ecology, quantitative genetics and molecular genetics on a diversity of organisms using different approaches from comparative studies, mathematical modeling, field studies and laboratory experiments. The papers presented in this special issue primarily focus on genetic quality in relation to (1) sources of genetic variation, (2) polyandry, (3) new theoretical developments and (4) comprehensive reviews.