In metazoan development, the precise mechanisms that regulate the completion of morphogenesis according to a developmental timetable remain elusive. The Drosophila male terminalia is an asymmetric looping organ; the internal genitalia (spermiduct) loops dextrally around the hindgut. Mutants for apoptotic signaling have an orientation defect of their male terminalia, indicating that apoptosis co...

Agaporomorphus sharynae sp. n. is described from Amazonas, Venezuela. Agaporomorphus Zimmermann, 1921 now includes nine known species. The new species is part of the A. knishi species group since it has similarly convoluted male genitalia with rows of setae on the dorsal surface. Males can be separated from those of other members of the genus by the structure of the abdominal ventrites, shape o...

Three new species of Omalodes are described from South America, including descriptions of male and female genitalia. Omalodes (Omalodes) mazuri sp. n. is described from Peru and Bolivia; Omalodes (Omalodes) punctulatus sp. n. from Brazil, and Omalodes (Omalodes) rivus sp. n. from Bolivia and Brazil. This is the first paper with detailed information on the male and female genitalia of the genus,...

The male genitalia of many animal groups have elaborate and species-specific forms. One hypothesis to explain why this is so is that male genitalia function as stimulatory devices that are under sexual selection by cryptic female choice. This report is based on a videotaped observation of a single male of an unidentified species of Tipula (Bellarina) from San José Province, Costa Rica. A male c...

Various self-inflicted foreign bodies have been removed from the lower urinary tract and external male genitalia. In many cases foreign bodies were inserted or applied for autoerotic reasons which are frequently associated with mental health disorders. Here the author reports an unusual case of self insertion of a 6-cm long metal needle at penoscrotal junction of the erect penis for sexual plea...