Sex Determination and Differentiation in Insects Special Topic Issue: Sexual Development 2014, Vol. 8, No. 1-3

Three conditions are essential for evolution: variation, heredity and time. Most animal species transmit genetic information through sexual reproduction in order to meet the first two conditions. The consequence for sexual reproduction is the need for (at least) two sexes with different reproductive roles. Consequently, evolutionary issues arise, such as differences in morphological and behavioral attributes between the sexes, which are reflected in the plethora of animal sex-determining systems. Indeed, a transition to asexual development may occur, sometimes induced by microbial endosymbionts. All these aspects are represented in the insect sex-determining system, which is the focal topic of this issue of Sexual Development. Sex Determination and Differentiation in Insects is recommended to scientists interested in the evolution of sex determination in particular and developmental pathways in general.