Study reveals sperm often team up, reshaping views on fertilization and pest control

An international team of evolutionary biologists analyzed sperm structures across a broad range of arthropods and found that sperm conjugation—cells linking together via a membrane-bound substance—occurs far more often than previously thought. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that this cooperative strategy emerged early in insect evolution and has been lost and regained many times over roughly 600 million years.

Researchers propose that moving in groups may help sperm navigate the complex female reproductive tract more effectively. The discovery could inform new approaches to human fertility research and inspire targeted pest-control methods, such as disrupting sperm-associated material in invasive species like the spotted lanternfly. Overall, the work highlights how cooperation and competition can coexist even at the cellular level, reshaping long-standing ideas about reproduction.