1
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Pollo P, Lagisz M, Yang Y, Culina A, Nakagawa S. Synthesis of sexual selection: a systematic map of meta-analyses with bibliometric analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38982618 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Sexual selection has been a popular subject within evolutionary biology because of its central role in explaining odd and counterintuitive traits observed in nature. Consequently, the literature associated with this field of study became vast. Meta-analytical studies attempting to draw inferences from this literature have now accumulated, varying in scope and quality, thus calling for a synthesis of these syntheses. We conducted a systematic literature search to create a systematic map with a report appraisal of meta-analyses on topics associated with sexual selection, aiming to identify the conceptual and methodological gaps in this secondary literature. We also conducted bibliometric analyses to explore whether these gaps are associated with the gender and origin of the authors of these meta-analyses. We included 152 meta-analytical studies in our systematic map. We found that most meta-analyses focused on males and on certain animal groups (e.g. birds), indicating severe sex and taxonomic biases. The topics in these studies varied greatly, from proximate (e.g. relationship of ornaments with other traits) to ultimate questions (e.g. formal estimates of sexual selection strength), although the former were more common. We also observed several common methodological issues in these studies, such as lack of detailed information regarding searches, screening, and analyses, which ultimately impairs the reliability of many of these meta-analyses. In addition, most of the meta-analyses' authors were men affiliated to institutions from developed countries, pointing to both gender and geographical authorship biases. Most importantly, we found that certain authorship aspects were associated with conceptual and methodological issues in meta-analytical studies. Many of our findings might simply reflect patterns in the current state of the primary literature and academia, suggesting that our study can serve as an indicator of issues within the field of sexual selection at large. Based on our findings, we provide both conceptual and analytical recommendations to improve future studies in the field of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Pollo
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Gate 9 High St., Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Malgorzata Lagisz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Gate 9 High St., Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Yefeng Yang
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Gate 9 High St., Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Antica Culina
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička Cesta 54, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Gate 9 High St., Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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2
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Weber JN, Kojima W, Boisseau RP, Niimi T, Morita S, Shigenobu S, Gotoh H, Araya K, Lin CP, Thomas-Bulle C, Allen CE, Tong W, Lavine LC, Swanson BO, Emlen DJ. Evolution of horn length and lifting strength in the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4285-4297.e5. [PMID: 37734374 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
What limits the size of nature's most extreme structures? For weapons like beetle horns, one possibility is a tradeoff associated with mechanical levers: as the output arm of the lever system-the beetle horn-gets longer, it also gets weaker. This "paradox of the weakening combatant" could offset reproductive advantages of additional increases in weapon size. However, in contemporary populations of most heavily weaponed species, males with the longest weapons also tend to be the strongest, presumably because selection drove the evolution of compensatory changes to these lever systems that ameliorated the force reductions of increased weapon size. Therefore, we test for biomechanical limits by reconstructing the stages of weapon evolution, exploring whether initial increases in weapon length first led to reductions in weapon force generation that were later ameliorated through the evolution of mechanisms of mechanical compensation. We describe phylogeographic relationships among populations of a rhinoceros beetle and show that the "pitchfork" shaped head horn likely increased in length independently in the northern and southern radiations of beetles. Both increases in horn length were associated with dramatic reductions to horn lifting strength-compelling evidence for the paradox of the weakening combatant-and these initial reductions to horn strength were later ameliorated in some populations through reductions to horn length or through increases in head height (the input arm for the horn lever system). Our results reveal an exciting geographic mosaic of weapon size, weapon force, and mechanical compensation, shedding light on larger questions pertaining to the evolution of extreme structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse N Weber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Wataru Kojima
- Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, 1677-1 Yoshida, Yamaguchi 753-8511, Japan
| | - Romain P Boisseau
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Teruyuki Niimi
- Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shinichi Morita
- Division of Evolutionary Developmental Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shuji Shigenobu
- Trans-Scale Biology Center, National Institute for Basic Biology, 38 Nishigonaka Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroki Gotoh
- Department of Science, Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 836 Oya, Suruga Ward, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Kunio Araya
- Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka-city Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Chung-Ping Lin
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, No.88 Sec. 4, Tingzhou Rd, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
| | - Camille Thomas-Bulle
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| | - Cerisse E Allen
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Wenfei Tong
- Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Laura Corley Lavine
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Brook O Swanson
- Department of Biology, Gonzaga University, 502 East Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA 99258-0102, USA
| | - Douglas J Emlen
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA.
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3
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Kelly M, Wehi PM, Johnson SL. Behavioural differences in predator aware and predator naïve Wellington tree wētā, Hemideina crassidens. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 3:100058. [PMID: 37215934 PMCID: PMC10199174 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Insects have evolved a wide range of behavioural traits to avoid predation, with anti-predator behaviours emerging as important adaptive responses to the specific strategies employed by predators. These responses may become ineffective, however, when a species is introduced to a novel predator type. When individuals cannot recognise an introduced predator for instance, they may respond in ways that mean they fail to avoid, escape, or neutralize a predator encounter. New Zealand's endemic insect fauna evolved in the absence of terrestrial mammalian predators for millions of years, resulting in the evolution of unique fauna like the large, flightless Orthopteran, the wētā. Here we investigate how experience with introduced mammalian predators might influence anti-predator behaviours by comparing behaviours in a group of Wellington tree wētā (Hemideina crassidens) living in an ecosanctuary, Zealandia, protected from non-native mammalian predators, and a group living in adjacent sites without mammalian predator control. We used behavioural phenotyping assays with both groups to examine rates of activity and defensive aggression shortly after capture, and again after a period of acclimation. We found that wētā living in protected areas were more active shortly after capture than wētā in non-protected habitats where mammalian predators were present. Male wētā living in non-protected areas tended to be less aggressive than any other group. These results suggest that lifetime experience with differing predator arrays may influence the expression of antipredator behaviour in tree wētā. Disentangling innate and experiential drivers of these behavioural responses further will have important implications for insect populations in rapidly changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg Kelly
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Priscilla M Wehi
- Centre for Sustainability, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sheri L Johnson
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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4
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Jennings DJ, Gammell MP. Fluctuating Asymmetry of Fallow Deer Antlers Is Associated with Weapon Damage but Not Tactical Behaviour during Fights. Symmetry (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/sym15040829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The horns and antlers borne by the males of many species of ungulate are considered to be both badges of quality, and armaments for use during intraspecific combat. Underpinning arguments concerning their dual utility is the idea that these structures should be costly to produce in order that the signal value of the structure is maintained. In agreement with such theorising is the belief that fluctuating asymmetry (FA), small deviations from symmetry around a mean of zero, measures individual quality as it represents the ability of the individual to withstand stress. We investigated whether the antlers of fallow deer indicated something of the quality of the bearer by assessing whether the degree of antler FA was associated with breakage (i.e., badge of quality) or with tactical investment in fighting (i.e., armament). We show the anticipated relationship between FA and antler damage, however, there was no relationship between FA and contest tactics. The present study, therefore, shows partial support for the idea that the magnitude of fluctuating asymmetry expressed by weaponry is related to individual quality.
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5
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Palaoro AV, Peixoto PEC. The hidden links between animal weapons, fighting style, and their effect on contest success: a meta‐analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1948-1966. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre V. Palaoro
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução Universidade Federal de São Paulo Rua Prof. Artur Riedel 66 Diadema São Paulo State 99722‐270 Brazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Universidade de São Paulo Rua do Matão Trav. 14 São Paulo São Paulo State 05508‐090 Brazil
- Department of Material Sciences and Engineering Clemson University 490 Sirrine Hall, 515 Calhoun Dr Clemson SC 29634 USA
| | - Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto
- LASEXIA, Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Av. Antônio Carlos 6627 Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais State 31270‐901 Brazil
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6
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Hotta T, Awata S, Jordan LA, Kohda M. Subordinate Fish Mediate Aggressiveness Using Recent Contest Information. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.685907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Memorizing dominance relationships can help animals avoid unwinnable subsequent contests. However, when competitive ability changes over time—for example, as a function of condition—it may be adaptive to “forget” these dominance relationships and for subordinates to once again enter contests with previously dominant individuals. Here, we examined the behavior of pairs of male cichlid fish, Julidochromis transcriptus, in repeated contests separated by different time intervals. We found that the time taken to reach resolution of dominance relationships influenced subsequent aggressive behavior of the subordinate toward the dominant, with longer initial contests leading to higher subsequent aggression. Longer time intervals between contests also increased aggression from the subordinate toward the dominant. These results are consistent with increasing uncertainty due to ambiguous contest outcomes and increasing time intervals. Our results also show that a longer time was necessary to resolve contests between larger pairs, suggesting a self-assessment strategy, but not a mutual assessment strategy. Taken together, larger individuals appear to adaptively lose or ignore previously gathered social information because they have a higher fighting ability and better body condition. Therefore, we conclude that losing or ignoring unreliable information may be an adaptive strategy in the context of dominance relationships.
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7
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Determinants of social structure in a northern population of black-tailed prairie dogs, Cynomys ludovicianus. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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8
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Effect of diet and rearing density on contest outcome and settlement in a field cricket. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02990-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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9
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Griffin MJ, Holwell GI, Symonds MR. From quiet-night-in to party animal: sex ratio and density affect male/female aggregations in a ‘harem’ polygynous insect. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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10
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Del Sol JF, Hongo Y, Boisseau RP, Berman GH, Allen CE, Emlen DJ. Population differences in the strength of sexual selection match relative weapon size in the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, Trypoxylus dichotomus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)†. Evolution 2020; 75:394-413. [PMID: 33009663 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Exaggerated weapons of sexual selection often diverge more rapidly and dramatically than other body parts, suggesting that relevant agents of selection may be discernible in contemporary populations. We examined the ecology, reproductive behavior, and strength of sexual selection on horn length in five recently diverged rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus) populations that differ in relative horn size. Males with longer horns were better at winning fights in all locations, but the link between winning fights and mating success differed such that selection favored large males with long horns at the two long-horned populations, but was relaxed or nonexistent at the populations with relatively shorter horns. Observations of local habitat conditions and breeding ecology point to shifts in the relative abundance of feeding territories as the most likely cause of population differences in selection on male weapon size in this species. Comparisons of ecological conditions and selection strength across populations offer critical first steps toward meaningfully linking mating system dynamics, selection patterns, and diversity in sexually selected traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian F Del Sol
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812
| | - Yoshihito Hongo
- Department of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, 603-8577, Japan
| | - Romain P Boisseau
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812
| | - Gabriella H Berman
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812
| | - Cerisse E Allen
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812
| | - Douglas J Emlen
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, 59812
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11
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Boisseau RP, Ero MM, Makai S, Bonneau LJG, Emlen DJ. Sexual dimorphism divergence between sister species is associated with a switch in habitat use and mating system in thorny devil stick insects. Behav Processes 2020; 181:104263. [PMID: 33049376 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The habitat and resource use of females critically affects their pattern of distribution and consequently their monoposibility by males and the mating system of a species. Shifts in habitat use are therefore likely to be associated with changes in mating system and sexual selection acting on males' phenotypes, consequently affecting patterns of sexual dimorphism. Although sexual dimorphism is often correlated with shifts in habitat use at the macroevolutionary scale, the underlying microevolutionary processes involved are typically unclear. Here, we used the New Guinean stick insect genus Eurycantha to investigate how changes in habitat use and mating system were associated with a change in sexual dimorphism seen specifically in the thorny devil stick insects (Eurycantha calcarata and Eurycantha horrida). Male thorny devils display sexually dimorphic and enlarged hindlegs endowed with a sharp spine. Sexual size dimorphism is also very reduced in these species relative to other phasmids. Using field observations, morphological measurements and radiotelemetry, we investigated changes in mating system associated with the reduction of sexual dimorphism and tested predictions from the hypothesis that sexual selection drove the evolution of this unusual male morphology. We found that thorny devils switched from solitary roosting in the canopy during the day to communal roosting inside cavities of a few host trees, shifting the distribution of females from scattered to clumped. Male thorny devils used their large hindlegs to fight with rivals for positions on the tree close to cavities containing females, and larger males were associated with cavities containing relatively more females. In contrast, the sister species, Eurycantha insularis, displays relatively small and unarmoured males (ancestral state). Adult female E. insularis were always scattered in the canopy, and this species displayed a scramble competition mating system typical of other phasmids, where mobility, rather than fighting ability, is probably critical to males' reproductive success. Overall, our study illustrates how a drastic change in sexual dimorphism can be associated with a switch from solitary to communal roosting and from a scramble competition to a defense-based polygyny mating system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain P Boisseau
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States.
| | - Mark M Ero
- PNG Oil Palm Research Association Inc., Dami Research Station, PO Box 97, Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
| | - Simon Makai
- PNG Oil Palm Research Association Inc., Dami Research Station, PO Box 97, Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
| | - Luc J G Bonneau
- PNG Oil Palm Research Association Inc., Dami Research Station, PO Box 97, Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
| | - Douglas J Emlen
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
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12
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Nason SE, Kelly CD. Equal fitness among alternative mating strategies in a harem polygynous insect. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200975. [PMID: 33043864 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative mating strategies are widespread among animal taxa, with strategies controlled by a genetic polymorphism (Mendelian strategy) being rarer in nature than condition-dependent developmental strategies. Mendelian strategies are predicted to have equal average fitnesses and the proportion of offspring produced by a strategy should equal the equilibrium proportion of individuals representing the strategy in a population. Developmental strategies are not expected to produce offspring in equilibrium proportions; however, whether the alternative phenotypes should have equal average fitness is debated. The Wellington tree wētā (Hemideina crassidens) (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) is a harem polygynous insect in which intense sexual competition has favoured the evolution of three alternative mating strategies that differ in weapon size and the ability to fight for control of harems. Here, we use molecular genotyping to test the hypothesis that the alternative strategies in this species are maintained by having equal relative fitness and that morphs produce offspring in equilibrium proportions. As expected, the average relative fitness of the three strategies did not significantly differ and the proportion of offspring produced by each morph is equal to the frequency of that morph in the population. Our results support the hypothesis that the alternative male morphs in H. crassidens represent Mendelian strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Nason
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Clint D Kelly
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
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13
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14
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Wiens JJ, Tuschhoff E. Songs versus colours versus horns: what explains the diversity of sexually selected traits? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:847-864. [PMID: 32092241 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Papers on sexual selection often highlight the incredible diversity of sexually selected traits across animals. Yet, few studies have tried to explain why this diversity evolved. Animals use many different types of traits to attract mates and outcompete rivals, including colours, songs, and horns, but it remains unclear why, for example, some taxa have songs, others have colours, and others horns. Here, we first conduct a systematic survey of the basic diversity and distribution of different types of sexually selected signals and weapons across the animal Tree of Life. Based on this survey, we describe seven major patterns in trait diversity and distributions. We then discuss 10 unanswered questions raised by these patterns, and how they might be addressed. One major pattern is that most types of sexually selected signals and weapons are apparently absent from most animal phyla (88%), in contrast to the conventional wisdom that a diversity of sexually selected traits is present across animals. Furthermore, most trait diversity is clustered in Arthropoda and Chordata, but only within certain clades. Within these clades, many different types of traits have evolved, and many types appear to have evolved repeatedly. By contrast, other major arthropod and chordate clades appear to lack all or most trait types, and similar patterns are repeated at smaller phylogenetic scales (e.g. within insects). Although most research on sexual selection focuses on female choice, we find similar numbers of traits (among sampled species) are involved in male contests (44%) and female choice (55%). Overall, these patterns are largely unexplained and unexplored, as are many other fundamental questions about the evolution of these traits. We suggest that understanding the diversity of sexually selected traits may require a shift towards macroevolutionary studies at relatively deep timescales (e.g. tens to hundreds of millions of years ago).
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Wiens
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A
| | - E Tuschhoff
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721-0088, U.S.A
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15
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Pollo P, Muniz DG, Santos ES. Be prudent if it fits you well: male mate choice depends on male size in a golden orb-weaver spider. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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16
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Chapin KJ, Peixoto PEC, Briffa M. Further mismeasures of animal contests: a new framework for assessment strategies. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Competition for resources is a ubiquitous feature of life, and a central topic in behavioral ecology. Organisms use assessment strategies to resolve contests, which can be delineated into two broad categories by the information individuals use to make decisions: mutual assessment (MA) or self-assessment (SA). Most research hitherto has worked to bin a species into one of these categories. In this review, we discuss the limitations of this approach and provide solutions. We posit that assessment strategies do not need to be fixed within a species, individuals, or interactions, and that many organisms should adjust their assessment strategy as the environment, opponent, and opportunities for information gathering change. We show that assessment strategies are an individual-level characteristic, can vary within and between contests, and are not mutually exclusive. We argue that MA is the midpoint along a spectrum of self only and opponent only assessment. We discuss the effects of resource distribution, demographics, experience, information transfer, and ontogeny on assessment strategy evolution and behavior. We conclude by providing empirical guidelines and an example with a simulated dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth James Chapin
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
| | - Paulo Enrique Cardoso Peixoto
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Ciência Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Mark Briffa
- School of Biological & Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK
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17
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Wey TW, Kelly CD. Refuge size variation and potential for sperm competition in Wellington tree weta. Curr Zool 2019; 65:213-223. [PMID: 31263481 PMCID: PMC6595427 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological variation in resources can influence the distribution and encounter rates of potential mates and competitors and, consequently, the opportunity for sexual selection. Factors that influence the likelihood that females mate multiply could also affect the potential for sperm competition. In Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens, plural "weta"), the size of tree cavities (called galleries) used as refuges affects weta distribution and thus the opportunity for sexual selection and selection on male weaponry size. We examined the predicted effects of gallery size and male weaponry size on the potential for sperm competition. We asked if gallery size influenced the potential for multiple mating by females and potential for sperm competition, if male weaponry size was associated with relative expected sperm competition intensity (SCI), and if estimated male mating success was correlated with potential SCI. To quantify relative competitive environments of males, we created and analyzed networks of potential competitors based on which males could have mated with the same females. We found that small galleries had higher potential for female multiple mating and higher potential for sperm competition. Size of male weaponry was not associated with expected relative SCI. Regardless of gallery size, males with more potential mates were expected to face lower expected relative sperm competition. Thus, in this system, variation in the size of available refuges is likely to influence the potential for sperm competition, in a way that we might expect to increase variation in overall reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina W Wey
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Clint D Kelly
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
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18
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O'Brien DM, Boisseau RP, Duell M, McCullough E, Powell EC, Somjee U, Solie S, Hickey AJ, Holwell GI, Painting CJ, Emlen DJ. Muscle mass drives cost in sexually selected arthropod weapons. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191063. [PMID: 31238851 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually selected weapons often function as honest signals of fighting ability. If poor-quality individuals produce high-quality weapons, then receivers should focus on other, more reliable signals. Cost is one way to maintain signal integrity. The costs of weapons tend to increase with relative weapon size, and thereby restrict large weapons to high-quality individuals who can produce and maintain them. Weapon cost, however, appears to be unpredictably variable both within and across taxa, and the mechanisms underlying this variation remain unclear. We suggest variation in weapon cost may result from variation in weapon composition-specifically, differences in the amount of muscle mass directly associated with the weapon. We test this idea by measuring the metabolic cost of sexually selected weapons in seven arthropod species and relating these measures to weapon muscle mass. We show that individuals with relatively large weapon muscles have disproportionately high resting metabolic rates and provide evidence that this trend is driven by weapon muscle mass. Overall, our results suggest that variation in weapon cost can be partially explained by variation in weapon morphology and that the integrity of weapon signals may be maintained by increased metabolic cost in species with relatively high weapon muscle mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin M O'Brien
- 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Colby College , Waterville, ME , USA.,2 Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, MT , USA
| | - Romain P Boisseau
- 2 Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, MT , USA
| | - Meghan Duell
- 3 School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University , Tempe, AZ , USA
| | - Erin McCullough
- 4 Department of Biology, Syracuse University , Syracuse, NY , USA
| | - Erin C Powell
- 5 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Ummat Somjee
- 6 Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida , Gainesville, FL , USA.,7 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Balboa , Ancón , Panamá
| | - Sarah Solie
- 2 Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, MT , USA.,8 Biology Department, Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
| | - Anthony J Hickey
- 5 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Gregory I Holwell
- 5 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Christina J Painting
- 5 School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland , New Zealand
| | - Douglas J Emlen
- 2 Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana , Missoula, MT , USA
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19
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What do we need to know to recognize a contest? Naturwissenschaften 2019; 106:32. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1632-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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20
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Wilson ADM, Kelly CD. Do alternative reproductive strategies in the Wellington tree weta represent different behavioural types? Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander D. M. Wilson
- School of Biological & Marine Sciences Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre University of Plymouth Devon UK
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Waurn Ponds Victoria Australia
| | - Clint D. Kelly
- Département des Sciences Biologiques Université du Québec à Montréal Montréal Quebec Canada
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21
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Pinto NS, Palaoro AV, Peixoto PEC. All by myself? Meta‐analysis of animal contests shows stronger support for self than for mutual assessment models. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1430-1442. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nelson S. Pinto
- Graduate Program in EcologyUniversidade Federal da Bahia Salvador BA 40110‐909 Brazil
| | - Alexandre V. Palaoro
- LAGE do Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade de São Paulo São Paulo SP 05508‐090 Brazil
| | - Paulo E. C. Peixoto
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia GeralUniversidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte MG 31270‐901 Brazil
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22
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Self-assessment strategy during contest decisions between male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2657-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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23
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Rink AN, Altwegg R, Edwards S, Bowie RCK, Colville JF. Contest dynamics and assessment strategies in combatant monkey beetles (Scarabaeidae: Hopliini). Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ariella N Rink
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Res Altwegg
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
- African Climate and Development Initiative, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Shelley Edwards
- Evolutionary Biology and Molecular Biology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
| | - Rauri C K Bowie
- NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology and Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Harmon Way, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan F Colville
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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24
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Rico-Guevara A, Hurme KJ. Intrasexually selected weapons. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:60-101. [PMID: 29924496 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
We propose a practical concept that distinguishes the particular kind of weaponry that has evolved to be used in combat between individuals of the same species and sex, which we term intrasexually selected weapons (ISWs). We present a treatise of ISWs in nature, aiming to understand their distinction and evolution from other secondary sex traits, including from 'sexually selected weapons', and from sexually dimorphic and monomorphic weaponry. We focus on the subset of secondary sex traits that are the result of same-sex combat, defined here as ISWs, provide not previously reported evolutionary patterns, and offer hypotheses to answer questions such as: why have only some species evolved weapons to fight for the opposite sex or breeding resources? We examined traits that seem to have evolved as ISWs in the entire animal phylogeny, restricting the classification of ISW to traits that are only present or enlarged in adults of one of the sexes, and are used as weapons during intrasexual fights. Because of the absence of behavioural data and, in many cases, lack of sexually discriminated series from juveniles to adults, we exclude the fossil record from this review. We merge morphological, ontogenetic, and behavioural information, and for the first time thoroughly review the tree of life to identify separate evolution of ISWs. We found that ISWs are only found in bilateral animals, appearing independently in nematodes, various groups of arthropods, and vertebrates. Our review sets a reference point to explore other taxa that we identify with potential ISWs for which behavioural or morphological studies are warranted. We establish that most ISWs come in pairs, are located in or near the head, are endo- or exoskeletal modifications, are overdeveloped structures compared with those found in females, are modified feeding structures and/or locomotor appendages, are most common in terrestrial taxa, are frequently used to guard females, territories, or both, and are also used in signalling displays to deter rivals and/or attract females. We also found that most taxa lack ISWs, that females of only a few species possess better-developed weapons than males, that the cases of independent evolution of ISWs are not evenly distributed across the phylogeny, and that animals possessing the most developed ISWs have non-hunting habits (e.g. herbivores) or are faunivores that prey on very small prey relative to their body size (e.g. insectivores). Bringing together perspectives from studies on a variety of taxa, we conceptualize that there are five ways in which a sexually dimorphic trait, apart from the primary sex traits, can be fixed: sexual selection, fecundity selection, parental role division, differential niche occupation between the sexes, and interference competition. We discuss these trends and the factors involved in the evolution of intrasexually selected weaponry in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3040 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT, 06269, U.S.A.,Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Código Postal 11001, Bogotá DC, Colombia
| | - Kristiina J Hurme
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 3040 Valley Life Sciences Building, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 N. Eagleville Rd, Unit 3043, Storrs, CT, 06269, U.S.A
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25
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Abstract
Animals utilize an incredible array of traits for offence and defence during conflict. These traits range from exaggerated morphological structures such as the antlers of stags and the horns of beetles, to an arsenal of noxious chemicals emitted, secreted, and injected. However, the breadth of these traits appears to be underappreciated in our current thinking about aggression in animals. Use of the term "weapon" in the current literature is largely restricted to studies of conspicuous morphological structures used by males during contests over access to females, and as a result, our understanding of other types of weapons is limited. In this article, I explore the diversity of traits utilized by animals to manipulate and control the behavior of other individuals in a number of agonistic contexts, with the aim to encourage a reappraisal of the way in which behavioral and evolutionary biologists view animal weapons. I discuss the advantages of including this broader range of traits in studies of animal weaponry and explore the unifying features that distinguish animal weapons from other traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Lane
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
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26
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Baillie CJ, Grabowski JH. Competitive and agonistic interactions between the invasive Asian shore crab and juvenile American lobster. Ecology 2018; 99:2067-2079. [PMID: 29920682 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Invasive species can have profound ecological and evolutionary impacts on native fauna, particularly those from overlapping guilds. Intraguild predation and competition often occur simultaneously, and ontogenetic shifts in competitive strength can dictate the magnitude and direction of species interactions. The recent introduction of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus to the Atlantic coast of North America has resulted in the potential for considerable intraguild interactions with juvenile American lobsters Homarus americanus, with which it now co-occupies rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats. We present data from 5 yr of monthly (May-October) field sampling revealing a significant decline in lobster density as H. sanguineus density increased in the low intertidal. To investigate potential mechanisms behind this pattern, we conducted three mesocosm experiments designed to examine whether competitive interactions between H. americanus and H. sanguineus are size- or density-dependent. Larger early benthic phase lobsters (16-34 mm CL) outcompeted H. sanguineus for both food and shelter resources. These lobsters fed faster and more in the presence of H. sanguineus, effectively defended shelter, were responsible for the majority of agonistic interactions, and, in multiple instances, killed and consumed H. sanguineus. Effects on sheltering and agonstic interactions by these lobsters were independent of H. sanguineus density; however, prior shelter residency increased lobster agonistic behavior towards crabs. In contrast, H. sanguineus outcompeted smaller, early benthic phase lobsters (7.2-11.2 mm CL) for shelter, and these interactions were density dependent. Displacement of lobsters from shelter by crabs and cumulative agonistic interactions instigated by crabs towards lobsters scaled positively with H. sanguineus density. Given the similarity of the invasion documented here and others occurring globally, these experiments demonstrate the importance of considering how factors such as ontogeny, density-dependence, and primacy influence the outcomes of interactions between intraguild predators. Disentangling how these factors structure intraguild interactions between invasive and endemic species will both advance our fundamental understanding of community ecology and enhance efforts to conserve and manage natural resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Baillie
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
| | - Jonathan H Grabowski
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
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27
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Farnworth B, Innes J, Kelly C, Littler R, Waas JR. Photons and foraging: Artificial light at night generates avoidance behaviour in male, but not female, New Zealand weta. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 236:82-90. [PMID: 29414377 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Avoiding foraging under increased predation risk is a common anti-predator behaviour. Using artificial light to amplify predation risk at ecologically valuable sites has been proposed to deter introduced mice (Mus musculus) and ship rats (Rattus rattus) from degrading biodiversity in island ecosystems. However, light may adversely affect native species; in particular, little is known about invertebrate responses to altered lighting regimes. We investigated how endemic orthopterans responded to artificial light at Maungatautari Ecological Island (Waikato, New Zealand). We predicted that based on their nocturnal behaviour, ecology and evolutionary history, tree weta (Hemideina thoracica) and cave weta (Rhaphidophoridae) would reduce their activity under illumination. Experimental stations (n = 15) experienced three evenings under each treatment (order randomised): (a) light (illuminated LED fixture), (b) dark (unilluminated LED fixture) and (c) baseline (no lighting fixture). Weta visitation rates were analysed from images captured on infra-red trail cameras set up at each station. Light significantly reduced the number of observations of cave (71.7% reduction) and tree weta (87.5% reduction). In observations where sex was distinguishable (53% of all visits), male tree weta were observed significantly more often (85% of visits) than females (15% of visits) and while males avoided illuminated sites, no detectable difference was observed across treatments for females. Sex could not be distinguished for cave weta. Our findings have implications for the use of light as a novel pest management strategy, and for the conservation of invertebrate diversity and abundance within natural and urban ecosystems worldwide that may be affected by light pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgette Farnworth
- Biological Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | - John Innes
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
| | - Catherine Kelly
- Biological Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | - Ray Littler
- Mathematics and Statistics Department, University of Waikato, Private Bage 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand.
| | - Joseph R Waas
- Biological Sciences, School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand.
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28
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Fea M, Holwell G. Combat in a cave-dwelling wētā (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) with exaggerated weaponry. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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29
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Heads up: evolution of exaggerated head length in the minute litter bug genus Nannocoris Reuter (Hemiptera: Schizopteridae). ORG DIVERS EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-018-0361-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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30
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Stritih N, Žunič Kosi A. Olfactory signaling of aggressive intent in male-male contests of cave crickets (Troglophilus neglectus; Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0187512. [PMID: 29112984 PMCID: PMC5675388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal contests, communicating aggressive motivation is most often mediated by visual or acoustic signals, while chemical signals are not expected to serve such a function since they are less able to be modulated by the sender during the changing behavioral context. We describe a rare example of ephemeral olfactory signals in terrestrial animals, signals that are emitted via protrusive scent glands in male cave crickets Troglophilus neglectus (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae) to reflect the state of the signaler's aggression. We correlate the intensity of behaviorally expressed aggression of the individuals in dyadic contests with the frequency and extent of their gland tissue protrusion, the latter serving as an indication of the amount of released odor. We detected large amounts of odor release during brief gland protrusions, and the absence of its release during gland retraction. Males protruded the glands during and after encountering a rival, with the degree of protrusion increasing with the intensity of the signalers' aggression. During the encounters, the degree of gland protrusion increased most strongly with the occurrence of the elevated body posture, directly preceding the attack. This degree was significantly higher in encounter winners than in losers displaying such posture, suggesting the highly important role of the released odor for contest resolution. After the encounters, glands were protruded almost exclusively by winners, apparently announcing victory. We tested for the function of the olfactory signals also directly, by preventing gland tissue protrusion in symmetric and asymmetric treatments of the contestants. Treating only the dominant individuals decreased the percentage of encounters they won by over 60%, while treating both contestants elicited a significant increase in the frequency and duration of fights. During contests, the olfactory signals of T. neglectus apparently function as a highly effective threat, which prevents maximal contest escalation and decreases the conflict-related costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataša Stritih
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail:
| | - Alenka Žunič Kosi
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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31
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Chen PZ, Carrasco RL, Ng PKL. Mangrove crab uses victory display to “browbeat” losers from re-initiating a new fight. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Z. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Roman L. Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Peter K. L. Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
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32
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O'Brien DM, Katsuki M, Emlen DJ. Selection on an extreme weapon in the frog‐legged leaf beetle (
Sagra femorata
). Evolution 2017; 71:2584-2598. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Devin M. O'Brien
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana
| | - Masako Katsuki
- Department of Arts and Sciences University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan
| | - Douglas J. Emlen
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana
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33
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Wehi PM, Monks A, Morgan-Richards M. Male tree weta are attracted to cuticular scent cues but do not discriminate according to sex or among two closely related species. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla M. Wehi
- Institute of Agriculture & Environment; Massey University; Palmerston North New Zealand
- Landcare Research; Dunedin New Zealand
| | | | - Mary Morgan-Richards
- Institute of Agriculture & Environment; Massey University; Palmerston North New Zealand
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34
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Kelly CD. Sexually dimorphic effect of mating on the melanotic encapsulation response in the harem-defending Wellington tree weta,Hemideina crassidens(Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Anostostomatidae). Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clint D. Kelly
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Université du Québec à Montréal; Montreal QC Canada
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35
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McCallum ES, Gulas ST, Balshine S. Accurate resource assessment requires experience in a territorial fish. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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36
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Kendall-Bar JM, Iyengar VK. Sexual selection by the seashore: the roles of body size and weaponry in mate choice and competition in the maritime earwig (Anisolabis maritima). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2233-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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37
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Kelly CD. Effect of nutritional stress and sex on melanotic encapsulation rate in the sexually size dimorphic Cook Strait giant weta (Deinacrida rugosa). CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Nutritional condition and sex are known to influence efficacy and investment in immune function. A poor diet is costly to immune function because it limits the resources (e.g., protein) available to effector systems (e.g., melanotic encapsulation), whereas males and females are expected to differ in how they allocate resources to fitness-related traits. Males are expected to invest less in immunity, and more in mating, than females, but this pattern could be reversed if fitness is more condition-dependent in males than in females. I tested the effects of nutritional condition and sex on melanotic encapsulation rate in the Cook Strait giant weta (Deinacrida rugosa Buller, 1871), an orthopteran insect exhibiting strong female-biased sexual size dimorphism that is, at least in part, the result of strong sexual selection for small male size. I found that male D. rugosa have a stronger encapsulation response than females, while nutritional condition has only a small positive effect on this particular effector system in both sexes. Whether the observed sex difference in encapsulation ability is due to a physiological constraint in females or whether males allocate more resources to this effector system because their fitness is more condition-dependent than female’s remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clint D. Kelly
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888 succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
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38
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Carvalho MRM, Peixoto PEC, Benson WW. Territorial clashes in the Neotropical butterfly Actinote pellenea (Acraeinae): do disputes differ when contests get physical? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2042-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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39
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Muniz DG, Machado G. Experimental limitation of oviposition sites affects the mating system of an arachnid with resource defence polygyny. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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40
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O'Connor CM, Reddon AR, Ligocki IY, Hellmann JK, Garvy KA, Marsh-Rollo SE, Hamilton IM, Balshine S. Motivation but not body size influences territorial contest dynamics in a wild cichlid fish. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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41
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42
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Flink H, Svensson PA. Nest size preferences and aggression in sand gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-1964-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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43
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Ercit K, Gwynne DT. Darwinian balancing selection: Predation counters sexual selection in a wild insect. Evolution 2015; 69:419-30. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kyla Ercit
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; 3359 Mississauga Road N Mississauga Ontario L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Darryl T. Gwynne
- Department of Biology; University of Toronto at Mississauga; 3359 Mississauga Road N Mississauga Ontario L5L 1C6 Canada
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Lavine L, Gotoh H, Brent CS, Dworkin I, Emlen DJ. Exaggerated trait growth in insects. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 60:453-472. [PMID: 25341090 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-021045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Animal structures occasionally attain extreme proportions, eclipsing in size the surrounding body parts. We review insect examples of exaggerated traits, such as the mandibles of stag beetles (Lucanidae), the claspers of praying mantids (Mantidae), the elongated hindlimbs of grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera), and the giant heads of soldier ants (Formicidae) and termites (Isoptera). Developmentally, disproportionate growth can arise through trait-specific modifications to the activity of at least four pathways: the sex determination pathway, the appendage patterning pathway, the insulin/IGF signaling pathway, and the juvenile hormone/ecdysteroid pathway. Although most exaggerated traits have not been studied mechanistically, it is already apparent that distinct developmental mechanisms underlie the evolution of the different types of exaggerated traits. We suggest this reflects the nature of selection in each instance, revealing an exciting link between mechanism, form, and function. We use this information to make explicit predictions for the types of regulatory pathways likely to underlie each type of exaggerated trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lavine
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164; ,
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Tedore C, Johnsen S. Visual mutual assessment of size in male Lyssomanes viridis jumping spider contests. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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Kelly CD. Effect of an immune challenge on the functional performance of male weaponry. Behav Processes 2014; 108:197-203. [PMID: 25444779 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Theories of parasite-mediated sexual selection predict a positive association between immune function and the expression of sexually selected ornaments. Few studies, however, have investigated how an immune challenge affects the performance of sexually selected weaponry. Male Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) possess enlarged mandibles that are used as weapons in fights for access to females residing in tree galleries. Intense sexual competition appears to have favoured the evolution of alternative male mating strategies in this species as males have a trimorphic phenotype in which weapon size varies across morphotype: 8th instar males have the smallest jaws, 10th instar males have the largest and 9th instar males being intermediate to the other two. After injecting males and females with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS; immune challenge) or saline (control) I measured over a 24h period each weta's body mass to assess whether they responded immunologically to the LPS and their bite force to assess the functional performance of their jaws. Both sexes responded immunologically to the immune-challenge as LPS-injected individuals lost significantly more body mass than saline-injected controls with females losing more mass than males. Female bite force was significantly reduced 8h after LPS-injection whereas male bite force did not significantly decline. Both sexes regained pre-injection functional performance of their jaws 24h after the immune challenge. My results suggest that females trade-off bite force for immune function whereas males do not. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clint D Kelly
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, CP-8888 succursale centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada H3C 3P8.
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Chen PZ, Carrasco LR, Ng PKL. Post-Contest Stridulation Used Exclusively as a Victory Display in Mangrove Crabs. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Z. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Luis R. Carrasco
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
| | - Peter K. L. Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; Singapore
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Mesterton-Gibbons M, Heap SM. Variation between Self- and Mutual Assessment in Animal Contests. Am Nat 2014; 183:199-213. [DOI: 10.1086/674443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Wehi PM, Raubenheimer D, Morgan-Richards M. Tolerance for nutrient imbalance in an intermittently feeding herbivorous cricket, the Wellington tree weta. PLoS One 2013; 8:e84641. [PMID: 24358369 PMCID: PMC3866171 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms that regulate nutrient intake have an advantage over those that do not, given that the nutrient composition of any one resource rarely matches optimal nutrient requirements. We used nutritional geometry to model protein and carbohydrate intake and identify an intake target for a sexually dimorphic species, the Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens). Despite pronounced sexual dimorphism in this large generalist herbivorous insect, intake targets did not differ by sex. In a series of laboratory experiments, we then investigated whether tree weta demonstrate compensatory responses for enforced periods of imbalanced nutrient intake. Weta pre-fed high or low carbohydrate: protein diets showed large variation in compensatory nutrient intake over short (<48 h) time periods when provided with a choice. Individuals did not strongly defend nutrient targets, although there was some evidence for weak regulation. Many weta tended to select high and low protein foods in a ratio similar to their previously identified nutrient optimum. These results suggest that weta have a wide tolerance to nutritional imbalance, and that the time scale of weta nutrient balancing could lie outside of the short time span tested here. A wide tolerance to imbalance is consistent with the intermittent feeding displayed in the wild by weta and may be important in understanding weta foraging patterns in New Zealand forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla M. Wehi
- Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Massey University, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Veterinary Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mary Morgan-Richards
- Ecology Group, Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Elwood RW, Arnott G. Assessments in contests are frequently assumed to be complex when simple explanations will suffice. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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