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Saoshiro S, Karino K. Mate Discrimination Using Chemical Cues by Male Guppies. Zoolog Sci 2023; 40:341-347. [PMID: 37818882 DOI: 10.2108/zs220103] [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: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Males often perform mate choice with the aim of maximizing reproductive success. To identify profitable mates, the males of some animals are known to use visual and chemical cues derived from females. In this study, we aimed to examine mate discrimination by male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) using chemical cues received from females under different reproductive statuses, i.e., virgin females, pregnant females, females after copulation with another male, and post-partum females. We conducted a dichotomous choice experiment for each combination of chemical stimuli from females under different reproductive statuses. In experiment 1, in which females were removed from water that was subsequently used as a chemical stimulus, male preferences did not differ significantly in all combinations of chemical stimuli from females under different reproductive statuses. However, in experiment 2, in which females remained within bottles containing the water used as a chemical stimulus, with the exception of one combination of chemical stimuli, significant differences in male preferences were detected for chemical stimuli derived from females under different reproductive statuses. Overall, males generally showed a preference for chemical stimulus received from females after copulation with other males. The findings of this study indicate that male guppies can discriminate the reproductive status of females based solely on chemical cues that may disappear or degenerate within a short period of time, thereby facilitating profitable mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Saoshiro
- Department of Biology, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8501, Japan
| | - Kenji Karino
- Department of Biology, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8501, Japan,
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Mating behaviour, mate choice and female resistance in the bean flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti). Sci Rep 2021; 11:14504. [PMID: 34267250 PMCID: PMC8282879 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93891-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species of thrips (Thysanoptera) in the family Thripidae form mating aggregations, but the adaptive significance of these aggregations and the extent of male and female mate choice is poorly understood. We studied the mating behaviour of the bean flower thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), which forms male aggregations and occurs across sub-Saharan Africa. We tested whether males choose mates by female age or mating status. No-choice mating bioassays with one male and one female were used to simulate the way males usually encounter only one female at a time in aggregations in the field. Virgin females violently resisted mating attempts by males, but we found no compelling evidence to establish whether this was indiscriminate or was screening suitable males. Younger males (1–2 days old) did not discriminate females by age (1–2 or 7–10 days old), but older males (7–10 days old) avoided mating with older females. Any male choice by female mating status (virgin or mated) was weak or absent. The mating behaviour of M. sjostedti shows broad similarities with that of other thrips species that form aggregations, but also shows some distinct and novel differences, which can help our understanding of the adaptive significance of aggregations.
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Differential allocation in a gift-giving spider: males adjust their reproductive investment in response to female condition. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:140. [PMID: 34238218 PMCID: PMC8268551 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01870-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background When males are selective, they can either reject low-quality females or adjust their reproductive investment in response to traits that indicate female quality (e.g., body size or condition). According to the differential allocation hypothesis, males increase their reproductive investment when paired with high-quality females (positive differential allocation) or increase their reproductive investment when paired with low-quality females (negative differential allocation). This hypothesis has been proposed for monogamous species with biparental care, and most empirical studies focus on birds. Here we used the polygamous spider Paratrechalea ornata, in which males offer prey wrapped in silk as nuptial gifts, to test whether males adjust their reproductive investment in gift size, pre-copulatory and copulatory courtship, and sperm transfer in response to female body condition. Results Males exposed to females in good body condition added more flies to the gift, stimulated these females longer with abdominal touches during pre-copulatory courtship, and had longer pedipalp insertions than males exposed to females in poor body condition. Female condition affected neither silk investment in nuptial gift wrapping nor the quantity of sperm transferred by males. Finally, females in good body condition oviposited faster after copulation and laid more eggs than females in poor body condition. Conclusions We provide experimental evidence that males of a gift-giving spider exhibit positive differential allocation in three key aspects of their reproductive investment: the size of the nutritious gift, duration of pre-copulatory courtship, and duration of pedipalp insertions, which is regarded as a form of copulatory courtship in spiders. This positive differential allocation is likely associated with the benefits of copulating with females in good body condition. These females are more fecund and oviposit faster after copulation than females in poor body condition, which under natural field conditions probably reduces the risk of multiple matings and thus the level of sperm competition faced by the males. As a final remark, our findings indicate that the hypothesis of differential allocation also applies to species with a scramble competition mating system, in which males heavily invest in nuptial gift construction, but not in parental care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-021-01870-1.
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Sears MJ, Barbosa F, Hamel JA. Prolonged and variable copulation durations in a promiscuous insect species: No evidence of reproductive benefits for females. Behav Processes 2020; 179:104189. [PMID: 32623012 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Within promiscuous mating systems, copulation often functions as more than a means of fertilization, and copulation durations can vary widely. Copulating for prolonged durations can enhance both female and male reproductive success, but can also result in costs: females of some insect species experience increased fecundity and fertility through male-provided nutrition during prolonged copulations, but also decreased longevity due to male-driven mechanisms. Here, for a common, promiscuous insect species (the squash bug, Anasa tristis), we first describe the range of copulation duration, which spans from 2 min to over 23 h. To investigate whether female A. tristis benefit from prolonged copulation, we next manipulated copulation duration and female diet, and we documented the resulting fecundity, fertility, and longevity of each female. We found no evidence that prolonged copulation durations affect female reproductive success. Females produced fertile eggs after a single 30 min copulation, and they subsequently produced fertile eggs for an additional 4 weeks. Our findings suggest that females do not benefit from prolonged copulations, that sperm transfer occurs very early during copulations, and that females can store sperm for long durations. Consequently, we suggest that female harassment avoidance and male mate-guarding may explain prolonged copulations in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flavia Barbosa
- Department of Biology, Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL 60045, USA
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Abregú DA, Peretti AV, González M. Male performance and associated costs in successive sexual encounters in a polygynous web wolf spider. Acta Ethol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-019-00323-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Muschett G, Umbers KDL, Herberstein ME. Male mate choice in the chameleon grasshopper (Kosciuscola tristis). Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Giselle Muschett
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde New South Wales Australia
| | - Kate D. L. Umbers
- School of Science and Health; University of Western Sydney; Penrith New South Wales Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Marie E. Herberstein
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde New South Wales Australia
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Savic Veselinovic M, Pavkovic-Lucic S, Kurbalija Novicic Z, Jelic M, Stamenkovic-Radak M, Andjelkovic M. Mating behavior as an indicator of quality of Drosophila subobscura males? INSECT SCIENCE 2017; 24:122-132. [PMID: 26235310 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
According to current theoretical predictions, any deleterious mutations that reduce nonsexual fitness may have a negative influence on mating success. This means that sexual selection may remove deleterious mutations from the populations. Males of good genetic quality should be more successful in mating, compared to the males of lower genetic quality. As mating success is a condition dependent trait, large fractions of the genome may be a target of sexual selection and many behavioral traits are likely to be condition dependent. We manipulated the genetic quality of Drosophila subobscura males by inducing mutations with ionizing radiation and observed the effects of the obtained heterozygous mutations on male mating behavior: courtship occurrence, courtship latency, mating occurrence, latency to mating and duration of mating. We found possible effects of mutations. Females mated more frequently with male progeny of nonirradiated males and that these males courted females faster compared to the male progeny of irradiated males. Our findings indicate a possible important role of sexual selection in purging deleterious mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mihailo Jelic
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marina Stamenkovic-Radak
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Andjelkovic
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, Serbia
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Eady PE, Brown DV. Male-female interactions drive the (un)repeatability of copula duration in an insect. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160962. [PMID: 28386449 PMCID: PMC5367291 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom the duration of copulation varies enormously from a few seconds to several days. Functional explanations for this variation are largely embedded within sperm competition theory in which males modulate the duration of copula in order to optimize their fitness. However, copulation is the union of two protagonists which are likely to have separate and often conflicting reproductive interests, yet few experimental designs specifically assess the effect of male-female interactions on the duration of copulation. This can result in inexact assertions over which sex controls copulatory behaviour. Here we analyse the repeatability of copulatory behaviour in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus to determine which sex exerts primary influence over copulation duration. In C. maculatus, copulation follows two distinct phases: an initial quiescent phase followed by a period of vigorous female kicking behaviour that culminates in the termination of copulation. When males or females copulated with several novel mates, copulatory behaviour was not significantly repeatable. By contrast, when males or females mated repeatedly with the same mate, copula duration was repeatable. These data suggest copulatory behaviour in C. maculatus to be largely the product of male-female interactions rather than the consistent, sex-specific modulation of copula duration of one protagonist in response to the phenotypic variation presented by the other protagonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E Eady
- School of Life Sciences , University of Lincoln , Lincoln LN6 7TS , UK
| | - Denise V Brown
- Faculty of Applied Sciences , University of Sunderland , Sunderland SR1 3SD , UK
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Ullah MS, Sugimoto R, Kongchuensin M, Konvipasruang P, Gotoh T. Copulation duration, sperm transfer and reproduction of the two closely related phytoseiid mites, Neoseiulus womersleyi and Neoseiulus longispinosus (Acari: Phytoseiidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 71:47-61. [PMID: 27943023 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0101-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The effects of copulation duration on reproduction were studied in two important biological control agents, Neoseiulus womersleyi (Schicha) and Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans), to better understand their reproductive potential. The number of eggs produced was significantly and positively related to the copulation duration in both species. Egg production was observed even in females which experienced only 15 min of copulation and increased as copulation period increased in both species. Both pre- and post-oviposition periods of N. womersleyi and N. longispinosus decreased with the increase of copulation durations, and they were significantly different between the two species. Copulation duration had no effect on the female adult longevity of N. womersleyi and N. longispinosus, but N. womersleyi showed higher adult longevity than N. longispinosus. Fecundity remarkably increased in both species when the copulation period exceeded 90 min. The size of the spermatophore inside the spermathecae increased in proportion to the copulation duration in both species. Fecundity was consistent with the sizes of the spermathecae and spermatophores. When copulation was extended, males first filled one spermatheca and then filled the other. The results obtained in this study suggest that copulation duration had similar effects on egg production in N. womersleyi and N. longispinosus. Egg production depended on the quantity of sperm transferred during copulation. The two species have similar reproductive potentials and mating properties under laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Shaef Ullah
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, 300-0393, Japan
| | - Ryouhei Sugimoto
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, 300-0393, Japan
| | - Manita Kongchuensin
- Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Research and Development Office, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Ploychompoo Konvipasruang
- Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection Research and Development Office, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand
| | - Tetsuo Gotoh
- Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ami, Ibaraki, 300-0393, Japan.
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Reinhold K, Engqvist L, Consul A, Ramm SA. Male birch catkin bugs vary copula duration to invest more in matings with novel females. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Abraham S, Vera MT, Pérez-Staples D. Current Sperm Competition Determines Sperm Allocation in a Tephritid Fruit Fly. Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Solana Abraham
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecoetológicas de Moscas de la Fruta y sus Enemigos Naturales (LIEMEN); PROIMI; Tucumán Argentina
- CONICET; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - M. Teresa Vera
- CONICET; Buenos Aires Argentina
- Cátedra de Terapéutica Vegetal; Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal de la Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia de la UNT; Tucumán Argentina
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12
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Muller K, Thiéry D, Moret Y, Moreau J. Male larval nutrition affects adult reproductive success in wild European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1815-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ramm SA, Stockley P. Sequential male mate choice under sperm competition risk. Behav Ecol 2014; 25:660-667. [PMID: 24822023 PMCID: PMC4014308 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
New research shows that male house mice can be coy too. Male eagerness to mate is a central tenet of sexual selection theory, based on the expectation that male reproductive success is limited mainly by access to females. Here, we show that where sperm supplies are limited, males too can display considerable restraint in mating, targeting reproductive effort toward particular females. Male eagerness to mate is a central paradigm of sexual selection theory. However, limited sperm supplies mean that male sexual restraint might sometimes be favored under promiscuous mating. Here, we demonstrate dynamic plasticity in male mating effort when females are encountered sequentially under varying sperm competition risk. Rather than showing consistent eagerness to mate, male house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) instead tailor their mating effort according to likely reproductive payoffs. They are significantly less likely to mate when sperm competition is certain and potential reproductive payoffs low, but dramatically increase investment if they do choose to mate under such circumstances. By contrast, male mice are significantly more likely to mate in situations simulating extra-territorial copulations, where future risk of competition is high but so too are potential reproductive rewards. Differential mating propensity appears to be the primary mechanism by which male house mice allocate sperm adaptively under sperm competition risk because we find no evidence for facultative adjustment of sperm numbers per ejaculate or ejaculation frequency in response to female-related cues. We conclude that sequential male mate choice under sperm competition risk could be a widespread but often unappreciated mechanism of strategic sperm allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Ramm
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group , Institute of Integrative Biology , University of Liverpool , Leahurst Campus , Chester High Road , Neston CH64 7TE , UK
| | - Paula Stockley
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group , Institute of Integrative Biology , University of Liverpool , Leahurst Campus , Chester High Road , Neston CH64 7TE , UK
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van der Horst G, Maree L. Sperm form and function in the absence of sperm competition. Mol Reprod Dev 2013; 81:204-16. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard van der Horst
- Department of Medical Bioscience; University of the Western Cape; Bellville South Africa
| | - Liana Maree
- Department of Medical Bioscience; University of the Western Cape; Bellville South Africa
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15
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Barbosa F. Males responding to sperm competition cues have higher fertilization success in a soldier fly. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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