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Liu J, Liu K, Tang Y, Wang W, Xu X, Liang J, Xiao Y, Elgar MA. Females adopt sexual catalepsy to facilitate mating. Curr Zool 2024; 70:174-181. [PMID: 38726244 PMCID: PMC11078043 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that males and females of dioecious species typically engage in an evolutionary sexual conflict over the frequency and choice of mating partner. Female sexual cannibalism, a particularly dramatic illustration of this conflict, is widespread in certain animal taxa including spiders. Nevertheless, females of some funnel weaving spiders that are generally aggressive to conspecifics enter a cataleptic state after male courtship, ensuring the males can mate without risk of attack. In this study, we demonstrated that the physical posture and duration, metabolites, and central neurotransmitters of females of Aterigena aculeata in sexual catalepsy closely resemble females in thanatosis but are distinct from those in anesthesia, indicating that the courted females feign death to eliminate the risk of potentially aggressive responses and thereby allow preferred males to mate. Unlike the taxonomically widespread thanatosis, which generally represents a deceptive visual signal that acts against the interest of the receivers, sexual catalepsy of females in the funnel weaving spiders may deliver a sexual-receptive signal to the courting males and thereby benefit both the signal senders and receivers. Therefore, sexual catalepsy in A. aculeata may not reflect a conflict but rather a confluence of interest between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihe Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, Jiangxi 343009, China
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Keke Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, Jiangxi 343009, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Pharmaceutical Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weihua Wang
- Pharmaceutical Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081, China
| | - Jianhui Liang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yonghong Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, Jiangxi 343009, China
| | - Mark A Elgar
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
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2
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Dharmarathne C, McLean DJ, Herberstein ME, Schneider JM. Intraspecific body size variation and allometry of genitalia in the orb-web spider- Argiope lobata. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16413. [PMID: 38047024 PMCID: PMC10691382 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The current consensus is that sexual selection is responsible for the rapid and diverse evolution of genitalia, with several mutually exclusive mechanisms under debate, including non-antagonistic, antagonistic and stabilizing mechanisms. We used the orb-web spider, Argiope lobata (Araneidae), as a study model to quantify the allometric relationship between body size and genitalia, and to test for any impact of genital structures on male mating success or outcome in terms of copulation duration, leg loss or cannibalism. Our data do not support the 'one-size-fits-all' hypothesis that predicts a negative allometric slope between genitalia and body size. Importantly, we measured both male and female genitalia, and there was no sex specific pattern in allometric slopes. Unexpectedly, we found no predictor for reproductive success as indicated by copulation duration, cannibalism, and leg loss.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Donald James McLean
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marie E. Herberstein
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Should females cannibalize with or without mating in the facultatively parthenogenetic springbok mantis? Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
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4
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Zhang S, Yu L, Tan M, Tan NYL, Wong XXB, Kuntner M, Li D. Male mating strategies to counter sexual conflict in spiders. Commun Biol 2022; 5:534. [PMID: 35655093 PMCID: PMC9163124 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03512-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
When sexual conflict selects for reproductive strategies that only benefit one of the sexes, evolutionary arms races may ensue. Female sexual cannibalism is an extreme manifestation of sexual conflict. Here we test two male mating strategies aiming at countering sexual cannibalism in spiders. The "better charged palp" hypothesis predicts male selected use of the paired sexual organ (palp) containing more sperm for their first copulation. The "fast sperm transfer" hypothesis predicts accelerated insemination when cannibalism is high. Our comparative tests on five orbweb spider species with varying levels of female sexual cannibalism and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) reveal that males choose the palp with more sperm for the first copulation with cannibalistic females and that males transfer significantly more sperm if females are cannibalistic or when SSD is biased. By supporting the two hypotheses, these results provide credibility for male mating syndrome. They, however, open new questions, namely, how does a male differentiate sperm quantities between his palps? How does he perform palp choice after assessing his cannibalistic partner? By conducting follow-up experiments on Nephilengys malabarensis, we reveal that it is sperm volume detection, rather than left-right palp dominance, that plays prominently in male palp choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering & Centre for Behavioural Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, Hubei, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Long Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering & Centre for Behavioural Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, Hubei, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Min Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Noeleen Y L Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Xaven X B Wong
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering & Centre for Behavioural Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, Hubei, China.
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - Daiqin Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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5
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Šet J, Turk E, Golobinek R, Lokovšek T, Gregorič M, Lebrón SGQ, Kuntner M, Haddad CR, Čandek K, Kralj-Fišer S. Sex-specific developmental trajectories in an extremely sexually size dimorphic spider. Naturwissenschaften 2021; 108:54. [PMID: 34648079 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-021-01754-w] [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: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adult body size, development time, and growth rates are components of organismal life histories, which crucially influence fitness and are subject to trade-offs. If selection is sex-specific, male and female developments can eventually lead to different optimal sizes. This can be achieved through developmental plasticity and sex-specific developmental trajectories. Spiders present suitable animals to study differences in developmental plasticity and life history trade-offs between the sexes, because of their pronounced sexual dimorphism. Here, we examine variation in life histories in the extremely sexually size dimorphic African hermit spider (Nephilingis cruentata) reared under standardized laboratory conditions. Females average 70 times greater body mass (and greater body size) at maturity than males, which they achieve by developing longer and growing faster. We find a small to moderate amount of variability in life history traits to be caused by family effects, comprising genetic, maternal, and early common environmental effects, suggesting considerable plasticity in life histories. Remarkably, family effects explain a higher variance in male compared to female life histories, implying that female developmental trajectories may be more responsive to environment. We also find sex differences in life history trade-offs and show that males with longer development times grow larger but exhibit shorter adult longevity. Female developmental time also correlates positively with adult body mass, but the trade-offs between female adult mass, reproduction, and longevity are less clear. We discuss the implications of these findings in the light of evolutionary trade-offs between life history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janko Šet
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eva Turk
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rok Golobinek
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tjaša Lokovšek
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Gregorič
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Charles R Haddad
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Klemen Čandek
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Female control of a novel form of cannibalism during copulation in a South American widow spider. Behav Processes 2021; 188:104406. [PMID: 33895251 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sexual cannibalism is an extreme form of sexual conflict that may have broad evolutionary effects on mating behaviour. Latrodectus spiders (∼30 "widow" species) could enable comparative tests of the evolution of sexual cannibalism, but most species are poorly-studied. Here we describe the mating and remating behaviour of a species endemic to South America, L. mirabilis, with a focus on the occurrence and consequences of sexual cannibalism. Mating and cannibalistic behaviours were novel relative to other Latrodectus species. Cannibalism started during copulation when females grasped the male's legs with their chelicerae, and continued as females pulled the male's abdomen onto their chelicerae, without interrupting copulation. Cannibalism was initiated by females, and not facilitated by males as was observed in other Latrodectus species. Females frequently remated however, so cannibalized males might lose paternity to future rivals. We report high rates of cannibalism, with 70 % of males killed by females during their first mating, and 85 % killed by previously-mated females. We discuss our novel findings in the context of previous observations in other Latrodectus species, proposing that foundational studies in a wider range of species are necessary to support comparative tests about the evolution of sexual cannibalism within this model taxon.
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Golobinek R, Gregorič M, Kralj-Fišer S. Body Size, Not Personality, Explains Both Male Mating Success and Sexual Cannibalism in a Widow Spider. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:189. [PMID: 33802370 PMCID: PMC7998861 DOI: 10.3390/biology10030189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Theory suggests that consistent individual variation in behavior relates to fitness, but few studies have empirically examined the role of personalities in mate choice, male-male competition and reproductive success. We observed the Mediterranean black widow, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, in the individual and mating context, to test how body size measures and two functionally important aggressive behaviors, i.e., male aggression towards rivals and female voracity towards prey, affect mating behaviors, mating success and sexual cannibalism. We specifically selected voracity towards prey in females to test the "aggressive spillover hypothesis", suggesting that more voracious females are more sexually cannibalistic. Both females and males exhibit consistent individual differences in the examined aggressive behaviors. While larger males win contests more often and achieve more copulations, neither male nor female size measures correlate to aggression. Female voracity does not correlate with aggression towards mates and sexual cannibalism, rejecting the "spillover hypothesis". However, occurrence of sexual cannibalism positively relates to longer insertion duration. Furthermore, the smaller the ratio between male and female body length the more likely a female attacked and cannibalized a mate. We show that individual variation in aggression levels plays no direct role in the mating behavior of the Mediterranean black widow. Instead, body size affects male mating success and occurrences of sexual cannibalism in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Novi trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (R.G.); (M.G.)
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Bhaisare LY, Paraste S, Kaushik S, Chaudhary DD, Al-Misned F, Mahboob S, Al-Ghanim K, Ansari MJ. Reproductive success in Zygogramma bicolorata: A role of post-insemination association of male and female. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:1539-1543. [PMID: 33732037 PMCID: PMC7938115 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive success is attained by various mechanisms in insects. Prolonged post insemination association is one such mechanism to increase the reproductive success. The present study was conducted to assess the role of post insemination association of mating partners on reproductive performance in Chrysomelidae beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister. The matings were disrupted at different time intervals and fecundity and percent egg viability of the females were recorded. In addition, the mounting attempts, mating attempts, time to commencement of mating and latent period were also recorded. It was hypothesized that: (1) the mounting and mating attempts would not exist, (2) copulation duration, would not affect the reproductive performance, and (3) the beetle would not exhibit the mate guarding behaviour. Interestingly, results revealed that 6.00 ± 1.3 and 6.59 ± 0.93 mounting and mating attempts are needed to establish successful mating. The results revealed that males improved their percent egg viability with a mating duration ranging from nearly 30-50 min. While fecundity increased with a mating duration of above 30 min and up to a duration of 60 min. This result concluded that males of this beetle display post copulatory mate guarding behaviour after 60 min in which male rides on female's back with his aedeagus inserted in the female genital tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lankesh Yashwant Bhaisare
- Behavioural & Molecular Ecology & Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Sweta Paraste
- Behavioural & Molecular Ecology & Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Sandeep Kaushik
- Department of Environmental Science, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Desh Deepak Chaudhary
- Behavioural & Molecular Ecology & Biocontrol Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh 484887, India
| | - Fahad Al-Misned
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shahid Mahboob
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Al-Ghanim
- Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Javed Ansari
- Department of Botany, Hindu College Moradabad (Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University Bareilly), India
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Tuni C, Schneider J, Uhl G, Herberstein ME. Sperm competition when transfer is dangerous. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200073. [PMID: 33070729 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggressive and cannibalistic female spiders can impose strong selection on male mating and fertilization strategies. Furthermore, the distinctive reproductive morphology of spiders is predicted to influence the outcome of sperm competition. Polyandry is common in spiders, leading to defensive male strategies that include guarding, plugging and self-sacrifice. Paternity patterns are highly variable and unlikely to be determined solely by mating order, but rather by relative copulation duration, deployment of plugs and cryptic female choice. The ability to strategically allocate sperm is limited, either by the need to refill pedipalps periodically or owing to permanent sperm depletion after mating. Further insights now rely on unravelling several proximate mechanisms such as the process of sperm activation and the role of seminal fluids. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Tuni
- Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Munich, Germany
| | - Jutta Schneider
- Institute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, Hamburg 20146 Germany
| | - Gabriele Uhl
- General and Systematic Zoology, University of Greifswald, Bachstrasse 11/13, Greifswald 17489, Germany
| | - Marie E Herberstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia
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10
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Pre-maturation social experience affects female reproductive strategies and offspring quality in a highly polyandrous insect. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02917-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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11
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Magris M, Wignall AE, Herberstein ME. Courtship and copula duration influence paternity success in a spider. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Fisher AM, Cornell SJ, Holwell GI, Price TAR. Mate‐finding Allee effects can be exacerbated or relieved by sexual cannibalism. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1581-1592. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Fisher
- Institute of Integrative Biology University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | | | | | - Tom A. R. Price
- Institute of Integrative Biology University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
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13
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Mouginot P, Uhl G. Females of a cannibalistic spider control mutilation of their genitalia by males. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
When females can mate multiply, the interests of both sexes over female remating may not coincide, leading to selection for adaptations and counteradaptations in males and females. In several orb-weaving spiders, males damage external structures of the female genitalia during copulation, which hinders the female from remating. We investigated whether females have control over the mutilation of their genitalia in the orb-weaving spider Larinia jeskovi. We found that female sexual cannibalism during copulation reduced the number of insertions a male was able to perform and hence limited the probability of genital mutilation by the male. Genital mutilation did not differ between treatments in which females experienced different availabilities of other males before the mating trial: males absent, males near the female (“vicinity group”), and males in the female’s web (“web group”). However, traits of the mating male (size, condition) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of cannibalism during mating in “web” and “vicinity” treatments. These results suggest that females have control over mutilation by an early termination of mating, can respond to the availability of potential mates and can alter the probability of mutilation according to certain male traits. Female sexual cannibalism may represent a counteradaptation to genital mutilation allowing females to mate multiply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierick Mouginot
- General and Systematic Zoology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gabriele Uhl
- General and Systematic Zoology, Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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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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15
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Assis BA, Foellmer MW. Optimal ultra-short copulation duration in a sexually cannibalistic spider. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2733-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Andrade MC. Sexual selection and social context: Web-building spiders as emerging models for adaptive plasticity. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Cory AL, Schneider JM. Mate availability does not influence mating strategies in males of the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5360. [PMID: 30123703 PMCID: PMC6086085 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sexual selection theory predicts that male investment in a current female should be a function of female density and male competition. While many studies have focused on male competition, the impact of female density on male mating investment has been widely neglected. Here, we aimed to close this gap and tested effects of mate density on male mating decisions in the orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi. Males of this species mutilate their genitalia during copulation, which reduces sperm competition and limits their mating rate to a maximum of two females (bigyny). The mating rate is frequently further reduced by female aggression and cannibalization. Males can reduce the risk of cannibalism if they jump off the female in time, but will then transfer fewer sperm. An alternative solution of this trade-off is to copulate longer, commit self-sacrifice and secure higher minimal paternity. The self-sacrificial strategy may be adaptive if prospective mating chances are uncertain. In A. bruennichi, this uncertainty may arise from quick changes in population dynamics. Therefore, we expected that males would immediately respond to information about low or high mate availability and opt for self-sacrifice after a single copulation under low mate availability. If male survival depends on information about prospective mating chances, we further predicted that under high mate availability, we would find a higher rate of males that leave the first mating partner to follow a bigynous mating strategy. Method We used naïve males and compared their mating decisions among two treatments that differed in the number of signalling females. In the high mate availability treatment, males perceived pheromone signals from four adult, virgin females, while in the low mate availability treatment only one of four females was adult and virgin and the other three were penultimate and unreceptive. Results Males took more time to start mate searching if mate availability was low. However, a self-sacrificial strategy was not more likely under low mate availability. We found no effects of treatment on the duration of copulation, the probability to survive the first copulation or the probability of bigyny. Interestingly, survival chances depended on male size and were higher in small males. Discussion Our results do not support the hypothesis that mate density variation affects male mating investment, although they clearly perceived mate density, which they presumably assessed by pheromone quantity. One reason for the absence of male adjustments to mating tactics could be that adaptations to survive female attacks veil adaptations that facilitate mating decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lena Cory
- Institute of Zoology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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18
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Fisher AM, Cornell SJ, Holwell GI, Price TAR. Sexual cannibalism and population viability. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6663-6670. [PMID: 30038765 PMCID: PMC6053559 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Some behaviours that typically increase fitness at the individual level may reduce population persistence, particularly in the face of environmental changes. Sexual cannibalism is an extreme mating behaviour which typically involves a male being devoured by the female immediately before, during or after copulation, and is widespread amongst predatory invertebrates. Although the individual-level effects of sexual cannibalism are reasonably well understood, very little is known about the population-level effects. We constructed both a mathematical model and an individual-based model to predict how sexual cannibalism might affect population growth rate and extinction risk. We found that in the absence of any cannibalism-derived fecundity benefit, sexual cannibalism is always detrimental to population growth rate and leads to a higher population extinction risk. Increasing the fecundity benefits of sexual cannibalism leads to a consistently higher population growth rate and likely a lower extinction risk. However, even if cannibalism-derived fecundity benefits are large, very high rates of sexual cannibalism (>70%) can still drive the population to negative growth and potential extinction. Pre-copulatory cannibalism was particularly damaging for population growth rates and was the main predictor of growth declining below the replacement rate. Surprisingly, post-copulatory cannibalism had a largely positive effect on population growth rate when fecundity benefits were present. This study is the first to formally estimate the population-level effects of sexual cannibalism. We highlight the detrimental effect sexual cannibalism may have on population viability if (1) cannibalism rates become high, and/or (2) cannibalism-derived fecundity benefits become low. Decreased food availability could plausibly both increase the frequency of cannibalism, and reduce the fecundity benefit of cannibalism, suggesting that sexual cannibalism may increase the risk of population collapse in the face of environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Fisher
- Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | | | - Tom A. R. Price
- Institute of Integrative BiologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
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Anderson AG, Hebets EA. Female nursery web spiders (Pisaurina mira) benefit from consuming their mate. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alissa G. Anderson
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Lincoln Nebraska
| | - Eileen A. Hebets
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Nebraska - Lincoln; Lincoln Nebraska
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20
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Kadoi M, Morimoto K, Takami Y. Male mate choice in a sexually cannibalistic species: male escapes from hungry females in the praying mantid Tenodera angustipennis. J ETHOL 2017; 35:177-185. [PMID: 29225403 PMCID: PMC5711982 DOI: 10.1007/s10164-017-0506-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While competing males and choosy females may be common in animal mating systems, male choice can evolve under certain conditions. Sexual cannibalism is such a condition because of the high mortality risk for males. In mantids, female body condition is associated with male mate preference, with fat females preferred, due to at least two reasons: females in poor nutritional condition are likely to attack and predate males, and fat females can potentially increase the number of offspring. Thus, the risk of cannibalism and female fecundity can influence male mating behavior. In this study, we attempted to separate these factors by using the praying mantid Tenodera angustipennis to examine whether male preference for fat female mantids was based on avoiding sexual cannibalism (cannibalism avoidance hypothesis) or preference for female fecundity (fecundity preference hypothesis). The feeding regimes were experimentally manipulated to discriminate between the effects of female fecundity and female hunger status on male and female mating behaviors. We found that recently starved females more frequently locomoted toward the male, and that male abdominal bending was less intensive and escape was sooner from recently starved females. These female and male behavioral responses to female hunger condition may reveal male avoidance of dangerous females in this mantid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mika Kadoi
- Faculty of Human Development, Kobe University, Tsurukabuto 3-11, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 Japan
| | - Kotaro Morimoto
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Tsurukabuto 3-11, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 Japan
| | - Yasuoki Takami
- Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Tsurukabuto 3-11, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 Japan
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Jiang X, Zhao Y, Yan Q, Li C, Jiang Q, Yun Y, Peng Y. Effects of age on the courtship, copulation, and fecundity of Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). Behav Processes 2017; 146:10-15. [PMID: 29108930 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 10/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/31/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
According to sexual selection theory, age affects the preference of mate choice, and this preference ultimately influences the fecundity of the female. Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae) is a valued predator in many cropping systems. By determining oviposition rate, egg hatching rate, and also the number and carapace width of the 2nd instar spiderlings of the F1 generation, we explored the effects of age on fecundity of the female spider. There were no significant effects of age on courtship duration, sexual cannibalism rate, mating rate, oviposition rate, egg hatching rate, or the number and carapace width of 2nd instar spiderings of P. pseudoannulata. However, age had a significant effect on courtship latency, courtship intensity, and mating duration of the spider. Courtship latency decreased significantly with an increase in the age of the male, and courtship intensity of the low-age male increased with increasing female age. Increasing age of male and female spiders was associated with significantly prolonged mating duration. The results indicated that low-age male spiders were more inclined to mate with high-age females, and age had no significant effect on sexual cannibalism rate or the fecundity of the female.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Jiang
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Yao Zhao
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Qian Yan
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Changchun Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Quality Control of Characteristic Fruits and Vegetables, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan 432000, PR China
| | - Qinghong Jiang
- Shangcheng Inspection Station for Agricultural Products Quality and Safety, Henan 465300, PR China
| | - Yueli Yun
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China
| | - Yu Peng
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China.
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22
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Hernández L, Aisenberg A, Molina J. Mating plugs and sexual cannibalism in the Colombian orb-web spiderLeucauge mariana. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Linda Hernández
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical - CIMPAT; Bogotá Universidad de los Andes; Bogotá Colombia
| | - Anita Aisenberg
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución; Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable; Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Jorge Molina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical - CIMPAT; Bogotá Universidad de los Andes; Bogotá Colombia
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23
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Anderson AG, Hebets EA. Increased insertion number leads to increased sperm transfer and fertilization success in a nursery web spider. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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24
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25
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Herberstein ME, Painting CJ, Holwell GI. Scramble Competition Polygyny in Terrestrial Arthropods. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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26
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Tan J, Chan ZY, Lim PE, Koh JKH, Yong HS. A multigene approach to determine the molecular phylogeography of Argiope mangal and Argiope dang (Araneae: Araneidae) and their genetic relationships with the Argiope aetherea species group. BIOCHEM SYST ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bse.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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27
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Sato N, Yoshida MA, Kasugai T. Impact of cryptic female choice on insemination success: Larger sized and longer copulating male squid ejaculate more, but females influence insemination success by removing spermatangia. Evolution 2016; 71:111-120. [PMID: 27805265 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In polyandrous mating systems, sperm competition and cryptic female choice (CFC) are well recognized as postcopulatory evolutionary forces. However, it remains challenging to separate CFC from sperm competition and to estimate how much CFC influences insemination success because those processes usually occur inside the female's body. The Japanese pygmy squid, Idiosepius paradoxus, is an ideal species in which to separate CFC from sperm competition because sperm transfer by the male and sperm displacement by the female can be observed directly at an external location on the female's body. Here, we counted the number of spermatangia transferred to, removed from, and remaining on the female body during single copulation episodes. We measured behavioral and morphological characteristics of the male, such as duration of copulation and body size. Although males with larger body size and longer copulation time were capable of transferring larger amounts of sperm, females preferentially eliminated sperm from males with larger body size and shorter copulation time by spermatangia removal; thus, CFC could attenuate sperm precedence by larger males, whereas it reinforces sperm precedence by males with longer copulation time. Genetic paternity analysis revealed that fertilisation success for each male was correlated with remaining sperm volume that is adjusted by females after copulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyosi Sato
- Graduate School of Fisheries Science and Environmental Studies, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan.,Current Address: Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Masa-Aki Yoshida
- Center for Information Biology, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan.,Current Address: Marine Biological Science Section, Education and Research Center for Biological Resources, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University, Kamo 194, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane, Japan
| | - Takashi Kasugai
- Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, 1-3 Minato-machi, Minato-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
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28
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Lupše N, Cheng RC, Kuntner M. Coevolution of female and male genital components to avoid genital size mismatches in sexually dimorphic spiders. BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:161. [PMID: 27535025 PMCID: PMC4989301 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0734-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In most animal groups, it is unclear how body size variation relates to genital size differences between the sexes. While most morphological features tend to scale with total somatic size, this does not necessarily hold for genitalia because divergent evolution in somatic size between the sexes would cause genital size mismatches. Theory predicts that the interplay of female-biased sexual size dimorphism (SSD) and sexual genital size dimorphism (SGD) should adhere to the 'positive genital divergence', the 'constant genital divergence', or the 'negative genital divergence' model, but these models remain largely untested. We test their validity in the spider family Nephilidae known for the highest degrees of SSD among terrestrial animals. RESULTS Through comparative analyses of sex-specific somatic and genital sizes, we first demonstrate that 99 of the 351 pairs of traits are phylogenetically correlated. Through factor analyses we then group these traits for MCMCglmm analyses that test broader correlation patterns, and these reveal significant correlations in 10 out of the 36 pairwise comparisons. Both types of analyses agree that female somatic and internal genital sizes evolve independently. While sizes of non-intromittent male genital parts coevolve with male body size, the size of the intromittent male genital parts is independent of the male somatic size. Instead, male intromittent genital size coevolves with female (external and, in part, internal) genital size. All analyses also agree that SGD and SSD evolve independently. CONCLUSIONS Internal dimensions of female genitalia evolve independently of female body size in nephilid spiders, and similarly, male intromittent genital size evolves independently of the male body size. The size of the male intromittent organ (the embolus) and the sizes of female internal and external genital components thus seem to respond to selection against genital size mismatches. In accord with these interpretations, we reject the validity of the existing theoretical models of genital and somatic size dimorphism in spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nik Lupše
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ren-Chung Cheng
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Institute of Biology, Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Ljubljana, Slovenia. .,Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA.
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29
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Gregorič M, Šuen K, Cheng RC, Kralj-Fišer S, Kuntner M. Spider behaviors include oral sexual encounters. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25128. [PMID: 27126507 PMCID: PMC4850386 DOI: 10.1038/srep25128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Several clades of spiders whose females evolved giant sizes are known for extreme sexual behaviors such as sexual cannibalism, opportunistic mating, mate-binding, genital mutilation, plugging, and emasculation. However, these behaviors have only been tested in a handful of size dimorphic spiders. Here, we bring another lineage into the picture by reporting on sexual behavior of Darwin's bark spider, Caerostris darwini. This sexually size dimorphic Madagascan species is known for extreme web gigantism and for producing the world's toughest biomaterial. Our field and laboratory study uncovers a rich sexual repertoire that predictably involves cannibalism, genital mutilation, male preference for teneral females, and emasculation. Surprisingly, C. darwini males engage in oral sexual encounters, rarely reported outside mammals. Irrespective of female's age or mating status males salivate onto female genitalia pre-, during, and post-copulation. While its adaptive significance is elusive, oral sexual contact in spiders may signal male quality or reduce sperm competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matjaž Gregorič
- Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia
| | - Klavdija Šuen
- Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia
| | - Ren-Chung Cheng
- Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia
| | - Simona Kralj-Fišer
- Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Institute of Biology, Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
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30
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Assis BA, Foellmer MW. One size fits all? Determinants of sperm transfer in a highly dimorphic orb-web spider. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1106-20. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. A. Assis
- Department of Biology; Adelphi University; 1 South Ave. Garden City NY 11530 USA
| | - M. W. Foellmer
- Department of Biology; Adelphi University; 1 South Ave. Garden City NY 11530 USA
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31
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Chelini MC, Hebets EA. Absence of Mate Choice and Postcopulatory Benefits in a Species with Extreme Sexual Size Dimorphism. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eileen A. Hebets
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Nebraska -Lincoln; Lincoln NE USA
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32
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Henneken J, Jones TM, Goodger JQ, Dias DA, Walter A, Elgar MA. Diet influences female signal reliability for male mate choice. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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33
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Magris M, Wignall AE, Herberstein ME. The sterile male technique: irradiation negatively affects male fertility but not male courtship. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 75:85-90. [PMID: 25794431 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The sterile male technique is a common method to assign paternity, widely adopted due to its relative simplicity and low cost. Male sterility is induced by exposure to sub lethal doses of chemosterilants or irradiation, the dosage of which has to be calibrated for every species to provide successful male sterilisation, without affecting male physiology and behaviour. While the physiological effects of sterilisation are usually assessed for each study, the behavioural ones are rarely analysed in detail. Using the orb web spider Argiope keyserlingi as a model we first tested (1) the validity of the thread assay, which simulates male courtship behaviour in a standardised context, as a proxy representing courtship on a female web. We then investigated (2) the effectiveness of male sterilisation via irradiation and (3) its consequences on male courtship behaviour. Our results validate the thread assay and the sterile male technique as legitimate tools for the study of male courtship behaviour and fertilisation success. We show that these techniques are time and cost effective and reduce undesirable variation, thereby creating opportunities to study and understand the mechanisms underlying sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Magris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Anne E Wignall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Marie E Herberstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
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34
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Grossi B, Canals M. Energetics, scaling and sexual size dimorphism of spiders. Acta Biotheor 2015; 63:71-81. [PMID: 25084999 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-014-9237-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The extreme sexual size dimorphism in spiders has motivated studies for many years. In many species the male can be very small relative to the female. There are several hypotheses trying to explain this fact, most of them emphasizing the role of energy in determining spider size. The aim of this paper is to review the role of energy in sexual size dimorphism of spiders, even for those spiders that do not necessarily live in high foliage, using physical and allometric principles. Here we propose that the cost of transport or equivalently energy expenditure and the speed are traits under selection pressure in male spiders, favoring those of smaller size to reduce travel costs. The morphology of the spiders responds to these selective forces depending upon the lifestyle of the spiders. Climbing and bridging spiders must overcome the force of gravity. If bridging allows faster dispersal, small males would have a selective advantage by enjoying more mating opportunities. In wandering spiders with low population density and as a consequence few male-male interactions, high speed and low energy expenditure or cost of transport should be favored by natural selection. Pendulum mechanics show the advantages of long legs in spiders and their relationship with high speed, even in climbing and bridging spiders. Thus small size, compensated by long legs should be the expected morphology for a fast and mobile male spider.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Grossi
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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35
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Abstract
Sexual cannibalism is a well-known example for sexual conflict and has many facets that determine the costs and benefits for the cannibal and the victim. Here, I focus on species in which sexual cannibalism is a general component of a mating system in which males invest maximally in mating with a single (monogyny) or two (bigyny) females. Sexual cannibalism can be a male strategy to maximize paternity and a female strategy to prevent paternity monopolization by any or a particular male. Considerable variation exists between species (1) in the potential of males to monopolize females, and (2) in the success of females in preventing monopolization by males. This opens up exciting future possibilities to investigate sexually antagonistic coevolution in a largely unstudied mating system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutta M Schneider
- Zoological Institute & Museum, Biocentre Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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36
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Abraham S, Rull J, Mendoza M, Liendo MC, Devescovi F, Roriz AK, Kovaleski A, Segura DF, Vera MT. Differences in sperm storage and remating propensity between adult females of two morphotypes of the Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) cryptic species complex. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2014; 104:376-382. [PMID: 24702958 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485314000200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, is a complex of cryptic species composed of at least seven morphotypes. Some of them, such as the Peruvian and Brazilian 1 morphotypes (which include Argentinean populations), exhibit strong pre-copulatory isolation, yet it is possible to obtain heterotypic crosses when forcing copulation of adults under laboratory conditions. The cross involving Peruvian males and Argentinean females produces F1 offspring with reduced viability in terms of egg hatch. This low hatchability could be caused by a reduced amount of sperm transferred to and stored by females mated with heterotypic males, which in turn could affect their post-copulatory behaviour. To test these hypotheses, we investigated sperm transfer and female mating and remating behaviour for homotypic and heterotypic crosses between adults of two morphotypes (Brazilian 1 [Argentina] and Peruvian [Peru]) of the A. fraterculus cryptic species complex. As reported before, Argentinean males and females mated earlier in the day than the other three mating combinations. Peruvian females engaged in shorter copulation times than Argentinean females. Peruvian females tended to store smaller quantities of sperm than Argentinean females, and almost a half of the crosses involving Argentinean males and Peruvian females were unsuccessful (no sperm transfer). However, there was no evidence that the cross between Peruvian males and Argentinean females resulted in storage of a critically small amount of sperm (posing risk of sperm shortage). Argentinean females were more willing to remate than Peruvian females, irrespective of male morphotype, but latency to remating was not affected by male or female morphotype. This study shows that mating behaviour differs between some of the A. fraterculus complex morphotypes, with female but not male morphotype determining female likelihood to remate.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Abraham
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecoetológicas de Moscas de la Fruta y sus Enemigos Naturales (LIEMEN), PROIMI, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - J Rull
- Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - M Mendoza
- Cátedra de Terapéutica Vegetal, Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia de la UNT, Tucumán, Argentina
| | | | | | - A K Roriz
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador Bahia, Brazil
| | - A Kovaleski
- Embrapa Uva e Vinho, Estação Experimental de Vacaria, Vacaria, Brazil
| | | | - M T Vera
- CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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37
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Wignall AE, Kemp DJ, Herberstein ME. Extreme short-term repeatability of male courtship performance in a tropical orb-web spider. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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38
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Zimmer SM, Krehenwinkel H, Schneider JM. Rapid range expansion is not restricted by inbreeding in a sexually cannibalistic spider. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95963. [PMID: 24759976 PMCID: PMC3997557 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Few studies investigated whether rapid range expansion is associated with an individual's short-term fitness costs due to an increased risk of inbred mating at the front of expansion. In mating systems with low male mating rates both sexes share potential inbreeding costs and general mechanisms to avoid or reduce these costs are expected. The spider Argiope bruennichi expanded its range recently and we asked whether rapid settlement of new sites exposes individuals to a risk of inbreeding. We sampled four geographically separated subpopulations, genotyped individuals, arranged matings and monitored hatching success. Hatching success was lowest in egg-sacs derived from sibling pairs and highest in egg-sacs derived from among-population crosses, while within-population crosses were intermediate. This indicates that inbreeding might affect hatching success in the wild. Unlike expected, differential hatching success of within- and among-population crosses did not correlate with genetic distance of mating pairs. In contrast, we found high genetic diversity based on 16 microsatellite markers and a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene in all populations. Our results suggest that even a very recent settlement secures the presence of genetically different mating partners. This leads to costs of inbreeding since the population is not inbred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M. Zimmer
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Henrik Krehenwinkel
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Jutta M. Schneider
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Biozentrum Grindel, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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39
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Zimmer SM, Schneider JM, Herberstein ME. Can males detect the strength of sperm competition and presence of genital plugs during mate choice? Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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40
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Fernández-Montraveta C, González JM, Cuadrado M. Male vulnerability explains the occurrence of sexual cannibalism in a moderately sexually dimorphic wolf spider. Behav Processes 2014; 105:53-9. [PMID: 24631760 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sexual cannibalism is a widespread phenomenon among a few animal taxa. Its occurrence is interpreted as female and/or male optimal reproductive decisions or as a non-adaptive side effect of selection for efficiently foraging females. In spite of the amount of research addressed at understanding its evolutionary origins, we lack accurate information about the proximate causes of sexual cannibalism. In a moderately sexually dimorphic wolf spider (Hogna radiata, Araneae, Lycosidae) we assessed the factors mediating the occurrence of sexual cannibalism and its fitness benefits to females. Sexual cannibalism was a rather common outcome of laboratory mating interactions, occurring in more than a quarter percent of courtship interactions involving virgin females. Sexual cannibalism mostly followed mating. Occurrence of sexual cannibalism depended on male vulnerability to female attacks: relatively smaller males were at higher risk of being attacked and older males were less likely to avoid female attacks. Sexual cannibalism had direct and positive effects on female fitness, as sexually cannibalistic females exhibited increased fecundity irrespective of their size, condition and foraging rate. Male consumption was almost complete and represented a relevant food intake to females. We interpret sexual cannibalism as a strategic foraging decision for H. radiata females that adjust their aggressive behaviour towards males so as to limit its potential costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Fernández-Montraveta
- Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | - José Miguel González
- Departamento de Psicología Biológica y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Zoobotánico de Jerez, Madreselva s/n, 11407 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain.
| | - Mariano Cuadrado
- Zoobotánico de Jerez, Madreselva s/n, 11407 Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain.
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Wignall AE, Herberstein ME. The influence of vibratory courtship on female mating behaviour in orb-web spiders (Argiope keyserlingi, Karsch 1878). PLoS One 2013; 8:e53057. [PMID: 23341922 PMCID: PMC3547032 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Web-building spiders are important models for sexual selection. While our understanding of post-copulatory mechanisms including sperm competition and cryptic female choice is considerable, our knowledge of courtship and how it influences male and female mating decisions is still extremely poor. Here, we provide the first comprehensive description of male courtship behaviour and vibrations generated in the web by the orb-web spider, Argiope keyserlingi – a recognised model species. We identified three main elements of male courtship: shudders, abdominal wags and mating thread dances (including both plucks and bounces). The vibrations generated by these behaviours are described in detail. Male shuddering behaviour appears to have a strong influence on female latency to mate acceptance, with males that shudder at high rates without compromising shudder duration being preferred. Shuddering behaviour may also mediate female aggressive behaviour, with males that generate long shudders less likely to be cannibalised after copulation. Male abdominal wagging behaviour, however, appears to have only limited influence on female mating decisions. This study provides avenues for future work that synthesises pre- and post-copulatory mechanisms in web-building spiders to generate an all-encompassing model of how sexual selection operates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Wignall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.
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Factors influencing sexual cannibalism and its benefit to fecundity and offspring survival in the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata (Araneae: Lycosidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1440-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Li D, Oh J, Kralj-Fiser S, Kuntner M. Remote copulation: male adaptation to female cannibalism. Biol Lett 2012; 8:512-5. [PMID: 22298805 PMCID: PMC3391442 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.1202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual cannibalism by females and associated male behaviours may be driven by sexual conflict. One such male behaviour is the eunuch phenomenon in spiders, caused by total genital emasculation, which is a seemingly maladaptive behaviour. Here, we provide the first empirical testing of an adaptive hypothesis to explain this behaviour, the remote copulation, in a highly sexually cannibalistic orb-web spider Nephilengys malabarensis. We demonstrate that sperm transfer continues from the severed male organ into female genitals after the male has been detached from copula. Remote copulation increases the total amount of sperm transferred, and thus probably enhances paternity. We conclude that the mechanism may have evolved in response to sexual cannibalism and female-controlled short copulation duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiqin Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore.
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Herberstein M, Wignall A, Nessler S, Harmer A, Schneider J. How effective and persistent are fragmentsof male genitalia as mating plugs? Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Walter A, Elgar MA. The evolution of novel animal signals: silk decorations as a model system. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2012; 87:686-700. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2012.00219.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Mate quality, not aggressive spillover, explains sexual cannibalism in a size-dimorphic spider. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1262-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Aisenberg A, Barrantes G. Sexual behavior, cannibalism, and mating plugs as sticky traps in the orb weaver spider Leucauge argyra (Tetragnathidae). Naturwissenschaften 2011; 98:605-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-011-0807-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2011] [Revised: 05/06/2011] [Accepted: 05/07/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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