1
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House CM, Duffield K, Rapkin J, Sakaluk SK, Hunt J. The transfer of male cuticular hydrocarbons provides a reliable cue of the risk and intensity of sperm competition in decorated crickets. Evolution 2024; 78:1606-1618. [PMID: 38864438 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Theoretically, males should increase their ejaculate expenditure when the probability of sperm competition occurring (or risk) is high but decrease ejaculate expenditure as the number of competing ejaculates (or intensity) increases. Here we examine whether male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) use cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) transferred to females by rival males at mating to assess the risk and intensity of sperm competition and adjust their ejaculate accordingly. Unmated females and those perfumed with CHCs extracted from one, three, or five males could be distinguished chemically, providing a reliable cue of the risk and intensity of sperm competition. In agreement with theory, males mating with these females increased sperm number with the risk of sperm competition and decreased sperm number with the intensity of sperm competition. Similarly, as the risk of sperm competition increased, males produced a larger and more attractive spermatophylax (an important non-sperm component of the ejaculate) but these traits did not vary with the intensity of sperm competition. Our results therefore demonstrate that both sperm and non-sperm components of the male ejaculate respond to the risk and intensity of sperm competition in different ways and that CHCs provide males with an important cue to strategically tailor their ejaculate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa M House
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
| | - Kristin Duffield
- Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Centre for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA-ARS, Peoria, IL 61604, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, United States
| | - James Rapkin
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, United States
| | - John Hunt
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Richmond, NSW 2753, Australia
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, United Kingdom
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2
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Yang H, Quan P, Li D. Male age and sexual experience affect male mating behavior in the hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2021; 85:147-160. [PMID: 34698986 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00666-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As is reported, in species with first-male sperm precedence, male age and previous sexual experience play crucial roles in male mating behavior. In the hawthorn spider mite, Amphitetranychus viennensis Zacher, previous studies showed that only females that copulated for the first time could achieve fertilization. Based on this, the effects of male age and mating history on male mate choice and male mate competition were investigated. It was confirmed that males could distinguish virgins from fertilized females but they were unable to discriminate between virgins and unfertilized females. Interestingly, the copulation duration of males mated with fertilized females was much shorter than that of males mated with virgins or unfertilized females. Additionally, for male mating choice, males of all ages and more experienced males preferred 5-day-old virgin females, whereas only less experienced males preferred 1-day-old virgin females. In male-male competition, 3-day-old males were more competitive and obtained more copulations compared with others. Copula duration was closely related to male age. Though no significant differences were observed in mating competition between virgin and mated males, copula duration of males in first copulation was the longest and gradually shortened in subsequent copulations. In all, this investigation demonstrated that male age and sexual experience affected male mate choice and male-male competition, leading to further insight into the influences of male age and sexual experience on the reproductive fitness of both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haibo Yang
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Pengqi Quan
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Dingxu Li
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China.
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3
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Strategic adjustment of ejaculate quality in response to variation of the socio-sexual environment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03032-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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4
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Carleial R, McDonald GC, Spurgin LG, Fairfield EA, Wang Y, Richardson DS, Pizzari T. Temporal dynamics of competitive fertilization in social groups of red junglefowl ( Gallus gallus) shed new light on avian sperm competition. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200081. [PMID: 33070718 PMCID: PMC7661449 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of birds have made a fundamental contribution to elucidating sperm competition processes, experimentally demonstrating the role of individual mechanisms in competitive fertilization. However, the relative importance of these mechanisms and the way in which they interact under natural conditions remain largely unexplored. Here, we conduct a detailed behavioural study of freely mating replicate groups of red junglefowl, Gallus gallus, to predict the probability that competing males fertilize individual eggs over the course of 10-day trials. Remating frequently with a female and mating last increased a male's probability of fertilization, but only for eggs ovulated in the last days of a trial. Conversely, older males, and those mating with more polyandrous females, had consistently lower fertilization success. Similarly, resistance to a male's mating attempts, particularly by younger females, reduced fertilization probability. After considering these factors, male social status, partner relatedness and the estimated state of male extragonadal sperm reserves did not predict sperm competition outcomes. These results shed new light on sperm competition dynamics in taxa such as birds, with prolonged female sperm storage and staggered fertilizations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rômulo Carleial
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Grant C. McDonald
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Department of Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, Budapest 1077, Hungary
| | - Lewis G. Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | | | - Yunke Wang
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Tommaso Pizzari
- Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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5
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Romano D, Stefanini C. Bio-robotic cues show how the Trinidadian guppy male recognises the morphological features of receptive females. Behav Processes 2020; 182:104283. [PMID: 33227377 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Sensory fusion is used by the males of several animal species to discriminate the mating status of females by evaluating their phenotypic traits. The predominant trait used is olfactory cues, and the role of visual cues is not yet fully understood. The ability of Poecilia reticulata males to evaluate females' receptivity based on visual cues was investigated. Guppy males adopt two different mating strategies, courtship displays and forced copulation, towards receptive and pregnant females, respectively. Robotic counterparts mimicking receptive and pregnant females were developed to test whether males relied only on visual information to determine a females' mating status. Exposure to the robotic receptive females evoked courtship behaviours, while forced copulation attempts were more frequent towards the robotic pregnant females. When the robotic fish were simultaneously exposed, regardless of the presence or absence of receptive-female olfactory cues, males expressed their preference for the receptive female. Visual processing showed that fish social interactions played a strategic role in their collection of information, especially when other stimuli were not available. The proposed ethorobotic approach allowed for assessing the role of visual cues in the mating choice of P. reticulata males and highlighting the information processing methods and cognition in aquatic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donato Romano
- The BioRobotics Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Cesare Stefanini
- The BioRobotics Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025 Pontedera, Pisa, Italy; Department of Excellence in Robotics and AI, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127, Pisa, Italy; Healthcare Engineering Innovation Center (HEIC), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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6
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Parker GA. Conceptual developments in sperm competition: a very brief synopsis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200061. [PMID: 33070727 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The past half century has seen the development of the field of post-ejaculatory sexual selection, the sequel to sexual selection for mate-acquisition (pre-ejaculatory) described by Darwin. In richness and diversity of adaptations, post-ejaculatory selection rivals that of pre-ejaculatory sexual selection. Anisogamy-and hence two sexes-likely arose by primeval gamete competition, and sperm competition remains a major force maintaining high sperm numbers. The post-ejaculatory equivalent of male-male competition for matings, sperm competition was an intense ancestral form of sexual selection, typically weakening as mobility and internal fertilization developed in many taxa, when some expenditure became diverted into pre-ejaculatory competition. Sperm competition theory has been relatively successful in explaining variation in relative testes size and sperm numbers per ejaculate and is becoming more successful in explaining variation in sperm phenotype. Sperm competition has generated many other male adaptations such as seminal fluid proteins that variously modify female reproduction towards male interests, and copulatory plugs, prolonged copulations and post-ejaculatory guarding behaviour that reduce female remating probability, many of which result in sexual conflict. This short survey of conceptual developments is intended as a broad overview, mainly as a primer for new researchers. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoff A Parker
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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7
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Meniri M, Gohon F, Gning O, Glauser G, Vallat A, Fasel NJ, Helfenstein F. Experimental manipulation of reproductive tactics in Seba's short-tailed bats: consequences on sperm quality and oxidative status. Curr Zool 2019; 65:609-616. [PMID: 31857807 PMCID: PMC6911846 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To reproduce, males have to fertilize the female's eggs, sometimes in competition with ejaculates of other males. In species where males display alternative reproductive tactics, whereby territorial males secure mating and non-territorial males have to sneak copulations, the latter might be expected to invest relatively more resources towards sperm quality compared with the territorial males. Sperm cells are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress, which reduces male fertility. Therefore, antioxidant resources are expected to modulate sperm quality, and might be allocated differently between reproductive tactics. To test the link between reproductive tactics, redox profile and sperm quality, we experimentally induced changes in the reproductive tactics of 39 captive males Seba's short-tailed bats Carollia perspicillata. We monitored the blood and ejaculate oxidative balance, and the sperm quality before, 7 days and 21 days after the manipulation of reproductive tactic. Although ejaculates' oxidative damage was negatively related to sperm velocity, males exhibited similar blood and ejaculates redox profiles and similar sperm quality, regardless of their reproductive tactic. Possibly, these results arise as a consequence of some constraints having been lifted during the experiment. Our results also suggest that, in Seba's short-tailed bats, the expression of alternative reproductive tactics is not subjected to strong oxidative constraints. Furthermore, our results could reflect an absence of trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits in harem males, as they could be selected to invest both in female attraction and sperm quality, as a consequence of their inability to fully monopolize females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Meniri
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Florence Gohon
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ophélie Gning
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Armelle Vallat
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Fabrice Helfenstein
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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8
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Romero-Lebrón E, Oviedo-Diego MA, Elias D, Vrech DE, Peretti AV. Effect of the mating plug on female chemical attractiveness and mating acceptance in a scorpion. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Romero-Lebrón
- Centro de Relevamiento y Evaluación de Recursos Agrícolas y Naturales (CREAN-IMBIV); Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET); Córdoba Argentina
| | - Mariela A. Oviedo-Diego
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA); Córdoba Argentina
| | - David Elias
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
| | - David E. Vrech
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA); Córdoba Argentina
- Cátedra de Diversidad Biológica II, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
| | - Alfredo V. Peretti
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA); Córdoba Argentina
- Cátedra de Diversidad Biológica II, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Córdoba Argentina
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9
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Turnell BR, Shaw KL, Reeve HK. Modeling strategic sperm allocation: Tailoring the predictions to the species. Evolution 2018; 72:414-425. [PMID: 29331038 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Two major challenges exist when empirically testing the predictions of sperm allocation theory. First, the study species must adhere to the assumptions of the model being tested. Unfortunately, the common assumption of sperm allocation models that females mate a maximum of once or twice does not hold for many, if not most, multiply and sequentially mating animals. Second, a model's parameters, which dictate its predictions, must be measured in the study species. Common examples of such parameters, female mating frequency and sperm precedence patterns, are unknown for many species used in empirical tests. Here, we present a broadly applicable model, appropriate for multiply, sequentially mating animals, and test it in three species for which data on all the relevant parameter values are available. The model predicts that relative allocation to virgin females, compared to nonvirgins, depends on the interaction between female mating rate and the sperm precedence pattern: relative allocation to virgins increases with female mating rate under first-male precedence, while the opposite is true under later-male precedence. Our model is moderately successful in predicting actual allocation patterns in the three species, including a cricket in which we measured the parameter values and performed an empirical test of allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biz R Turnell
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.,Current Address: Department of Biology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Kerry L Shaw
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - H Kern Reeve
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
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10
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Engqvist L, Taborsky M. The evolution of strategic male mating effort in an information transfer framework. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1143-1152. [PMID: 28374957 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sperm competition theory predicts that males should use cues indicating the risk and intensity of sperm competition to tailor their sperm investment accordingly. Rival males are an important source of social information regarding sperm competition risk. However, revealing such information may not be in the rival males' interest. Here, we use a theoretical approach based on informed and uninformed games to investigate when information transfer about sperm competition risk to competitors is beneficial for a male, and when it is not. The results show that signalling to potential future mates that a female has already mated is beneficial when the signalling male has a sperm competition disadvantage, whereas it is unfavourable when the signaller has an advantage. The reason for this counterintuitive result is that the rival males' optimal response is to reduce sperm investment when the signaller has a disadvantage and, conversely, to increase investment when the signaller has an advantage. Furthermore, we analysed scenarios where males use alternative reproductive tactics. In this situation, signalling the awareness of sperm competition risk rarely pays; instead, it is beneficial to maintain an information advantage. Thus, it may be beneficial for bourgeois males to accept cuckoldry instead of revealing their sperm competition awareness to reproductive parasites. These results provide new insight into the evolution of communication between rivals in the context of sperm competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Engqvist
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - M Taborsky
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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11
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Bollatti F, Diaz VG, Peretti AV, Aisenberg A. Geographical variation in sexual behavior and body traits in a sex role reversed wolf spider. Naturwissenschaften 2017; 104:40. [PMID: 28396913 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-017-1460-x] [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: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mating partners need to recognize, assess each other, and exchange information through behavioral events that occur before, during, and after mating. Sexual signals, as well as life history traits, are influenced by selective pressures and environmental factors that can vary across distant geographical areas. Allocosa senex is a sand-dwelling wolf spider which constructs burrows along the sandy coasts of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Females are the mobile sex that searches for males and initiates courtship. They prefer males which construct longer burrows, and males prefer virgin females in good body condition. The objective of this study was to compare sexual behavior patterns, as well as body characteristics and burrow dimensions, between two geographically distant locations of A. senex, one in Uruguay (Uruguayan location) and the other from central Argentina (Argentinean location). We found differences in the number of male abdominal vibrations, male and female touches during mating, and number of erections of male leg spines, which all were higher in matings of Argentinean pairs. On the other hand, male body mass and female body condition were higher in Uruguayan individuals. The wide distribution of A. senex could be determining variations in the biotic and abiotic features that affect the species, generating differences in the strength of selective forces acting on individuals from the two studied locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fedra Bollatti
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, F.C.E.F.N, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina. .,Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, CONICET-UNC, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Virginia Garcia Diaz
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, F.C.E.F.N, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alfredo V Peretti
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, F.C.E.F.N, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina.,Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, CONICET-UNC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Anita Aisenberg
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, 11600, Montevideo, Uruguay
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12
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Rodrigues LR, Figueiredo ART, Varela SAM, Olivieri I, Magalhães S. Male spider mites use chemical cues, but not the female mating interval, to choose between mates. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 71:1-13. [PMID: 28040863 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0103-9] [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: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The choice of the partner an individual will mate with is expected to strongly impact its fitness. Hence, natural selection has favoured the evolution of cues to distinguish among mates that will provide different fitness benefits to the individual that is choosing. In species with first-male sperm precedence, this is particularly important for males, as mating with mated females will result in no offspring. In the spider mite Tetranychus urticae only the first mating is effective, except if the interval between first and second copulations is shorter than 24 h. In line with this, males prefer to mate with virgin over mated females. They do not, however, choose between females that have mated at different time intervals. Here, we tested which type of cues males use to distinguish between females with different mating status (virgin versus mated). To do so, we firstly confirmed that males prefer virgins over mated females and that they do not select females on the basis of their age or mating interval. Next, we tested whether contact and volatile compounds or chemical trails affected male discrimination between mated and virgin females, by systematically varying the exposure of males to these cues. We found that volatile compounds and chemical trails were sufficient to induce discrimination between virgin and mated females in males. Direct contact with females, however, does not seem to play a role in this discrimination. The composition of such chemical cues (trails and volatiles) remains to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonor R Rodrigues
- cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Edifício C2, 3º piso, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
- ISEM: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, UMR 5554 (Université de Montpellier/CNRS/IRD), Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France.
| | - Alexandre R T Figueiredo
- cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Edifício C2, 3º piso, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana A M Varela
- cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Edifício C2, 3º piso, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Isabelle Olivieri
- ISEM: Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, UMR 5554 (Université de Montpellier/CNRS/IRD), Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Sara Magalhães
- cE3c: Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Edifício C2, 3º piso, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
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13
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Yoshikawa T, Ohkubo Y, Karino K, Hasegawa E. Male guppies change courtship behaviour in response to their own quality relative to that of a rival male. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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14
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Müller T, Müller C. Consequences of mating with siblings and nonsiblings on the reproductive success in a leaf beetle. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3185-97. [PMID: 27103986 PMCID: PMC4829044 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Choosing a suitable mating partner is crucial for the fitness of an individual, whereby mating with siblings often results in inbreeding depression. We studied consequences of mating with siblings versus nonsiblings in the mustard leaf beetle, Phaedon cochleariae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), on lifetime reproductive traits. Furthermore, we analyzed whether cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles are family specific and could potentially influence the mating behavior of young adults. We hypothesized a reduced reproductive success of females mated with siblings and a more rapid mating of males with nonsiblings. The hatching rate from eggs of sibling pairs was lower compared to that of nonsibling pairs, pointing to inbreeding depression. Furthermore, the number of eggs laid by females decreased over time in both sibling and nonsibling pairs. Interestingly, the CHC profiles and the body mass differed between families. However, the beetles did not avoid siblings and accepted them as readily as nonsiblings for mating in no‐choice tests. In summary, although it had negative consequences to mate a sibling and although siblings could potentially be recognized by their CHC profiles, the beetles did not show a delayed mating with siblings. Our results indicate that P. cochleariae beetles have not developed a precopulatory mechanism to avoid inbreeding, at least under the test conditions applied here. We predict that instead a polyandrous mating system and/or postcopulatory mechanisms might have evolved in this species by which inbreeding costs can be reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorben Müller
- Department of Chemical Ecology Bielefeld University Universitätsstr. 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
| | - Caroline Müller
- Department of Chemical Ecology Bielefeld University Universitätsstr. 25 33615 Bielefeld Germany
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15
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Bocedi G, Reid JM. Coevolutionary Feedbacks between Female Mating Interval and Male Allocation to Competing Sperm Traits Can Drive Evolution of Costly Polyandry. Am Nat 2016; 187:334-50. [PMID: 26913946 DOI: 10.1086/684746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Complex coevolutionary feedbacks between female mating interval and male sperm traits have been hypothesized to explain the evolution and persistence of costly polyandry. Such feedbacks could potentially arise because polyandry creates sperm competition and consequent selection on male allocation to sperm traits, while the emerging sperm traits could create female sperm limitation and, hence, impose selection for increased polyandry. However, the hypothesis that costly polyandry could coevolve with male sperm dynamics has not been tested. We built a genetically explicit individual-based model to simulate simultaneous evolution of female mating interval and male allocation to sperm number versus longevity, where these two sperm traits trade off. We show that evolution of competing sperm traits under polyandry can indeed cause female sperm limitation and, hence, promote further evolution and persistence of costly polyandry, particularly when sperm are costly relative to the degree of female sperm limitation. These feedbacks were stronger, and greater polyandry evolved, when postcopulatory competition for paternity followed a loaded rather than fair raffle and when sperm traits had realistically low heritability. We therefore demonstrate that the evolution of allocation to sperm traits driven by sperm competition can prevent males from overcoming female sperm limitation, thereby driving ongoing evolution of costly polyandry.
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16
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17
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Lane SM, Solino JH, Mitchell C, Blount JD, Okada K, Hunt J, House CM. Rival male chemical cues evoke changes in male pre- and post-copulatory investment in a flour beetle. Behav Ecol 2015; 26:1021-1029. [PMID: 26167098 PMCID: PMC4495758 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Males can gather information on the risk and intensity of sperm competition from their social environment. Recent studies have implicated chemosensory cues, for instance cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) in insects, as a key source of this information. Here, using the broad-horned flour beetle (Gnatocerus cornutus), we investigated the importance of contact-derived rival male CHCs in informing male perception of sperm competition risk and intensity. We experimentally perfumed virgin females with male CHCs via direct intersexual contact and measured male pre- and post-copulatory investment in response to this manipulation. Using chemical analysis, we verified that this treatment engendered changes to perfumed female CHC profiles, but did not make perfumed females "smell" mated. Despite this, males responded to these chemical changes. Males increased courtship effort under low levels of perceived competition (from 1-3 rivals), but significantly decreased courtship effort as perceived competition rose (from 3-5 rivals). Furthermore, our measurement of ejaculate investment showed that males allocated significantly more sperm to perfumed females than to control females. Together, these results suggest that changes in female chemical profile elicited by contact with rival males do not provide males with information on female mating status, but rather inform males of the presence of rivals within the population and thus provide a means for males to indirectly assess the risk of sperm competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Lane
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK
| | - Joanna H Solino
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK , ; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Vector Control Department , Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA , UK
| | - Christopher Mitchell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK , ; Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury Campus , Penrith, New South Wales 2751 , Australia , and
| | - Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK
| | - Kensuke Okada
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University , Tsushima-naka 1-1-1, Okayama , Japan
| | - John Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK
| | - Clarissa M House
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus , Cornwall TR10 9EZ , UK
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18
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Jayaweera A, Barry KL. The effect of female quality on male ejaculatory expenditure and reproductive success in a praying mantid. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124209. [PMID: 25970459 PMCID: PMC4430211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Strategic ejaculation is a behavioural strategy shown by many animals as a response to sperm competition and/or as a potential mechanism of cryptic male choice. Males invest more mating resources when the risk of sperm competition increases or they invest more in high quality females to maximize their reproductive output. We tested this hypothesis in the false garden mantid Pseudomantis albofimbriata, where females are capable of multiply mating and body condition is an indicator of potential reproductive fitness. We predicted male mantids would ejaculate strategically by allocating more sperm to high quality females. To determine if and how males alter their ejaculate in response to mate quality, we manipulated female food quantity so that females were either in good condition with many eggs (i.e. high quality) or poor condition with few eggs (i.e. low quality). Half of the females from each treatment were used in mating trials in which transferred sperm was counted before fertilisation occurred and the other half of females were used in mating trials where fertilisation occurred and ootheca mass and total eggs in the ootheca were recorded. Opposed to our predictions, the total number of sperm and the proportion of viable sperm transferred did not vary significantly between female treatments. Male reproductive success was entirely dependent on female quality/fecundity, rather than on the number of sperm transferred. These results suggest that female quality is not a major factor influencing postcopulatory male mating strategies in P. albofimbriata, and that sperm number has little effect on male reproductive success in a single mating scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradhi Jayaweera
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Katherine L. Barry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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19
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Fritzsche K, Arnqvist G. The effects of male phenotypic condition on reproductive output in a sex role-reversed beetle. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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20
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Abe J, Kamimura Y. Sperm economy between female mating frequency and male ejaculate allocation. Am Nat 2015; 185:406-16. [PMID: 25674694 DOI: 10.1086/679586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Why females of many species mate multiply is a major question in evolutionary biology. Furthermore, if females accept matings more than once, ejaculates from different males compete for fertilization (sperm competition), which confronts males with the decision of how to allocate their reproductive resources to each mating event. Although most existing models have examined either female mating frequency or male ejaculate allocation while assuming fixed levels of the opposite sex's strategies, these strategies are likely to coevolve. To investigate how the interaction of the two sexes' strategies is influenced by the level of sperm limitation in the population, we developed models in which females adjust their number of allowable matings and males allocate their ejaculate in each mating. Our model predicts that females mate only once or less than once at an even sex ratio or in an extremely female-biased condition, because of female resistance and sperm limitation in the population, respectively. However, in a moderately female-biased condition, males favor partitioning their reproductive budgets across many females, whereas females favor multiple matings to obtain sufficient sperm, which contradicts the predictions of most existing models. We discuss our model's predictions and relationships with the existing models and demonstrate applications for empirical findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Abe
- Department of Biology, Kanagawa University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1293, Japan
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21
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Uma R, Sevgili H. Spermatophore allocation strategy over successive matings in the bushcricketIsophya sikorai(Orthoptera Phaneropterinae). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2014.896830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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22
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Male and female crickets modulate their courtship behaviour depending on female experience with mate availability. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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23
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Haeussler EM, Schmera D, Baur A, Baur B. Random mating with respect to mating status in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum. INVERTEBR REPROD DEV 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/07924259.2013.855267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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24
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Engqvist L, Cordes N, Schwenniger J, Bakhtina S, Schmoll T. Female Remating Behavior in a Lekking Moth. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leif Engqvist
- Evolutionary Biology; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
| | - Nils Cordes
- Evolutionary Biology; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
| | | | | | - Tim Schmoll
- Evolutionary Biology; Bielefeld University; Bielefeld Germany
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25
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Kimura K, Chiba S. Strategic ejaculation in simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails: more sperm into virgin mates. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:264. [PMID: 24304518 PMCID: PMC4235035 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background It has been theorised that sperm competition promotes the strategic usage of costly sperm. Although sperm competition is thought to be an important driving force of reproductive traits in simultaneous hermaphrodites as well as in species with separate sexes, empirical studies on strategic ejaculation in simultaneous hermaphrodites are scarce. Results In the present study, we tested whether the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Euhadra quaesita adjusts the number of sperm donated according to the condition of the mate and whether the pattern of strategic ejaculation is in line with previously suggested theories. We found that individuals donated much more sperm when they copulated with a virgin mate than when they copulated with a non-virgin. Conclusion The virgin-biased pattern of ejaculation matches the theoretical prediction and suggests that sperm competition significantly influence the reproductive traits of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Kimura
- Department of Environmental Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Kawauchi 41, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8576, Japan.
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26
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Worthington AM, Gress BE, Neyer AA, Kelly CD. Do male crickets strategically adjust the number and viability of their sperm under sperm competition? Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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27
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Nandy B, Chakraborty P, Gupta V, Ali SZ, Prasad NG. Sperm competitive ability evolves in response to experimental alteration of operational sex ratio. Evolution 2013; 67:2133-41. [PMID: 23815666 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2012] [Accepted: 01/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In naturally polygamous organisms such as Drosophila, sperm competitive ability is one of the most important components of male fitness and is expected to evolve in response to varying degrees of male-male competition. Several studies have documented the existence of ample genetic variation in sperm competitive ability of males. However, many experimental evolution studies have found sperm competitive ability to be unresponsive to selection. Even direct selection for increased sperm competitive ability has failed to yield any measurable changes. Here we report the evolution of sperm competitive ability (sperm defense-P1, offense-P2) in a set of replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster subjected to altered levels of male-male competition (generated by varying the operational sex ratio) for 55-60 generations. Males from populations with female-biased operational sex ratio evolved reduced P1 and P2, without any measurable change in the male reproductive behavior. Males in the male-biased regime evolved increased P1, but there was no significant change in P2. Increase in P1 was associated with an increase in copulation duration, possibly indicating greater ejaculate investment by these males. This study is one of the few to provide empirical evidence for the evolution of sperm competitive ability of males under different levels of male-male competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodhisatta Nandy
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, Punjab, India
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28
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Effects of mating status on copulatory and postcopulatory behaviour in a simultaneous hermaphrodite. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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29
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Price TAR, Lizé A, Marcello M, Bretman A. Experience of mating rivals causes males to modulate sperm transfer in the fly Drosophila pseudoobscura. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2012; 58:1669-1675. [PMID: 23085556 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2012] [Revised: 10/08/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Male responses to risk of sperm competition play an important role in sexual selection, sexual conflict, and the evolution of mating systems. Such responses can combine behavioural and physiological processes, and can be mediated through different components of the ejaculate such as sperm numbers and seminal proteins. An additional level of ejaculate complexity is sperm heteromorphism, with the inclusion of non-fertilising parasperm in the ejaculate. We now test the response to rivals in a sperm heteromorphic species, Drosophila pseudoobscura, measuring the behavioural response and sperm transfer and, crucially, relating these to short-term fitness. Males respond to exposure to conspecific rivals by increasing mating duration, but do not respond to heterospecific rivals. In addition, after exposure to a conspecific rival, males increased the transfer of fertilising eusperm, but not non-fertilising parasperm. Males exposed to a conspecific rival also achieve higher offspring production. This suggests that the evolution of parasperm in flies was not driven by sperm competition and adds to the increasing evidence that males can make extremely sophisticated responses to mating competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom A R Price
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, UK
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Hamblin
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales; Sydney; NSW 2052; Australia
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31
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Engqvist L. Evolutionary Modeling Predicts a Decrease in Postcopulatory Sperm Viability as a Response to Increasing Levels of Sperm Competition. Am Nat 2012; 179:667-77. [DOI: 10.1086/665000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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32
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33
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LEMAÎTRE JF, RAMM SA, HURST JL, STOCKLEY P. Sperm competition roles and ejaculate investment in a promiscuous mammal. J Evol Biol 2012; 25:1216-25. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2012.02511.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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34
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Schneider JM, Lucass C, Brandler W, Fromhage L. Spider Males Adjust Mate Choice but Not Sperm Allocation to Cues of a Rival. Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01960.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Bonilla MM, Zeh DW, White AM, Zeh JA. Discriminating Males and Unpredictable Females: Males Bias Sperm Allocation in Favor of Virgin Females. Ethology 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2011.01928.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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36
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Salehialavi Y, Fritzsche K, Arnqvist G. The cost of mating and mutual mate choice in 2 role–reversed honey locust beetles. Behav Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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37
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Abstract
Sperm competition was identified in 1970 as a pervasive selective force in post-copulatory sexual selection that occurs when the ejaculates of different males compete to fertilise a given set of ova. Since then, sperm competition has been much studied both empirically and theoretically. Because sperm competition often favours large ejaculates, an important challenge has been to understand the evolution of strategies through which males invest in sperm production and economise sperm allocation to maximise reproductive success under competitive conditions. Sperm competition mechanisms vary greatly, depending on many factors including the level of sperm competition, space constraints in the sperm competition arena, male mating roles, and female influences on sperm utilisation. Consequently, theoretical models of ejaculate economics are complex and varied, often with apparently conflicting predictions. The goal of this review is to synthesise the theoretical basis of ejaculate economics under sperm competition, aiming to provide empiricists with categorised model assumptions and predictions. We show that apparent contradictions between older and newer models can often be reconciled and there is considerable consensus in the predictions generated by different models. We also discuss qualitative empirical support for some of these predictions, and detail quantitative matches between predictions and observations that exist in the yellow dung fly. We argue that ejaculate economic theory represents a powerful heuristic to explain the diversity in ejaculate traits at multiple levels: across species, across males and within individual males. Future progress requires greater understanding of sperm competition mechanisms, quantification of trade-offs between ejaculate allocation and numbers of matings gained, further knowledge of mechanisms of female sperm selection and their associated costs, further investigation of non-sperm ejaculate effects, and theoretical integration of pre- and post-copulatory episodes of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoff A Parker
- Division of Population and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Crown Street, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK.
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38
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Kelly CD, Jennions MD. Sexual selection and sperm quantity: meta-analyses of strategic ejaculation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2011; 86:863-84. [PMID: 21414127 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2011.00175.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 214] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clint D Kelly
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, USA.
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39
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Michalik P, Rittschof CC. A comparative analysis of the morphology and evolution of permanent sperm depletion in spiders. PLoS One 2011; 6:e16014. [PMID: 21264312 PMCID: PMC3019211 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Once thought to be energetically cheap and easy to produce, empirical work has shown that sperm is a costly and limited resource for males. In some spider species, there is behavioral evidence that sperm are permanently depleted after a single mating. This extreme degree of mating investment appears to co-occur with other reproductive strategies common to spiders, e.g. genital mutilation and sexual cannibalism. Here we corroborate that sperm depletion in the golden orb-web spider Nephila clavipes is permanent by uncovering its mechanistic basis using light and electron microscopy. In addition, we use a phylogeny-based statistical analysis to test the evolutionary relationships between permanent sperm depletion (PSD) and other reproductive strategies in spiders. Male testes do not produce sperm during adulthood, which is unusual in spiders. Instead, spermatogenesis is nearly synchronous and ends before the maturation molt. Testis size decreases as males approach their maturation molt and reaches its lowest point after sperm is transferred into the male copulatory organs (pedipalps). As a consequence, the amount of sperm available to males for mating is limited to the sperm contained in the pedipalps, and once it is used, males lose their ability to fertilize eggs. Our data suggest that PSD has evolved independently at least three times within web-building spiders and is significantly correlated with the evolution of other mating strategies that limit males to monogamy, including genital mutilation and sexual cannibalism. We conclude that PSD may be an energy-saving adaptation in species where males are limited to monogamy. This could be particularly important in web-building spiders where extreme sexual size dimorphism results in large, sedentary females and small, searching males who rarely feed as adults and are vulnerable to starvation. Future work will explore possible energetic benefits and the evolutionary lability of PSD relative to other mate-limiting reproductive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Michalik
- Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität, Greifswald, Germany.
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40
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Nandy B, Prasad NG. Reproductive behavior and fitness components in male Drosophila melaogaster are non-linearly affected by the number of male co-inhabitants early in adult life. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2011; 11:67. [PMID: 21867434 PMCID: PMC3281429 DOI: 10.1673/031.011.6701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2010] [Accepted: 07/15/2010] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Although multiple lines of evidence suggest that early adult life is very important in shaping the reproductive behavior of males, few studies have looked at the fitness consequences of the variation in reproductive behavior induced by differences in early life experience of males. Using a long term laboratory adapted population of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen (Diptera: Drosophilidae), early life experience, in terms of co-inhabitant numbers, was found to affect male mating behavior and at least one fitness component. However, in contrast to previous studies, a non-linear relationship was found between early life experience and fitness components and a significant effect of co-inhabitant number on copulation duration and sperm defense. Both these traits showed a sharp increase as the co-inhabitant numbers changed from 1 to 16. However, there was a decline in the trait values as the co-inhabitant number increased further. The probable causes for the observed non-linear pattern of responses are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Nandy
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, MGSIPA Complex, Sector 26, Chandigarh 160 019, India
| | - N. G. Prasad
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, MGSIPA Complex, Sector 26, Chandigarh 160 019, India
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41
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Simmons LW, Beveridge M. The strength of postcopulatory sexual selection within natural populations of field crickets. Behav Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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42
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Parker G, Immler S, Pitnick S, Birkhead T. Sperm competition games: Sperm size (mass) and number under raffle and displacement, and the evolution of P2. J Theor Biol 2010; 264:1003-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2009] [Revised: 03/01/2010] [Accepted: 03/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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43
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Ala-Honkola O, Tuominen L, Lindström K. Inbreeding avoidance in a poeciliid fish (Heterandria formosa). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0955-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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44
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Koene JM, Sloot W, Montagne-Wajer K, Cummins SF, Degnan BM, Smith JS, Nagle GT, ter Maat A. Male accessory gland protein reduces egg laying in a simultaneous hermaphrodite. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10117. [PMID: 20404934 PMCID: PMC2853560 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2009] [Accepted: 03/12/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seminal fluid is an important part of the ejaculate of internally fertilizing animals. This fluid contains substances that nourish and activate sperm for successful fertilization. Additionally, it contains components that influence female physiology to further enhance fertilization success of the sperm donor, possibly beyond the recipient's optimum. Although evidence for such substances abounds, few studies have unraveled their identities, and focus has been exclusively on separate-sex species. We present the first detailed study into the seminal fluid composition of a hermaphrodite (Lymnaea stagnalis). Eight novel peptides and proteins were identified from the seminal-fluid-producing prostate gland and tested for effects on oviposition, hatching and consumption. The gene for the protein found to suppress egg mass production, Ovipostatin, was sequenced, thereby providing the first fully-characterized seminal fluid substance in a simultaneous hermaphrodite. Thus, seminal fluid peptides and proteins have evolved and can play a crucial role in sexual selection even when the sexes are combined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris M Koene
- Animal Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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45
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46
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Wada T, Takegaki T, Mori T, Natsukari Y. Sperm removal, ejaculation and their behavioural interaction in male cuttlefish in response to female mating history. Anim Behav 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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47
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Alonzo S, Pizzari T. Male Fecundity Stimulation: Conflict and Cooperation Within and Between the Sexes: Model Analyses and Coevolutionary Dynamics. Am Nat 2010; 175:174-85. [DOI: 10.1086/649596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Morse DH. Male mate choice and female response in relation to mating status and time since mating. Behav Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arp183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Bretman A, Fricke C, Chapman T. Plastic responses of male Drosophila melanogaster to the level of sperm competition increase male reproductive fitness. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:1705-11. [PMID: 19324834 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary and plastic responses by males to the level of sperm competition (SC) are reported across widespread taxa, but direct tests of the consequences for male reproductive success in a competitive context are lacking. We varied male perception of SC to examine the effect on male competitive reproductive success and to test whether the outcomes were as predicted by theory. Exposure to rival males prior to mating increased a male's ejaculate investment (measured as mating duration); by contrast, exposure to rival males in the mating arena decreased mating duration. The results therefore suggested that SC intensity is important in shaping male responses to SC in this system, although the patterns were not strictly in accord with existing theory. We then tested whether males that responded to the level of SC had higher reproductive fitness in a competitive context. We found that males kept with rivals prior to mating again mated for longer; furthermore, they achieved significantly higher paternity share regardless of whether they were the first or second males to mate with a female. The plastic strategies employed by males therefore resulted in significantly increased reproductive success in a competitive context, even following subsequent rematings in which the majority of sperm were displaced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Bretman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK
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Thomas ML, Simmons LW. Male-derived cuticular hydrocarbons signal sperm competition intensity and affect ejaculate expenditure in crickets. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:383-8. [PMID: 18854298 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Female sexual promiscuity can have significant effects on male mating decisions because it increases the intensity of competition between ejaculates for fertilization. Because sperm production is costly, males that can detect multiple matings by females and allocate sperm strategically will have an obvious fitness advantage. The presence of rival males is widely recognized as a cue used by males to assess sperm competition. However, for species in which males neither congregate around nor guard females, other more cryptic cues might be involved. Here, we demonstrate unprecedented levels of sperm competition assessment by males, which is mediated via the use of chemical cues. Using the cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus, we manipulated male perception of sperm competition by experimentally coating live unmated females with cuticular compounds extracted from males. We found that males adjusted their ejaculate allocation in response to these compounds: the viability of sperm contained within a male's ejaculate decreased as the number of male extracts applied to his virgin female partner was increased. We further show that males do not respond to the relative concentration of male compounds present on females, but rather to the number of distinct signature odours of individual males. Our results conform to sperm competition theory, and show for the first time, to our knowledge, that males can detect different intensities of sperm competition by using distinct chemical cues of individual males present on females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Thomas
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia.
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