Sex Differences in “Time Out” from Reproductive Activity and Sexual Selection in Male Bushcrickets (Orthoptera: Zaprochilinae: Kawanaphila mirla)

Animals of many species prefer some partners over others. Discriminating among potential mates causes strong sexual selection that shapes characters and behaviors. In bushcrickets the sexes shows different latencies to remate due to differences in investment in production of the nuptial gift by male...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect behavior 2007-03, Vol.20 (2), p.215-227
Main Authors: Lehmann, Gerlind U. C, Lehmann, Arne W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal ethology
Animal reproduction
Biological and medical sciences
calling
female choice
Females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Kawanaphila
male-male-competition
Males
mating success
nuptial gifts
Orthoptera
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Sex ratio
spermatophores
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Summary:Animals of many species prefer some partners over others. Discriminating among potential mates causes strong sexual selection that shapes characters and behaviors. In bushcrickets the sexes shows different latencies to remate due to differences in investment in production of the nuptial gift by males and the induced refractory period in females. We conducted experiments with the Australian bushcricket Kawanaphila mirla to test the variation in male mating success by female choice. Male remating intervals under unlimited access to food and mates were around two days, whereas most females did not remate within 12 days. Males had therefore a much shorter “time-out” from mating than females. The adult sex ratio from field samples was near to 1:1. Consequently, the OSR was male-biased with more males than females ready to mate. This male-biased OSR led to mating competition in males and choosiness in females. In a field enclosure with unlimited supply of receptive females the number of matings varied widely between males, with twenty percent of males neglected by the females. The number of matings within this enclosure was neither related to male size nor to song characters, recorded previously in the lab. However, the number of matings by individual males was positively correlated to the size of their spermatophore producing accessory gland. Females appear to prefer males with a large nutritive donation, thereby receiving a direct fitness benefit.
ISSN:0892-7553
1572-8889
DOI:10.1007/s10905-007-9076-1