Inter-sexual combat and resource allocation into body parts in the spider, Stegodyphus lineatus |
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Authors: | ALEXEI A MAKLAKOV TRINE BILDE YAEL LUBIN |
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Institution: | Department of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden;, Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Ben Gurion University, Israel;, Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University, Israel;, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark |
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Abstract: | Abstract. 1. Sexual conflict, which results from the divergence of genetic interests between males and females, is predicted to affect multiple behavioural, physiological, and morphological traits. 2. Sexual conflict over mating may interact with population density to produce predictable changes in resource allocation into inter-sexual armament. 3. In the spider Stegodyphus lineatus , males fight with females over re-mating. The outcome of the fight is influenced by the cephalothorax size of the contestants. The investment in armament – the cephalothorax, may be traded-off against investment in abdomen, which is a trait that affects survival and fecundity. Pay-offs may depend on population density. Both sexes are expected to adjust resource allocation into different body parts accordingly. 4. Males had increased cephalothorax/body size ratio in low densities where probability of finding another receptive female is low and females had increased cephalothorax/body size ratio in high densities where cumulative costs of multiple mating are high. 5. The results support the theoretical conjecture that population density affects resource allocation into inter-sexual armament and call for further research on the interaction between sexual selection and population density. |
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Keywords: | Polyandry sexual armament sexual conflict sexual selection Stegodyphus lineatus trade-off |
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