Effects of male age on the mating behavior of both sexes in the sorghum plant bug, Stenotus rubrovittatus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

In the sorghum plant bug Stenotus rubrovittatus (Matsumura) (Hemiptera: Miridae), mating behavior consists of male courtship and female mating receptivity. Previous studies have found that female age is correlated with ovary development and that mature females with developed ovaries are more receptive to male courtship. Thus, we examined whether male age affects the mating behavior of both sexes and male accessory gland development. Unmated males 0–9 days after emergence and 3-day-old virgin females receptive to male courtship were studied. Immediately after emergence, only 20 % of the males courted females (n = 25). At 3 days old, 68 % of the males courted females (n = 25), the most active age. In contrast, more than 75 % of the courted females were receptive to the male courtship regardless of male age. These results indicate that only male courtship behavior is affected by male age, although it is not enhanced in proportion to male age. Male accessory glands developed with male age. However, no clear relationship was detected between male courtship behavior and accessory gland development. In S. rubrovittatus, it is difficult to explain male courtship behavior solely from male age and accessory gland development.     

Mating behavior of a Neotropical arachnid with exclusive paternal care

Paternal care has independently evolved in several arthropod lineages, but mating interactions have been described in detail for only a few species. Here, we describe the mating behavior of Iporangaia pustulosa, a Neotropical harvestman with exclusive paternal care. We obtained the data under natural conditions, and the results are based on 51 mating interactions. Females performed mate searching exclusively, locating and approaching stationary caring males on the vegetation. Upon arrival, nearly 33 % of the visiting females were promptly attacked and repelled by the males without copulating. We did not observe pre-copulatory courtship, and males, exclusively, performed copulatory courtship. Nearly 30 % of the females that copulated with caring males left the clutches without laying any egg. Finally, several behavioral actions reported here are remarkably similar to those observed in the sex-role-reversed harvestman Zygopachylus albomarginis, for which there is strong evidence of both male and female mate choice. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of male aggressive rejection of mates and female abandonment of clutches without ovipositing, suggesting that individuals of both sexes may evaluate and select mating partners.     

Testosterone response to courtship predicts future paternal behavior in the California mouse, Peromyscus californicus

In the monogamous and biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), paternal care is critical for maximal offspring survival. Animals form pair bonds and do not engage in extrapair matings, and thus female evaluation of paternal quality during courtship is likely to be advantageous. We hypothesized that male endocrine or behavioral response to courtship interactions would be predictive of future paternal behavior. To test this hypothesis, we formed 20 pairs of California mice, and evaluated their behavior during the first hour of courtship interactions and again following the birth of young. We also collected blood from males at baseline, 1 hr after pairing, 3 weeks paired, and when young were 4 days old to measure testosterone (T). We found that male T-response to courtship interactions predicted future paternal behavior, specifically the amount of time he huddled over young when challenged by the temporary removal of his mate. Males that mounted T increases at courtship also approached pups more quickly during this challenge than males who had a significant decrease in T at courtship. Proximity of the male and female during courtship predicted paternal huddling during a 1-hr observation, and a multiple regression analysis revealed that courtship behavior was also predictive of birth latency. We speculate that male T-response to a female in P. californicus is an honest indicator of paternal quality, and if detectable by females could provide a basis for evaluation during mate choice.     

Differential responses of yellow-breasted chats, Icteria virens, to male and female conspecific model presentations

A detailed understanding of the behavioural interactions between males and females is crucial for elucidating the selection pressures shaping mating system evolution; however, these interactions are often difficult to observe, particularly in free-living populations. We simulated extraterritorial intrusions by presenting conspecific models on to territories of a Neotropical migratory passerine, the yellow-breasted chat, Icteria virens. Simulated intrusions elicited different responses based on the sex of the focal individual and the sex and species of the model. Behavioural responses of the focal individuals were largely directed towards conspecific models, whereas simulated heterospecific intrusions, using a Carolina wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus, model, elicited minimal response. Male song was not related to any particular model presentation. Males directed mating behaviours, including courtship displays and copulations, exclusively towards the female conspecific model. Males behaved aggressively towards the conspecific male model. In contrast, females never showed any courtship behaviour towards the male model and showed significant aggression towards the conspecific female model. The results of this study reveal that territorial aggression in yellow-breasted chats is strongly intrasexual. Additionally, simulated female extraterritorial intrusions, but not male intrusions, resulted in extrapair courtship and copulation. This pattern is likely to be typical of many socially monogamous species and points to the behavioural mechanisms underlying both monogamy and extrapair mating systems.     

Getting that female glance: Patterns and consequences of male nonverbal behavior in courtship contexts

Females apparently are the choosier sex in courtship contexts, but there still is limited information about female selection criteria in real courtship settings. Given that a female knows little about a heretofore unacquainted male, upon what dimensions can (and do) females base their initial courtship decisions? Here, we report findings from observational studies that investigated male nonverbal behavior in a bar context. Study 1 documented the body movements of males prior to making contact with a female. It was found that males who successfully made “contact” courtship initiation with females exhibited different body language in this precontact phase than did males who did not make contact with females, including significantly more glancing behaviors, space-maximization movements, intrasexual touching, and less closed-body movements. The findings from a second within-subject study comparing the behavior of men in a bar when women were present or not present supported the initial study's findings and showed that males' emphasis on these behaviors increases in a mate-relevant context. We suggest that certain aspects of male nonverbal behavior in courtship contexts can serve as self-presentation and mate-value signals.     

Courtship Solicitation by Females of the Barred Sulphur Butterfly (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurema daira</Emphasis>) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Virgin females of the subtropical pierid butterfly Eurema daira were observed to actively solicit male courtship. The resulting interactions involved both aggressive contact with male individuals and elaborate female posturing. Cage-based trials showed that there was a direct relationship between the frequency of courtship solicitation attempts and female age. Virgin females under 3 days old showed little or no interest in initiating courtship. By contrast, 23.2 percent of the virgin females over three days old actively solicited available males with peak solicitation behavior exhibited from five day old individuals.     

Love Is Blind: Indiscriminate Female Mating Responses to Male Courtship Pheromones in Newts (Salamandridae)

Internal fertilization without copulation or prolonged physical contact is a rare reproductive mode among vertebrates. In many newts (Salamandridae), the male deposits a spermatophore on the substrate in the water, which the female subsequently takes up with her cloaca. Because such an insemination requires intense coordination of both sexes, male newts have evolved a courtship display, essentially consisting of sending pheromones under water by tail-fanning towards their potential partner. Behavioral experiments until now mostly focused on an attractant function, i.e. showing that olfactory cues are able to bring both sexes together. However, since males start their display only after an initial contact phase, courtship pheromones are expected to have an alternative function. Here we developed a series of intraspecific and interspecific two-female experiments with alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) and palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus) females, comparing behavior in male courtship water and control water. We show that male olfactory cues emitted during tail-fanning are pheromones that can induce all typical features of natural female mating behavior. Interestingly, females exposed to male pheromones of their own species show indiscriminate mating responses to conspecific and heterospecific females, indicating that visual cues are subordinate to olfactory cues during courtship.     

Complex Courtship Behavior in the Striped Ground Cricket, Allonemobius socius (Orthoptera: Gryllidae): Does Social Environment Affect Male and Female Behavior?

Complex courtship in the striped ground cricket, Allonemobius socius, involves a series of behaviors alternating between the sexes. We examined if complex courtship allows either or both genders to evaluate their mate and how mating behavior changes in different social environments. While complex courtship may allow discrimination by both sexes, here only females exhibited a preference. Males did not alter their courtship behavior or change spermatophore size for different size females. In contrast, females initiated copulation more quickly with bigger males possessing bigger spermatophores. In a different social environment (additional male, female, or both), males were less likely to omit courtship songs and female discrimination of mates changed. The distinct differences in male and female behavior suggest that subtle changes in social environment can have important consequences in structuring courtship and mating behavior.     

Visual and Olfactory Female-Borne Cues Evoke Male Courtship in the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius colemani Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

We investigated the courtship and mating behavior of the pan-tropical polyphagous endoparasitoid Aphidius colemani Viereck. The courtship and mating displays, the magnitude of male-male sexual approaches and the role of female-borne cues evoking male courtship behavior were quantified. The sequence of events leading to copulation in this parasitoid did not differ from that found for other braconids. Females refused to copulate more than once. Same-sex courtships were observed among males and their possible role in an adaptive context is discussed. Olfactory female-borne cues played a key role in eliciting the courtship responses of males. Males were attracted by freshly dead females, but not by dead females soaked in hexane, nor by visual cues from females alone. Intense male wing fanning behavior was elicited by crushed abdomens of virgin females, suggesting that the female abdomen is the source of a short-distance pheromone crucial in evoking male courtship. Further studies are required to clarify the exact nature of the chemicals involved.     

First Quantification of Courtship Behavior in a Silver Fly,Leucopis palumbii (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae): Role of Visual,Olfactory and Tactile Cues

Research on the courtship and mating behavior of insects is the first step toward a full understanding of their behavioral ecology. Investigating mating behavioral sequences could help to unravel mate assessment and mate choice dynamics in entomophagous organisms, adding useful information to develop behavior-based control strategies. In this research, courtship and mating displays, magnitude of male-male sexual interactions and role of female-borne cues evoking male courtship were analyzed in Leucopis palumbii Rondani (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae), a larval predator of aphids. Courtship was initiated by the male and was characterized by three main steps: chasing of the female, wing fanning in her close proximity and tarsal tapping with forelegs on the female’s body. Copulation may follow lasting 765?±?211.25 s. Same-sex interactions among males (i.e. wing fanning followed by tarsal tapping) were also registered. Male fanning before a successful courtship differed from fanning performed prior to an unsuccessful approach in terms of mean frequency. Female-borne stimuli played a key role in eliciting courtship responses from males. The best male’s response was achieved when physical and chemical cues arising from the female body were contemporarily provided, allowing synergistic visual, olfactory and tactile perception. Results contribute to understanding the role of visual, olfactory and tactile channels among sensory modalities used by aphidophagous Chamaemyiidae during sexual communication.     

Melodic males and flashy females: Geographic variation in male and female reproductive behavior in red‐eyed treefrogs (Agalychnis callidryas)

Geographic variation in courtship behavior can affect reproductive success of divergent phenotypes via mate choice. Over time, this can lead to reproductive isolation and ultimately to speciation. The Neotropical red‐eyed treefrog (Agalychnis callidryas) exhibits high levels of phenotypic variation among populations in Costa Rica and Panama, including differences in color pattern, body size, and skin peptides. To test the extent of behavioral premating isolation among differentiated populations, we quantified male advertisement calls from six sites and female responses to male stimuli (acoustic and visual signals) from four sites. Our results show that both male advertisement calls and female behavior vary among populations: Discriminant function analyses can predict the population of origin for 99.3% ± 0.7 of males based on male call (dominant frequency and bandwidth) and 76.1% ± 6.6 of females based on female response behavior (frequency and duration of visual displays). Further, female mate choice trials (n = 69) showed that population divergence in male signals is coupled with female preference for local male stimuli. Combined, these results suggest that evolved differences among populations in male call properties and female response signals could have consequences for reproductive isolation. Finally, population variation in male and female behavior was not well explained by geographic or genetic distance, indicating a role for localized selection and/or drift. The interplay between male courtship and female responses may facilitate the evolution of local variants in courtship style, thus accelerating premating isolation via assortative mating.     

Male displays and female preferences in the courtship of a gregarious cricket

The courtship of males of the gregarious cricket Amphiacusta maya involves a variety of signals. The quantitative aspects of both successful and unsuccessful courtship sequences were examined to determine whether certain aspects of male displays were correlated with female mating preferences regardless of which male performed them. Although variability among males was high for most courtship components measured, I found no evidence of female choice with respect to the courtship variables studied. About 35% of the duration of each male courtship sequence is devoted to chirping, but there were no differences in either the likelihood of copulation or the latency to copulation between normal males and experimentally silenced males. The possibility that intrinsic differences in male quality explained the variability in courtship duration was examined with a two-way analysis of variance. The variance in courtship duration was attributable to variance among females, not to variance among males. Thus the courtship behaviour of male A. maya is variable enough to allow females to exert stabilizing or disruptive selection on displays, but there is no evidence that females use the available information.     

fruitless splicing specifies male courtship behavior in Drosophila

All animals exhibit innate behaviors that are specified during their development. Drosophila melanogaster males (but not females) perform an elaborate and innate courtship ritual directed toward females (but not males). Male courtship requires products of the fruitless (fru) gene, which is spliced differently in males and females. We have generated alleles of fru that are constitutively spliced in either the male or the female mode. We show that male splicing is essential for male courtship behavior and sexual orientation. More importantly, male splicing is also sufficient to generate male behavior in otherwise normal females. These females direct their courtship toward other females (or males engineered to produce female pheromones). The splicing of a single neuronal gene thus specifies essentially all aspects of a complex innate behavior.     

Female mating status affects male mating tactic expression in the wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata

Males and females have conflicting interests on the frequency and outcomes of mating interactions. Males maximize their fitness by mating with as many females as possible, whereas choosy females often reduce receptivity following copulation. Alternative male mating tactics can be adaptive in their expression to a variety of mating contexts, including interactions with a relatively unreceptive mated female. Male Rabidosa punctulata wolf spiders can adopt distinctive mating tactics when interacting with a female, a complex courtship display, and/or a more coercive direct mount tactic that often involves grappling with females for copulation. In this study, we set up female mating treatments with initial trials and then paired mated and unmated females with males to observe both female remating frequencies and the male mating tactics used during the interactions. Males adopted different mating tactics depending on the mating status of the female they were paired with. Males were more likely to adopt a direct mount tactic with already-mated females and courtship with unmated females. Already-mated females were considerably less receptive to males during experimental trials, although they did remate 34% of the time, the majority of which were with males using a direct mount tactic. Whereas males adjusting to these contextual cues were able to gain more copulations, the observation of multiple mating in female R. punctulata introduces the potential for sperm competition. We discuss this sexual conflict in terms of the fitness consequences of these mating outcomes for both males and females.     

Female and male interactions during courtship in Calopteryx maculata and C. dimidiata (Odonata: Calopterygidae): Influence of oviposition behaviour

Calopteryx maculata and C. dimidiata damselfly females respond to male courtship with specific displays which signal differences in their receptivity. These include a rejection (wing spreading) and an invitation (wing-flipping) display, as well as a neutral (sit still) response. There are interspecific differences in the likelihood of each female display and in male responses to these displays. C. maculata males persist in courtship irrespective of female response, while C. dimidiata males generally stop courting when the female's response is rejection or neutrality. I suggest that these differences result from interspecific differences in oviposition behaviour. Female C. maculata oviposit at the water surface, which exposes them to disturbance by males attempting to mate. Females are therefore likely to remate to secure postcopulatory guarding when changing oviposition sites and males are expected to be persistent in courtship. Female C. dimidiata submerge to oviposit, which frees them from male disturbance and means that males have less control over female access to oviposition sites. Males therefore have less influence on mating by females and are expected not to persist in courtship of non-receptive females.     

Analysis of the Courtship Behavior of the Navel Orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), with a Commentary on Methods for the Analysis of Sequences of Behavioral Transitions

The courtship behavior of the navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella, was examined in a wind tunnel. Sixty nine courtship sequences were analyzed and successful sequences divided into two categories: rapid courtship sequences, which involved few breaks in contact, short or no periods of male/female chasing and lasted <10 s between initial contact and mating; and prolonged courtship sequences, which involved many breaks in contact, extended periods of male/female chasing and lasted >10 s. Fifty six (81%) courtships were successful (50.7% rapid courtship and 30.4% prolonged courtship); the remaining 13 (18.8%) sequences were failed courtships. Of failed courtships, 9 (13.0%) were due to males losing contact with females during courtship chases and 4 (5.8%) due to females flying away immediately after male contact. Of all courtship sequences involving a break in contact during a chase, 38.5% resulted in an unsuccessful mating attempt. These findings contrast with previous studies of the courtship behavior of the navel orangeworm, potentially indicating that the type of bioassay used to study courtship may have a large effect on the behavioral sequences displayed. We evaluate several diagnostic techniques for the analysis of sequences of behavioral transitions.     

The courtship behavior of the cabbage moth,Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and the role of male hair-pencils

The courtship behavior of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae(L.), was studied in moving air conditions in a wind tunnel, using video techniques. Quantitative analyses were undertaken to determine the behavioral sequence occurring in the courtship. Comparison of successful and unsuccessful courtship suggested that courtship success was more dependent on the behavior of the female than that of the male. In an attempt to elucidate the function of the male hair-pencils (HPs), courtships involving males without HPs were also studied. HP removal did not affect the overall courtship success rate of males, but detailed analysis showed significant changes infernale behavior during such courtships. HP removal also affected female behavior following pair formation, with females struggling more when paired with males without HPs. Consequently, it is proposed that the HP volatiles act as an arrestant for the female, both during courtship and after pair formation, to increase female acceptance and to prevent premature termination of copulation. Experiments were also conducted to test previous hypotheses for HP function. However, no evidence was found to suggest that the HP volatiles in M. brassicaeact to attract females, affect female calling behavior, or affect the behavior of other males. A further possible function of HPs in defense is discussed.     

Firefly Courtship: Behavioral and Morphological Predictors of Male Mating Success in Photinus greeni

Differences in male mating success can generate selection on male morphological traits and courtship behaviors involved in male–male competition or female mate choice. In Photinus fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), courtship is based on bioluminescent flash signals produced by both sexes. We conducted field observations of Photinus greeni fireflies engaged in competitive courtships, in which females are able to simultaneously assess several males, to identify male morphological traits and courtship behaviors that might predict male mating success. Male morphological traits did not differ between males that successfully mated compared with unsuccessful males (dialoging males that did not mate). However, courtship behavioral interactions differed: successful males tended to have higher flash pattern rates (number of flash patterns per minute), and their courtship flashes were more likely to be answered by females. We also examined how the risk of predation by Photuris fireflies altered courtship behavior of their Photinus prey. When predatory Photuris fireflies were present, P. greeni females were less likely to mate, and showed decreased flash responses to most males. However, P. greeni males that did successfully mate in spite of Photuris presence were males that maintained high flash pattern rates that elicited female responses. These results suggest that both female mate choice and Photuris predation exert strong selective pressures on the evolution of courtship signals in Photinus fireflies.     

Does courtship behavior contribute to species-level reproductive isolation in field crickets?

Reproductive behavior influences gene flow within and amongspecies; thus, sexual selection may be a major contributor tothe maintenance of species, and possibly their formation. HereI experimentally manipulate the courtship interactions of thefield crickets Gryllus rubens and G. texensis to examine thepotential of close-range courtship interactions to limit interspecificgene flow. Responses of males to females and of females to malecourtship song and males per se were examined for four pairedsympatric and allopatric populations. Male G. rubens were morelikely to court conspecific females, but male G. texensis courtedfemales of both species equally. If paired with conspecificmales, female G. rubens and G. texensis both preferred conspecificcourtship song. In none of these comparisons were the responsesof males or females from allopatry different from those in sympatry.There was an asymmetry of courtship response across both sexand species: male G. rubens were more discriminating than maleG. texensis, whereas female G. texensis were more discriminatingthan female G. rubens. Despite significant preferences for conspecifics,the net effect of courtship interactions would appear to limitinterspecific gene flow only weakly. These results are consistentwith courtship behavior evolving under the influence of sexualselection and only indirectly promoting species integrity.     

Sensory Integration Regulating Male Courtship Behavior in Drosophila

The courtship behavior of Drosophila melanogaster serves as an excellent model system to study how complex innate behaviors are controlled by the nervous system. To understand how the underlying neural network controls this behavior, it is not sufficient to unravel its architecture, but also crucial to decipher its logic. By systematic analysis of how variations in sensory inputs alter the courtship behavior of a naïve male in the single-choice courtship paradigm, we derive a model describing the logic of the network that integrates the various sensory stimuli and elicits this complex innate behavior. This approach and the model derived from it distinguish (i) between initiation and maintenance of courtship, (ii) between courtship in daylight and in the dark, where the male uses a scanning strategy to retrieve the decamping female, and (iii) between courtship towards receptive virgin females and mature males. The last distinction demonstrates that sexual orientation of the courting male, in the absence of discriminatory visual cues, depends on the integration of gustatory and behavioral feedback inputs, but not on olfactory signals from the courted animal. The model will complement studies on the connectivity and intrinsic properties of the neurons forming the circuitry that regulates male courtship behavior.