Male Mate Choice in Trichogramma Turkestanica

In most animals it is the sex that invests the most in reproduction, generally the female, that expresses mate choice. However, in numerous species, males or both males and females are choosy. We investigated mate choice in males of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma turkestanica Meyer (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). We tested the impact of age and feeding status of males on their capacity to choose between virgin or mated and kin or non-kin females. As expected, males showed no preference between kin and non-kin mates, but inseminated virgin females over mated ones. No effect of age on the level of choosiness was found, but unfed males were choosier than fed ones. This is the first study to show an effect of feeding status of males on mate choice in insect parasitoids.     

Assessment of Potential Predation Costs of Male Decoration and Courtship Display in Wolf Spiders Using Video Digitization and Playback

We used video digitization and playback techniques to examine the potential predation risk of leg decorations and visual displays of male wolf spiders, which vary across the genus Schizocosa (Araneae: Lycosidae). Video images of courting males of four Schizocosa species were modified by adding or removing tufts and presented on LCD minitelevisions to the wolf spider Hogna helluo, a common predator of Schizocosa. Predatory responses of H. helluo varied significantly among stimuli and were highest for S. ocreata (which has decorative tufts and leg-waving displays) and lower for S. rovneri, S. duplex, and S. uetzi (which lack decorations and visual displays). Removal of tufts from S. ocreata significantly reduced predatory responses of H. helluo, but addition of tufts to other species had no effect. Results suggest that leg decorations may increase detection of active leg-waving displays and thereby increase predation risk.     

Male Dominance Rank,Female Mate Choice and Male Mating and Reproductive Success in Captive Chimpanzees

Mating and consequently reproductive success in male vertebrates are predominantly determined by intermale competition and female mate choice. Their relative importance however, is still poorly understood. We investigated the interrelationship between male dominance rank — a formal indicator of male competitive ability — female mate choice, and male mating success in a multimale-multifemale group of captive chimpanzees. In addition, we examined the relationship between male dominance rank and reproductive success determined by genetic paternity analysis over a 13-yr period in the same captive population. We related the frequencies of sociosexual behaviors to the female anogenital swelling stage and female fertile phase as determined by urinary and fecal progestogen analysis. Rates of behaviors in both sexes increased with increasing intensity of female swelling, but they were not influenced by the timing of the fertile phase. Male mating success was clearly related to male dominance rank, with high-ranking males performing the overwhelming majority of copulations. This was mainly due to both rank-related rates of male soliciting behavior and intermale aggressiveness during the period of well-developed female anogenital swelling. Although females solicited copulations mainly from the high-ranking males and thus expressed a mate choice based on rank, their overall contribution in initiating copulations and thus influencing male mating success was low. The data on paternity from the population, which always contained 4 adult males, revealed that -males sired the majority (65%) of offspring. We conclude, that male dominance rank is an important determinant of male mating and reproductive success in captive (and presumably wild) chimpanzees and that female mate choice is of minor importance in modulating male reproductive outcome.     

Presence and Abundance of Birds in an Atlantic Forest Reserve and Adjacent Plantation of Shade-Grown Yerba Mate,in Paraguay

In the Atlantic forest region, there is a need to develop economic activities that can be carried out in buffer zones around parks, with minimal impact on forest bird species. One such possibility is the farming of yerba mate, Ilex paraguariensis, under native trees. We compared bird speciesȁ9 presence and abundance between a forest reserve and an adjacent plantation of shade-grown yerba mate, to determine which species might use such plantations. Of the 145 species that were regularly recorded in the forest, 66%, including five globally threatened species, were also regularly recorded in the plantation. Most canopy species and tree trunk insectivores showed similar abundance in both habitats, but forest floor and understory species were absent from the plantation. Within the plantation, higher tree density did not lead to a greater abundance of forest birds. Yerba mate grown under native trees could be used to rehabilitate cleared land and allow recolonization by some Atlantic forest bird species.     

Effects of Wind Speed and Atmospheric Pressure on Mate Searching Behavior in the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius nigripes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae)

The effects of wind speed and atmospheric pressure on male mate searching behavior, modulated by a female sex pheromone, were investigated in the aphid parasitoid Aphidius nigripes (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae). Male A. nigripe generally did not reach females at wind speeds of 100 cm/sec, as the majority of individuals taking flight in the pheromone plume (81.8%) were unable to sustain upwind flight. At lower wind velocities, male responsiveness to females generally decreased with distance from the source. However, wind speeds approaching the upper threshold (100 cm/sec) tended to eliminate this distance effect. Therefore, there appears to be a trade-off between the need for higher wind speeds to detect the pheromone source from long distances, and a reduction in male flight capacity as wind velocity increases. Our results also indicate that chemical communication in A. nigripes could be affected by variations in atmospheric pressure, as we observed a relationship between pressure fluctuations in the 24 hr prior to testing and male responsiveness to females. The importance of these abiotic factors on mate searching behavior is discussed within the context of the reproductive biology of A. nigripes.     

Fruit Choice by Woolly Monkeys in Tinigua National Park,Colombia

I combined morphological fruit data, phenological, and demographic information for 128 plant species, with nutritional information for 78 species, to assess feeding preferences of woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha lugens) in Tinigua National Park, Colombia. I used multiple and simple regression analyses to predict fruit feeding time and one index of fruit preference from 20 independent variables presumed to affect fruit choice. The results of the independent regressions indicated a trend to spend more time consuming good tasting fruits from abundant plants that produce large quantities of fruits and produce large crops. Among these variables, abundant fruit production and the astringency index are the most important variables explaining feeding times when other variables are statistically controlled in a multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, the preference index showed that woolly monkeys prefer fruits from large trees that produce in periods of fruit scarcity, with high pulp/seed ratios, low lipid contents, and clumped spatial distributions. The results suggest that woolly monkeys are primarily generalized, opportunistic frugivores that avoid some fruits with secondary compounds. Their feeding behavior is determined by many factors, but the predictive power of each one is always low (<15%). No multiple regression model explained >69% of the variation in feeding time. I suggest that a detailed quantification of secondary compounds might increase the predictive power of the models to explain fruit choice by frugivorous primates.     

Dynamics of potentially harmful microalgae in a confined Mediterranean Gulf—Assessing the risk of bloom formation

The population dynamics of potentially harmful microalgae was investigated in the semi-enclosed shallow Gulf of Kalloni, Greece (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean), during a 2-year period from August 2004 to March 2006. A total of 21 potentially harmful microalgae (bloom-forming and/or toxic) were identified including 3 diatoms and 18 dinoflagellates. The densities of each species were analyzed in time and space and in relation to environmental parameters. Some species such as Alexandrium insuetum, Heterocapsa circularisquama, Karlodinium veneficum, Scrippsiella trochoidea, and Ceratium spp. developed high cell concentrations, particularly during a Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha winter bloom. Other species such as Dinophysis caudata, Ostreopsis ovata, Prorocentrum minimum, and Protoperidinium crassipes were rare or appeared in small numbers. Densities of the most abundant species were closely associated with freshwater nutrient-rich inputs during winter, being negatively correlated with temperature and salinity and positively correlated with nitrogen. The spatial distribution of the abundant species exhibited a marked increase towards the inner part of the gulf, close to the main freshwater inputs, whereas some species were mainly concentrated in the dilute surface layer (1 m depth). Examination of the abundance–occupancy relationship revealed that the species more prone to bloom are those with wide spatial distribution and frequent presence throughout the year such as the diatom P. calliantha. Although blooms of cyst-forming species are rarer, an increased risk can be foreseen under favorable resource supply and environmental conditions during winter.     

Contact Pheromones as Mate Recognition Cues of Four Species of Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

We tested the hypothesis that contact phermones mediate mate recognition for four species of longhorned beetles, Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.), Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), and Plectrodera scalator (F.). All tested males of all four species attempted to mate with females only after contacting them with their antennae. From 66.7 to 80% of tested males attempted to mate with hexane-extracted dead females treated with 0.1–1.0 female equivalents of conspecific female extracts, confirming that nonpolar compounds on the cuticle of females are essential for mate recognition in all four species. These findings are further evidence of the critical role of contact pheromones in mating systems of longhorned beetles.     

Mate size and breeding success in a monogamous cichlid fish

Synopsis The patterns of mate size and parental care of a monogamous cichlid fish,Cichlasoma maculicauda, were studied in Gatun Lake, Panama. Males defend territories which serve as courtship and nest sites. Within a population most mates in pairs are of equal size rank. In each pair the male is larger than the female, probably because most mature males are larger than most mature females. Clutch size increases with female body size. Male size affects breeding success in two ways. First, larger males provide nest sites less susceptible to destructive wave action. Second, young of larger males grow faster than young of smaller males. Large males defeat small males in contests for position in feeding areas, and this may provide their young with better feeding conditions. In the laboratory young growth rates increase with food abundance, and at high levels of food surpass those observed in nature. Fast growth of young reduces their vulnerability to predators and should allow parents to breed more often. Young survival rates improve with the size of the parents, so that larger fish raise more offspring at each breeding attempt. These observations suggest why preference for large mates should occur.     

The Role of Antennae in Mate Recognition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phoracantha semipunctata</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coleoptera: Cerambycidae</Emphasis>)

The mating behavior of the eucalyptus longhorned borer Phoracantha semipunctata was studied to understand its mate recognition system. Bioassays were conducted to determine the existence of a cuticular chemical on its body surface and how individuals perceived it. Males walked oriented to and attempted copulation with live conspecifics only upon antennal contact with their bodies. They showed similar responses to intact dead females and males, but failed to respond to washed bodies. Dummies carrying male extracts were more likely to elicit copulation attempts than control dummies. This constitutes behavioral evidence that unidentified chemical(s) on the body surface play a major role in mate recognition, and can only be perceived after antennal contact. Sensilla trichodea on the antennal flagellum are candidates for this contact chemoreception. They are distributed throughout the entire flagellum, especially along its margins and at the tip of the distal flagellomere, and share structural features with contact chemosensory sensilla of other insects.     

Prelude to a Kiss: Evidence for Mate Discrimination in the Striped Bark Scorpion, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Centruroides vittatus</Emphasis>

The scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, lives in groups, which may allow females to discriminate among mates. We examine possible female mate discrimination based on the duration of the kiss phase of courtship, during which sperm is transferred, and on the duration of the promenade a deux phase of courtship that precedes sperm transfer. Larger males spent less time during the promenade and more time during the kiss phases of courtship. We discuss the implications of this to sexual selection in scorpions.     

Mate recognition in the Aphis fabae complex: daily rhythm of release and specificity of sex pheromones

The two subspecies of the host-alternating black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli, used in this study have different secondary host plants but reproduce sexually in autumn on the same host plant, spindle, Euonymus europaea L. In both Aphis fabae fabae Scopoli and A. f. solanella Theobald the percentage of adult mating females (oviparae) calling (releasing sex pheromone) each day increased with age up to day 8. During the course of a day the mating females of A. f. solanella called most actively early in the morning and then showed a gradual decrease in calling activity. In contrast, few A. f. fabae called early in the day and were most active around midday, after which the incidence of calling decreased slightly, with 50% still calling in the evening. In both taxa the activity of the males in the absence of mating females paralleled the calling activity of their respective females. In an olfactometer, males showed a marked preference for the sex pheromone released by conspecific females over that of the other subspecies and did not respond to the odour of spindle. Thus, as in the other species of aphids there are specific mate recognition systems in A. f. fabae and A. f. solanella, which are likely to reduce the incidence of hybridisation.     

Mate location in the southern green stink bug,Nezara Viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), mediated through substrate-borne signals on ivy

We observed mate location behavior in Nezara viridulaon the ivy Hedera helix.The female stays motionless on the plant stem, calling with rhythmic repetitions of her calling song. The male walks on the plant, answering with his calling and courtship songs. On encountering petioles or branching points, the male stops and straddles his legs across the fork. Only after another repetition of the female's call does the male proceed to walk again. This behavior may enable the male to compare the vibrations in the two substrates and choose the stronger one to follow. On plants where visual and airborne acoustic communication can be prevented by leaves, substrateborne vibrational signals perceived by receptors in legs would enhance the likelihood of mate location in N. viridula.     

Stable Isotope Ratios as a Tool for Assessing Changes in Carbon and Nutrient Sources in Antarctic Terrestrial Ecosystems

Samples of an angiosperm species, nine lichen species and a terrestrial alga, were collected from a variety of Antarctic terrestrial habitats, and were analysed for C and N stable isotope composition. Collections were made along natural gradients, the marine gradient, running from the sea coast inland and the moisture gradient, determined by melt water and precipitation runoff, and running towards the sea coast. Considerable variation in stable isotope ratios was found; δ¹³C values ranged between −16 and −32‰ and δ¹⁵N values between −23 and +23‰ The variation in stable carbon isotope ratios could be attributed in part to species specific differences, but differences in water availability also played a role, as was shown for the terrestrial alga Prasiola crispa and the lichen species Usnea antarctica. The differences in the isotope ratios of nitrogen could be retraced to the origin of nitrogen: marine or terrestrial. The nitrogen stable isotope ratios were influenced by both the marine gradient from the sea inland and the melt water and precipitation flow running in the opposite direction, towards the sea. This was shown for the lichen species Turgidosculum complicatulum and the angiosperm species Deschampsia antarctica. The variation in the C and N stable isotope ratios can be used to determine sources and pathways of N and changes in the water availability in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Contrary to earlier reports the use of stable N isotope ratios is possible in this case because of the relative simplicity of the structure of the Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.     

The Effects of Age and Previous Mating Experience on Pre- and Post-copulatory Mate Choice in Female House Crickets (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acheta domesticus</Emphasis> L.)

Although females’ mating preferences are influenced by male characteristics, there are a number of factors intrinsic to females and unrelated to male phenotype that can modulate female choice. We assessed the effects of age and mating experience on mechanisms of pre- and post-copulatory mate choice in female house crickets, Acheta domesticus L., by randomly assigning males to females, but independently varying the age and number of previous matings of females at the time of experimental matings. Latency to mating, a measure of a female’s pre-copulatory preference, was influenced by female age at the time of mating, with older females mating sooner than younger females. The reduced selectivity of older females appears consistent with life-history theory, which predicts that the reproductive value of females should decline with age. The length of time that females retained the spermatophore after mating, a measure of a female’s post-copulatory mating preference, was not influenced by female age at the time of mating, the number of previous matings, or any interaction between the two main effects. Contrary to previous reports, male mass had no effect on either the latency to mating or female retention of the spermatophore in A. domesticus. We conclude that female age and mating experience can moderate female selectivity, but that their impact varies according to the mechanism by which females favor particular sires.