成虫体型大小驱动六斑月瓢虫性间相互选择(英文)

【目的】配偶选择是性选择的中心过程,当繁殖成本发生波动和配偶质量存在差异时,传统的性别作用也随之不同。为了验证在某些条件下雄性也可以像雌性一样进行选择,我们研究了雄性和雌性六斑月瓢虫Menochilus sexmaculatus(Fabricius)的交配成功率与作为适合度指标的成虫体型大小之间的关系。【方法】从初始种群中随机选择体型小和体型大的两性成虫,进行雄性和雌性配偶选择试验。并对成功交配的各个配对组的后代也进行配偶选择试验,测试其交配成功率。【结果】配偶选择试验结果表明,在雄性和雌性交配试验中交配的成功取决于体型大小。雄性根据其品质即体型大小这一繁殖力指标对雌性进行区分。同样,在雌性交配试验中体型大的雄虫比体型小的雄虫交配成功率高。无论亲本体型如何,体型大的雌虫都比体型小的雌虫产卵量高;不过,体型大小不影响卵的存活力。体型大的亲本的后代比体型小的亲本的后代发育更快,寿命更长,但是将其与来自初始种群的后代进行配偶选择时,它们在性合意(sexual desirability)或竞争力方面没有表现任何优势。【结论】六斑月瓢虫中存在以体型大小为目的性状的相互配偶选择。     

异色瓢虫捕食胁迫对黑腹果蝇繁殖与后代发育的影响水

以模式昆虫黑腹果蝇(Drosophila melanogaster)及捕食性天敌异色瓢虫(Harmonia axyridis)为研究系统,通过把异色瓢虫接入到有黑腹果蝇的指形管中,研究了黑腹果蝇雌、雄成虫单独或共同被异色瓢虫捕食胁迫后,其自身寿命、子代的生长发育、繁殖和适合度的变化。结果表明:当雄性黑腹果蝇受到异色瓢虫成虫胁迫时,其寿命明显延长,但胁迫与否对雌性黑腹果蝇的寿命无明显影响;当黑腹果蝇的雌雄成虫同时受到胁迫时,其子代幼虫的发育历期延长,雄性后代寿命也增加,而雌性或雄性黑腹果蝇单独受到胁迫,其子代幼虫发育进度没有明显改变;当初孵黑腹果蝇幼虫受到异色瓢虫成虫直接或间接捕食胁迫后,其后续幼虫的发育历期都会受到影响,其中1龄期受到的间接捕食胁迫作用的影响大于直接捕食胁迫作用,直接捕食胁迫1龄幼虫比间接捕食胁迫更能延长其将来雌性成虫的寿命。     

父方投资与性角色逆转现象: 螽斯类昆虫的婚礼食物及对性选择方向的影响

大多数动物在繁殖过程中,雌性在繁殖过程中要比雄性付出更大投资,如相对于精子较大的卵子细胞,较长的育幼时间等,因而在交配过程中,雌性具有选择权,而雄性之间相互竞争以取得与雌性的交配权。然而自然世界中并不总是竞争的雄性（competitive male）-选择的雌性（selective female）这种婚配形式。在螽斯类昆虫中,雄性同样具有较大的父方投资。在繁殖期间,雄性螽斯争相鸣叫,求偶,且在交配后要给予雌性特殊的营养物质-精包,供雌性取食。因此在特定情况下,雌性之间将进行竞争以获取雄性配偶,雄性变得更具有选择性。影响这种性角色逆转的主要因素是可获得资源的紧缺。父方投资理论和性选择理论预测雄性显著地对后代投资时,雌性将表现出典型的雄性特征,她们竞争追求性活跃的雄性,而雄性将表现出典型的雌性特征,对配偶具有选择性。螽斯类昆虫中这种特殊的性角色逆转现象符合性选择理论和父方投资理论的预测。     

同时而非先后一雌多雄交配增加不同温度下食蚜瓢虫的适合度（英文）

【目的】尽管一雌多雄在瓢虫科中常见,但各研究中获得的数据不足以解释雌虫多次交配和一雌多雄的一般适应性意义或适合度后果。本研究以温度为胁迫因子,旨在评价一雌多雄的某些益处（如增加的适合度）是否可传递给后代。【方法】本研究检测了黄斑盘瓢虫Coelophora saucia (Mulsant) 3种交配处理中的适合度：一雌一雄（与同一雄虫交配5次,1次/d）,先后一雌多雄（与5头不同的雄虫依次交配5次,即每天与新的雄虫交配1次）,以及同时一雌多雄（放进5头雄虫,任由雌虫选择雄虫,交配5次,1次/d）。观察了各交配处理不同温度下（25, 27和 30℃）繁殖力、卵的育性、后代发育和存活。【结果】结果表明,经历一雌多雄然后进行交配选择或竞争的雌性的繁殖能力最强,后代能在更广温度范围内最好地适应发育和存活。但先后一雌多雄交配的雌性与一雌一雄交配的雌性的繁殖能力相似。【结论】结果说明,在无交配选择或雄性竞争的条件下,一雌多雄的益处不明显。这可能是由于在依次射精的雄性间存在精子竞争,或由于雌性的隐性选择。据我们所知,本研究中观察发现的无交配选择时不表现一雌多雄的益处的现象,之前在昆虫中未观察到过。     

斑翅果蝇对四种非寄主果实的产卵选择适应性

[目的]针对斑翅果蝇(Spotted wing Drosophila,SWD,Drosophila suzukii Matsumura)常见寄主果实期较短,评估4种非寄主果实(香蕉、紫心火龙果、芒果、红提)对斑翅果蝇种群的适合度,筛选最佳饲养水果。[方法]测定了人工饲料饲养的斑翅果蝇对4种水果气味的选择反应及其产卵选择性,比较了分别用4种水果饲养的斑翅果蝇的生物学特性(产卵量、卵历期、孵化率、幼虫历期、化蛹率、蛹历期、羽化率、成活率、雌雄比)。[结果]斑翅果蝇对4种非寄主果实气味喜好为:香蕉芒果红提紫心火龙果,产卵选择喜好表现为:香蕉紫心火龙果芒果红提,且香蕉饲养的斑翅果蝇后代成活率最高,各虫态历期最低。[结论]在4种非寄主果实中,香蕉既能引诱斑翅果蝇,也能刺激其产卵,且后代成活率显著最高,宜作为长期饲料进行实验室种群扩增。     

藏酋猴交配活动中的性打搅

1986—1987年期间,对藏酋猴(Macaca thihetana)黄山鱼鳞坑群交配活动中的性打搅行为进行了为期9个月的观察和研究。在766次交配中,交配个体受到了266次性打搅。性打搅行为大部分发生在交配雄性开始爬跨雌性时(89.2％),较少发生在交配雄性爬跨雌性之前(0.7％)和射精时或射精后(10.1％)。在266次有性打搅的交配中,参加性打搅的个体达473只次,其中,成年个体参于性打搅的频率高于亚成年和幼年个体,而雌雄个体之间各自参于性打搅的频率无明显差异。各个体因在群中的顺位不同,其参加交配活动和受到的性打搅的频率也不同。高顺位雄性和低顺位雌性比低顺位雄性和高顺位雌性较多地参于交配活动,同时它们受到的性打搅的频率也较高。因此,受到性打搅频率的高低与参于交配的频率有关,而与个体顺位的高低无关。在性打搅的行为类型中,63.8％是性打搅者直接朝着交配的雄性,6.6％朝着交配的雌性,29.6％无明确朝向。低顺位雄性和雌性的性打搅行为很少能中断高顺位雄性的交配活动,而高顺位雄性的性打搅却能成功地中断低顺位雄性或雌性的交配活动。然而,在266次有性打搅行为发生的交配中,仅8.6％的交配被性打搅中断。为此,本文就不同性别和顺位的个体所进行的性打搅行为的动机进行了探讨。     

昆虫在多次交配与精子竞争格局中的雌雄对策

绝大多数昆虫雌性一生中不但与不同雄性交配许多次,而且在其特殊器官中还可长期贮藏雄性精子,因此来自不同雄性的的精子在与雌性卵子受精时发生激烈的精子竞争。本文综述了昆虫在多次交配与精子竞争格局中的雌雄对策。雄性对策表现在对自身与配偶身体质量状况的正确评估、精子竞争风险预测、精子异型及延长交配时程和配后保护等,雌性对策则表现在对雄性质量状况的正确评估、对精液的主动操纵及精子偏向性等,从而很好地适因多次交配和精子竞争而带来的强烈自然选择和性选择压力。     

龟纹瓢虫的捕食胁迫作用对连续三代果蝇发育与繁殖的影响

捕食性天敌不仅直接捕食害虫,而且还能改变害虫的生长发育、繁殖,间接地影响害虫的适合度。以常见模式昆虫黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster Meigen及捕食性天敌龟蚊瓢虫为研究系统,研究龟纹瓢虫Propylea japonica Thunberg连续多代直接捕食胁迫、一代捕食胁迫后下一代不捕食胁迫,对果蝇生长发育、繁殖和适合度的影响。结果表明:如果持续地释放瓢虫对果蝇的捕食胁迫作用,显著缩短了第1代、第2代果蝇的幼虫的发育历期,增加了第1代、第2代果蝇的繁殖量。但在第3代的影响却是延长了果蝇的幼虫的发育历期,降低第3代果蝇的繁殖量。如果在上一代胁迫作用得到释放后,下一代不再有瓢虫胁迫,那么连续2代胁迫后去掉胁迫的果蝇比只胁迫一代后去掉胁迫的果蝇幼虫的发育历期明显延长,繁殖量明显下降,后代性比也明显下降。与连续胁迫条件下的处理相比,成虫的寿命明显延长;对果蝇幼虫的发育历期、繁殖量则没有显著影响。结果表明,龟蚊瓢虫的干扰胁迫作用,可以间接的增加果蝇的适合度,促进果蝇种群的增长,使果蝇种群自我维持、调节到相应的水平。     

雌性动物多次交配行为的机制及进化

雌性动物的后代数量不可能超过她的卵子数。在理论上, 一个生殖季节内, 一次或几次交配就足够使雌性所有卵子受精, 最大化其生殖潜能。但与理论预测相反, 许多物种的雌性经常与同一个或多个雄性发生多次交配。交配通常要付出较高的代价, 所以很难理解为什么雌性动物要反复进行多次交配。本文综述了解释此行为的一些适应性和非适应性假说。从获得直接收益和间接收益二个角度介绍了适应性假说。直接收益主要包括求偶喂食和“彩礼”、受精保证、亲代抚育、生殖刺激和护卫交配权等5 个方面。还着重介绍了多次交配对雌性后代的间接遗传受益, 即获得优质基因、提高后代遗传多样性和遗传互补性3 个假说。非适应性假说包括了遗传相关假说和顺从雄性行为假说。     

生态因素对蛾类昆虫交配与生殖的影响

对于两性生殖的昆虫而言,两性交配过程是产生后代及维持种群繁衍的必要环节。然而,昆虫的生殖行为经常受到一系列的内部生理因素和外部生态因素的影响,最终导致昆虫的生殖适合度产生差异。本文以蛾类昆虫为例,通过检索国内外文献,分析比较了气候因素(温度、湿度和光照)、生物因素(寄主植物、天敌和共生菌)和农事活动等生态因素对这类昆虫交配行为和生殖适合度的影响。结果表明,这些因子不但影响该类昆虫的交配行为(包括求偶与交配高峰、交配成功率、交配次数和交配持续时间等),还影响其生殖适合度(如产卵前期、产卵期、产卵量、孵化率和寿命等)。这些研究为深入开展蛾类昆虫的生殖行为生态学研究提供理论基础,同时为揭示蛾类昆虫的种群暴发机制以及该类害虫的科学防控提供线索。     

Males' evolutionary responses to experimental removal of sexual selection

We evaluated the influence of pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection upon male reproductive traits in a naturally promiscuous species, Drosophila melanogaster. Sexual selection was removed in two replicate populations through enforced monogamous mating with random mate assignment or retained in polyandrous controls. Monogamous mating eliminates all opportunities for mate competition, mate discrimination, sperm competition, cryptic female choice and, hence, sexual conflict. Levels of divergence between lines in sperm production and male fitness traits were quantified after 38-81 generations of selection. Three a priori predictions were tested: (i) male investment in spermatogenesis will be lower in monogamy-line males due to the absence of sperm competition selection, (ii) due to the evolution of increased male benevolence, the fitness of females paired with monogamy-line males will be higher than that of females paired with control-line males, and (iii) monogamy-line males will exhibit decreased competitive reproductive success relative to control-line males. The first two predictions were supported, whereas the third prediction was not. Monogamy males evolved a smaller body size and the size of their testes and the number of sperm within the testes were disproportionately further reduced. In contrast, the fitness of monogamous males (and their mates) was greater when reproducing in a non-competitive context: females mated once with monogamous males produced offspring at a faster rate and produced a greater total number of surviving progeny than did females mated to control males. The results indicate that sexual selection favours the production of increased numbers of sperm in D. melanogaster and that sexual selection favours some male traits conferring a direct cost to the fecundity of females.     

Potential fitness benefits from mate selection in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

Little evidence of benefits from female mate choice has been found when males provide no parental care or resources. Yet, good genes models of sexual selection suggest that elaborated male sexual characters are reliable signals of mate quality and that the offspring of males with elaborate sexual ornaments will perform better than those of males with less elaborate ornaments. We used cod (Gadus morhua L.), an externally fertilizing species where males provide nothing but sperm, to examine the potential of optimal mate selection with respect to offspring survival. By applying in vitro fertilizations, we crossed eight females with nine males in all possible combinations and reared each of the 72 sib groups. We found that offspring survival was dependent on which female was mated with which male and that optimal mate selection has the potential to increase mean offspring survival from 31.9 to 55.6% (a 74% increase). However, the size of the male sexual ornaments and sperm quality (i.e. sperm velocity and sperm density) could not predict offspring survival. Thus, even if there may be large fitness benefits of mate selection, we might not yet have identified the male characteristics generating high offspring survival.     

Female Medflies Mate Selectively with Young Males but Gain No Apparent Fitness Benefits

Species in which female choice is not strongly shaped by male-controlled resources present a challenge to sexual selection research, because it is typically difficult to identify the male phenotypic cues used in female mate selection or the fitness benefits accruing from such selection. In such species, mate selection is presumably based on direct benefits associated with sperm quantity or quality and/or indirect benefits relating to the viability or mating probability of the progeny. Across animal taxa in general, male age has received considerable attention as a potential indicator of these fitness benefits, and the importance of male age in affecting female choice and fitness has been investigated in various insect species with highly variable results. The present study examined whether females of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), a lek-forming species, discriminate among potential mates on the basis of male age and whether this selectivity results in fitness benefits to the females. Both young (10 days old) and old (40 days old) females were offered males from two groups differing in age by 10, 20, or 30 days. Young females mated randomly when the age difference between the younger and older males was 10 days but mated preferentially with the younger males when the age difference was 20 or 30 days. Old females did not discriminate among males of different ages. Although young females showed mate selectivity, we found no differences in fecundity, fertility, or larval viability between young females mated to 10 versus 40 day old males.     

Avoiding Male Harassment: Wing‐Closing Reactions to Flying Individuals by Female Small Copper Butterflies

Males of many butterfly species persistently court and attempt to mate with females even if the females reject courtship. This male harassment almost certainly has negative effects on female fitness. Therefore, females have likely evolved strategies to avoid such encounters. To investigate the harassment avoidance strategy of females of the small copper butterfly, Lycaena phlaeas daimio, I observed the reactions of females to other individuals flying nearby in the field. In response to the conspecific butterflies, females closed their wings if they had previously been open and did not exhibit any action if the wings had been closed. Females that closed their open wings in response to a conspecific received fewer mating attempts than did females that held their wings open. These results indicate that the wing‐closing behaviour of L. phlaeas females functions to deter male mating attempts. The wing‐closing reaction occurred primarily in mated females. Because females of L. phlaeas copulate only once during their lives, this behaviour is not considered an indirect mate choice but rather an attempt to avoid persistent mating attempts (i.e. sexual harassment) by males.     

Female choice for sick males over healthy males: Consequences for offspring

Sexual selection theory indicates that ornament expression in males is in close relation to their condition. This “honesty” relationship serves as the basis for female choice: Females would mate with healthy males over sick males after assessing male ornament signal expression and derive benefits for their progeny. Here, we investigated female mate choice for infected and non‐infected males, male survival after infection (to corroborate the negative effect of infection), and fitness consequences of female preferences using Tenebrio molitor beetles. Male infection was produced having two types of challenges as follows: males infected with entomopathogenic fungi and males infected with nylon implants. Similar to previous studies, we corroborated that females preferred fungus‐infected males over positive control, negative control, and nylon‐challenged males. Survival was the lowest for fungus‐treated males followed by nylon‐treated and control males. Females mated with fungus‐treated males laid fewer and smaller eggs, and the laid eggs had less lipid content with a reduced eclosion success compared to females mated with non‐challenged males. Our interpretation is that fungus‐treated males invested their energetic resources to increase their attractiveness at the risk of survival, in a terminal investment fashion. Females, however, would have corrected their choice by investing less in their offspring.     

INTRASEXUAL COMPETITION ALONE FAVORS A SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC ORNAMENT IN THE RUBYSPOT DAMSELFLY HETAERINA AMERICANA

I studied the sex-limited red spots on the wings of male rubyspot damselflies (Hetaerina americana) in relation to territoriality and fitness in the wild. Both observational and experimental (wing spot manipulation) studies indicated that wing spots were selected through competition among males for mating territories, not through female choice or direct competition for females. Males with naturally or artificially large wing spots were more successful at holding territories and consequently mated at higher rates than males with relatively small wing spots. In contrast, sexual selection on male body size appeared to operate among nonterritorial males at the clasping stage of the mating sequence, perhaps because larger males were better at clasping females forcibly. Of four models proposed to explain the evolution of ornaments through territory competition, only the agonistic handicap model makes predictions consistent with the results of this study.     

The evolution of wing color: male mate choice opposes adaptive wing color divergence in Colias butterflies

Abstract Correlated evolution of mate signals and mate preference may be constrained if selection pressures acting on mate preference differ from those acting on mate signals. In particular, opposing selection pressures may act on mate preference and signals when traits have sexual as well as nonsexual functions. In the butterfly Colias philodice eriphyle , divergent selection on wing color across an elevational gradient in response to the thermal environment has led to increasing wing melanization at higher elevations. Wing color is also a long-range signal used by males in mate searching. We conducted experiments to test whether sexual selection on wing melanization via male mate choice acts in the same direction as natural selection on mate signals due to the thermal environment. We performed controlled mate choice experiments in the field over an elevational range of 1500 meters using decoy butterflies with different melanization levels. Also, we obtained a more direct estimate of the relation between wing color and sexual selection by measuring mating success in wild-caught females. Both our experiments showed that wing melanization is an important determinant of female mating success in C. p. eriphyle . However, a lack of elevational variation in male mate preference prevents coevolution of mate signals and mate preference, as males at all elevations prefer less-melanized females. We suggest that this apparently maladaptive mate choice may be maintained by differences in detectability between the morphs or by preservation of species recognition.     

Sexual selection and condition-dependent mate preferences

The last decade has witnessed considerable theoretical and empirical investigation of how male sexual ornaments evolve. This strong male-biased perspective has resulted in the relative neglect of variation in female mate preferences and its consequences for ornament evolution. As sexual selection is a co-evolutionary process between males and females, ignoring variation in females overlooks a key aspect of this process. Here, we review the empirical evidence that female mate preferences, like male ornaments, are condition dependent. We show accumulating support for the hypothesis that high quality females show the strongest mate preference. Nonetheless, this is still an infant field, and we highlight areas in need of more research, both theoretical and empirical. We also examine some of the wider implications of condition-dependent mating decisions and their effect on the strength of sexual selection.     

Direct benefits of choosing a high‐fitness mate can offset the indirect costs associated with intralocus sexual conflict

Intralocus sexual conflict generates a cost to mate choice: high‐fitness partners transmit genetic variation that confers lower fitness to offspring of the opposite sex. Our earlier work in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, revealed that these indirect genetic costs were sufficient to reverse potential “good genes” benefits of sexual selection. However, mate choice can also confer direct fitness benefits by inducing larger numbers of progeny. Here, we consider whether direct benefits through enhanced fertility could offset the costs associated with intralocus sexual conflict in D. melanogaster. Using hemiclonal analysis, we found that females mated to high‐fitness males produced 11% more offspring compared to those mated to low‐fitness males, and high‐fitness females produced 34% more offspring than low‐fitness females. These direct benefits more than offset the reduction in offspring fitness caused by intralocus sexual conflict, creating a net fitness benefit for each sex to pairing with a high‐fitness partner. Our findings highlight the need to consider both direct and indirect effects when investigating the fitness impacts of mate choice. Direct fitness benefits may shelter sexually antagonistic alleles from selection, suggesting a novel mechanism for the maintenance of fitness variation.     

Size Dependent Sexual Selection in Drosophila ananassae

Mate choice based on body size is widespread and can have numerous consequences. We present data, which show the effect of male and female body size on sexual selection in Drosophila ananassae. The relationships between wing size, locomotor activity, mating latency, courtship pattern, fertility and mating success were studied. Mating latency was negatively correlated with wing length and with locomotor activity, while wing length and locomotor activity was positively correlated in males as well as in females. In female- and male-choice, we found that mate choice influenced size-assortative mating by: (1) large and small males preferring to mate with large females, (2) large males successfully competing for large females, leaving small males to mate with small females. Males increased their reproductive success by mating with large and more fecund females. In addition, in pairs of long/short winged flies, long winged flies courted and mated more successfully than short winged flies and they also have longer duration of copulation and more progeny than short winged flies. We found sterile mating in pairs of small winged males and females.