Ultraviolet Ornamentation and Male Mating Success in a High-Density Assemblage of the Butterfly Colias eurytheme |
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Authors: | Darrell. J. Kemp |
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Affiliation: | (1) School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA;(2) School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, 4870, Queensland, Australia |
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Abstract: | Ultraviolet (UV) colour patterns, particularly those deriving from surface structures, serve a role in sexual signalling and mate choice in a range of animal groups. In the butterfly Colias eurytheme (Pieridae), male-limited iridescent UV functions in species recognition, and has potential as an intraspecific sexual signal of mate quality. I compared the dorsal colouration and body size of males discovered ‘in-copula’ (N = 95) with a random sample of free-flying individuals (N = 129), both collected from a high density agricultural population located in Chandler, U.S.A. Despite reasonable variance in each trait, I found no among-group differences in UV characters (brightness, hue and angular visibility) or in the coincident pigmentary yellowish-orange (brightness and saturation). Statistical power was sufficient to detect all but the smallest among-group differences, and there was a marginally significant tendency for in-copula males to be larger. These data do not support the hypothesis for intraspecific female choice upon male dorsal colouration. However, I discuss how the density and apparently very young age of individuals in the sampling population may have pre-disposed this result, and thus, how sexual selection on male colouration may operate in a density dependent manner. |
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Keywords: | Lepidoptera Female Mate Choice Sexual Selection Visual Signalling |
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