Body size, symmetry and courtship behavior of Dysdercus maurus distant (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

Abstract

This study analyses the role of body size and symmetry in the sexual selection and courtship behavior of Dysdercus maurus Distant. Sexual conflicts signaled by coercive mating, female resistance, and precopulation fights illustrate the mating system. Male-female struggles were observed in all mating attempts. Females tried to reject males by pushing or running and even by vigorously shaking their bodies, in attempts to dislodge the male from their dorsum. In spite of sexual conflicts during courtship, females actively chose their mates based on morphological and behavioral traits. Larger males with more symmetrical tibiae and longer tarsi that are better copula imposers were more successful in sexual competition. Evidence is presented that sexual conflict and female mate choice should not be mutually excluded.

Variation in morphological and behavioral traits among isofemale strains of Drosophila prolongata (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

“…In D. prolongata, the loadings of PC1 showed that foreleg size was positively correlated with body size (Table 1), suggesting that foreleg size is a good indicator of whole body size. Third, in species in which females are reluctant to mate, larger males are able to subdue females more efficiently to achieve matings (Allen & Simmons 1996;Sugano et al 2008;Jorge & Lomonaco 2011). In this regard, it might be worth noting that the duration of each copulation bout was longest in SaPa008, the most aggressive strain.…”

“…Third, in species in which females are reluctant to mate, larger males are able to subdue females more efficiently to achieve matings (Allen & Simmons ; Sugano et al . ; Jorge & Lomonaco ). In this regard, it might be worth noting that the duration of each copulation bout was longest in SaPa008, the most aggressive strain.…”

Differential investment in pre‐ vs. post‐copulatory sexual selection reinforces a cross‐continental reversal of sexual size dimorphism in Sepsis punctum (Diptera: Sepsidae)

“…Large body size, as well as the expression of countless and diverse primary and secondary sexual traits, is often favoured by classic male-male competition or female choice (reviewed in Andersson, 1994;Blanckenhorn, 2000;Fairbairn et al, 2007;Hunt et al, 2009). For instance, during aggressive contests for access to females that are typical in many animal species, large males are often more successful at acquiring mates and/or forcing copulations (Parker & Thompson, 1980;Zucker & Murray, 1996;Shine & Mason, 2005;Brown, 2008;Hasegawa et al, 2011;Jorge & Lomonaco, 2011). Large body size can also confer a mating advantage in noncombative courtship displays, as observed in certain insects and anurans (Howard & Young, 1998;Simmons, 1988).…”

Mayfly emergence production and body length response to hydrology in a tropical lowland stream

“…Environmental stressors affect body length by affecting growth or development rates, which carries significant consequences for individual fitness and alters mortality rates and reproductive success ( Peckarsky et al, 2001 ; Dahl & Peckarsky, 2003 ). Bilateral symmetry is known for many traits, and departure from symmetrical phenotypes has been linked to low success of individuals in sexual competition ( Møller, 1990 ; Santos, 2001 ; Jorge & Lomônaco, 2011 ). Departures from symmetry are commonly grouped into three categories, based on frequency distributions of the differences between the right and left sides of a structure: (a) directional asymmetry (i.e., greater development of a character on one side), (b) antisymmetry (i.e., asymmetry without directional bias) and (c) fluctuating asymmetry (i.e., random departure from perfect symmetry of any bilateral anatomical character, showing a normal distribution with a mean of zero).…”