Cooperative defence of brood in Nicrophorus quadripunctatus (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Abstract

Abstract.A positive correlation between the parental effort of a male and female should promote stable biparental care. In order to prevent infanticide male and female burying beetles are said to guard against intruders cooperatively and the presence of a male partner is said to increase the probability of successful defence. However, this hypothesis is supported only by indirect evidence. In this study this hypothesis is tested by direct observation. Whether the intruder was male or female, contests between the same and the opposite sex occurred, although there were few contests between resident females and intruding males. In addition, resident pairs tended to win irrespective of the sex of the intruder, although it is reported that among burying beetles large beetles usually win intra-sexual contests. In the presence of a partner, a small resident can defend a carcass against a large con-sexual intruder. These results suggest that by means of biparental cooperation burying beetles can repel stronger intruders and supports the hypothesis that the threat of infanticide is the primary explanation for extended biparental care in these beetles.

Does Experience Affect the Outcome of Male-Male Contests in the Burying Beetle,Nicrophorus quadripunctatus?

“…Biparental cooperation can repel intruder beetles [20]. In the present experiments, no females attacked the intruder males, and thus, biparental cooperative defence did not occur.…”

“…The results of the present study also indicated that larger males are more likely to win a male-male contest. However, it has been reported that smaller Nicrophorus individuals can repel a larger intruder [20,21]. Biparental cooperation can also affect the fate of contests; a male-female pair can usually repel a larger male intruder [20].…”

“…However, it has been reported that smaller Nicrophorus individuals can repel a larger intruder [20,21]. Biparental cooperation can also affect the fate of contests; a male-female pair can usually repel a larger male intruder [20]. However, because most contests involve resident males and because repelling larger intruders occurs after the burial of carcasses [21], the possibility of the effect of male prior residence or other effects remains.…”

“…In the present experiments, no females attacked the intruder males, and thus, biparental cooperative defence did not occur. Intersexual contests in N. quadripunctatus before carrion burial have not been reported [11], and biparental cooperation is restricted after parental care begins [20]. Thus, the outcome of fights will be determined by the resource-holding power of resident males.…”

Family Conflict in Subsocial Insect: Provisioning Behavior by Burying Beetles(Nicrophorus; Coleoptera: Silphidae)as a Model Species

“…Mayr, 1884 Kaptein et al, 2005 Sehirus cinctus Palisot, 1811 Kölliker et al, 2005Forficula auricularia L., 1758Mas et al, 2009Mas and Kölliker, 2011 Maynard Smith, 1982Houston et al, 2005Harrison et al, 2009McNamara et al, 1999Houston and McNamara, 1999Royle et al, 2010Tallamy, 1994 1 Onthophagus taurus Schreber 1759 Hunt and Simmons, 2002Fetherston et al, 1990Rauter and Moore, 2004Ward et al, 2009? Smiseth et al, 2005 Smiseth and Moore 2004b Suzuki and Nagano 2009 N. quadripunctatus Kraatz, 1877Harrison et al, 2009Houston et al, 2005Harrison et al, 2009Fetherston et al, 1990Rauter and Moore, 2004Mock and Parker, 199724 Smiseth and Moore, 2006Smiseth et al, 2007aSmiseth et al, 2007bTrumbo, 1990b Cylindrocaulus patalis Lewis, 1883 and Parker, 2008Smiseth et al, 2010Trumbo, 1990a, 2007Robertson, 1993Trumbo and Valletta, 2007Müller et al, 2003Suzuki, 2011Steiger et al, 2007Steiger et al, 2009 N. orbicollis Scott et al, 2008 Howard Costa, 2006…”