Density affects female and male mate searching in the fiddler crab, Uca beebei

deRivera, Catherine E.; Backwell, Patricia R. Y.; Christy, John H.; Vehrencamp, Sandra L.

doi:10.1007/s00265-002-0555-2

Cited by 63 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Despite our inability to assert that searching is generally costlier for females than for males, an examination of the empirical literature reveals some examples that appear to support the sex-specific cost hypothesis. In fiddler crabs U. beebei, for example, females search only when mate availability is high and plentiful burrows reduce sampling costs (deRivera et al 2003). In California patch butterflies Chlosyne californica, easy searching in high-density conditions encourages males to abandon their regular "sit and wait" strategy to one of active search (Alcock 1994).…”

Section: Does the Ubiquity Of Male Searching Reflect The Ubiquity Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such a situation often appears to correspond to high density. In fiddler crabs Uca beebei, for example, females increase their mate-search activities when crab densities are high; the abundance of nearby burrows at such densities reduce female search costs by allowing them to escape quickly from potential predators (deRivera et al 2003). Arguments linking reduced search costs with female mate searching have also been suggested for moths (Greenfield 1981).…”

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Retracted: What Determines Sex Roles in Mate Searching?

Kokko

Wong

2007

Evolution

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In a seminal paper, Hammerstein and Parker (1987) described how sex roles in mate searching can be frequency dependent: the need for one sex to perform mate searching is diminished when the opposite sex takes on the greater searching effort. Intriguingly, this predicts that females are just as likely to search as males, despite a higher potential reproductive rate by the latter sex. This prediction, however, is not supported by data: male mate searching prevails in nature. Counterexamples also exist in the empirical literature. Depending on the taxon studied, female mate searching can arise in either low-or high-density conditions, and suggested explanations differ accordingly. We examine these puzzling observations by building two models (with and without sperm competition). When sperm competition is explicitly included, male mate searching becomes the dominant pattern; when it is excluded, male mate searching predominates only if we assume that costs of searching are higher for females. Consequently, two hypotheses emerge from our models. The multiple-mating hypothesis explains male searching on the basis of the ubiquity of sperm competition, and predicts that female searching can arise in low-density situations in which sperm can become limiting.It can also explain cases of female pheromone production, where males pay the majority of search costs. The sex-specific cost hypothesis predicts the opposite pattern of female searching in high-density conditions, and it potentially applies to some species in which sperm limitation is unlikely.

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Section: Does the Ubiquity Of Male Searching Reflect The Ubiquity Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Retracted: What Determines Sex Roles in Mate Searching?

Kokko

Wong

2007

Evolution

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“…For females, higher-quality calls would indicate that there are likely to be many potential high-quality mates upon eclosion. Although high densities may be costly to females because of increased courtship, copulation or harassment (Bateman et al, 2006;Hall et al, 2008), an increase in density would also minimize search costs (Gotthard et al, 1999;DeRivera et al, 2003;Lehmann, 2007). High densities of high-quality males would further signal a greater number of potential mates for females (less competition between females for males, more opportunity for choice).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of listening: juvenile allocation shifts in response to acoustic cues of the social environment

Kasumovic

Hall

Try

et al. 2011

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

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The social environment has a strong effect on the strength and direction of sexual selection. Juveniles, however, often have social cues that signal the current competitive environment which may provide cues of future competitive challenges. Here we demonstrate that juvenile crickets (Teleogryllus commodus) use the calls of surrounding adult males as a cue of the quality and density of rivals/mates they are likely to encounter. We reared hatchling crickets in six acoustic environments that varied in the density and quality of calls and demonstrate that individuals modified their development rate, phenotype and behaviour at maturity. Males matured more rapidly at a smaller size and called more when reared in a low competition environment. In contrast, males delayed maturity to grow larger when faced with an increased density of high‐quality males. Females matured more rapidly when reared in a high density of high‐quality males and allocated proportionately more resources towards egg production. A second experiment limiting nutrient availability demonstrates sex‐specific allocation shifts in the last stadium when cues are most reliable. Our results demonstrate that the social environment significantly affects allocation strategies and phenotypes, highlighting the importance of juvenile experience and competitive context when examining fitness and selection.

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“…When search costs are high, females should theoretically respond by reducing overall search times, whether by evaluating fewer males, evaluating each male for less time, or discriminating less between males (Pomiankowski 1987;Real 1990;Crowley et al 1991). In fact, increased search costs can cause females to become less choosy or even reverse their preferences for normally attractive mates (Evans et al 2004;Schwartz & Hendry 2006Dunn & Whittingham 2007), increase thresholds of mate attractiveness for mating (Demary et al 2006;Su & Li 2006;Vé lez & Brockmann 2006), reduce search times (Karino et al 2000, deRiviera et al 2003Kim et al 2007), and reduce mate sampling (Karino et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Localization Error and Search Costs during Mate Choice in Túngara Frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus

Bonachea

Ryan

2010

Ethology

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Search costs can have profound influences on female choice, causing females to become less choosy or sample less of the diversity of available mates. Predator foraging strategies, however, determine exactly how search time affects predator encounter rates. Ambush predators are more likely to be encountered by females traveling longer distances to evaluate males, but evaluation time is unlikely to influence encounter‐rate with this type of predator. Actively searching predators, however, may be more likely to be encountered by females employing longer travel times and evaluation times. In this study, we examine the effects of perceived search costs on both temporal and spatial aspects of the search behavior of female túngara frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus. Females were collected from natural choruses and presented with conspecific calls at a distance of 50, 115, or 180 cm from their release point. Assays were conducted in either darkness or simulated full moon light levels. Longer starting distances caused longer choice latencies, but choice latency was considerably lowered under higher light conditions. Females spent considerably less time moving under higher light conditions; however, light levels did not affect path length. Females were more likely to leave the release point with more accurate orientation to the sound source under higher light conditions. We demonstrate that females can respond to perceived search costs by altering spatial and temporal aspects of female search behavior. The overall emphasis of females on reducing time spent moving and increasing movement speed indicates that predation by actively searching predators represents a stronger cost to females than ambush predators.

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Density affects female and male mate searching in the fiddler crab, Uca beebei

Cited by 63 publications

References 45 publications

Retracted: What Determines Sex Roles in Mate Searching?

Retracted: What Determines Sex Roles in Mate Searching?

The importance of listening: juvenile allocation shifts in response to acoustic cues of the social environment

Localization Error and Search Costs during Mate Choice in Túngara Frogs, Physalaemus pustulosus

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