Male mating history and female fecundity in the Lepidoptera: do male virgins make better partners?

Torres‐Vila, Luis M.; Jennions, Michael D.

doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0857-7

Cited by 109 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Both the number of sperm cells and/or composition of the ejaculate (accessory fluids) may affect female fecundity (Perry et al 2013, and references therein). A decline in male investment over sequential copulations may account for the inability of thrice-mated males to increase female fecundity as much as virgin males (Torres-Vila and Jennions 2005;Pérez-Staples et al 2008;Milonas et al 2011). Mating with a sperm-depleted male might result in a sperm shortage in female's spermathecae, which could reduce the number of eggs and their fertility (Jones 2001;Wedell et al 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polygyny in the olive fly—effects on male and female fitness

Gerofotis

Yuval

Ioannou

et al. 2015

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Polygynous males must balance their limited ejaculate resources between current copulations, with putative future ones. Working on olive flies (Bactrocera oleae), our objectives were to determine (a) how males budget sperm to consecutive copulations, (b) what costs consecutive copulations incur, and (c) how male mating history affects female fecundity, fertility, and longevity. We allowed males to copulate with virgin females on successive days and monitored the fertility and fecundity of these females, and the longevity of both sexes. We found that as males gained sexual experience, latency to mate declined significantly, while copula duration increased. The number of sperm stored by females declined according to the sexual history of her mate-as males gained experience, significantly fewer sperm cells were transferred. Mated males suffered a significant longevity cost compared to virgin ones, but this cost was not compounded by additional matings. Male sexual experience affected both female fecundity and fertility. Furthermore, mating with an experienced male incurred a longevity cost to females. We conclude that non-sperm components of the male ejaculate are responsible for reducing female fecundity, fertility, and longevity, and predict that females should prefer to mate with virgin males.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polygyny in the olive fly—effects on male and female fitness

Gerofotis

Yuval

Ioannou

et al. 2015

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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show abstract

“…Productivity may then increase because less harassment of females by males would give the females more time to feed and lay eggs (Mendes et al, 2003). Before testing this possibility we need to know if male fertility decreases on successive matings, as happens in other species (Torres-Vila & Jennions, 2005;Marcotte et al, 2006). From a behavioral point of view we wonder to what extent monandry in M. caliginosus has resulted in sexual selected traits such as female choosiness or male-male competition (Thornhill & Alcock, 1983).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating periodicity and post-mating refractory period in the zoophytophagous plant bug Macrolophus caliginosus (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Gemeno¹,

Alomar²,

Riudavets³

et al. 2007

Eur. J. Entomol.

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Abstract. The zoophytophagous mirid bug Macrolophus caliginosus is an important biocontrol agent of whiteflies in the Mediterranean region. Periods of low productivity in commercial breeding units and unsuccessful establishment in greenhouses prompted this study of mating behaviour. Here we describe copulation behaviour, the diel mating periodicity and post-copulatory refractory period. A natural plant substrate needs to be provided if one wants to observe the copulatory behaviour of M. caliginosus in the laboratory. There was no apparent directional orientation in the approach of the two sexes, instead males pursued females after "accidentally" contacting them. Males mounted females from above, very rapidly, and without any obvious courtship behaviour, and copulation duration was very consistent (286.33 ± 4.23 s, mean ± SE). Observations over a 24-h period showed that mating was most frequent in the 8-h scotophase and first half of the 16-h photophase than in the second half of the photophase. Mated females became strongly unreceptive to new male mounting attempts, shaking their abdomen and leaving the plant if harassed. To determine the duration of the post-mating refractory period mating receptivity of females that had mated 1 or 2 weeks earlier was compared with that of virgin females of similar age. Mated females remained unreceptive even 2 weeks after mating, whereas half of the virgin females of equivalent age mated. Mated females were more likely to abandon a plant than virgin females when harassed by a male. Most males remated a few minutes after mating for the first time. M. caliginosus is atypical among mirids in that females apparently mate only once.

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“…Reproductive investments of male butterflies deplete with multiple mating and male mating-history effects female fitness [39 -41]. Accordingly, lepidopteran females generally have a higher reproductive output after mating with a virgin male than after mating with a previously mated male [42].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concurrent modulation of neuronal and behavioural olfactory responses to sex and host plant cues in a male moth

et al. 2015

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Mating has profound effects on animal physiology and behaviour, not only in females but also in males, which we show here for olfactory responses. In cotton leafworm moths, Spodoptera littoralis, odour-mediated attraction to sex pheromone and plant volatiles are modulated after mating, producing a behavioural response that matches the physiological condition of the male insect. Unmated males are attracted by upwind flight to sex pheromone released by calling females, as well as to volatiles of lilac flowers and green leaves of the host plant cotton, signalling adult food and mating sites, respectively. Mating temporarily abolishes male attraction to females and host plant odour, but does not diminish attraction to flowers. This behavioural modulation is correlated with a response modulation in the olfactory system, as shown by electro-physiological recordings from antennae and by functional imaging of the antennal lobe, using natural odours and synthetic compounds. An effect of mating on the olfactory responses to pheromone and cotton plant volatiles but not to lilac flowers indicates the presence of functionally independent neural circuits within the olfactory system. Our results indicate that these circuits interconnect and weigh perception of social and habitat odour signals to generate appropriate behavioural responses according to mating state.

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Male mating history and female fecundity in the Lepidoptera: do male virgins make better partners?

Cited by 109 publications

References 72 publications

Polygyny in the olive fly—effects on male and female fitness

Polygyny in the olive fly—effects on male and female fitness

Mating periodicity and post-mating refractory period in the zoophytophagous plant bug Macrolophus caliginosus (Heteroptera: Miridae)

Concurrent modulation of neuronal and behavioural olfactory responses to sex and host plant cues in a male moth

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