Mating Delay Reduces Reproductive Performance but not Longevity in a Monandrous Moth

Zheng, Xia‐Lin; Liu, Junyan; Lu, Wen; He, Xiong Zhao; Wang, Qiao

doi:10.1093/jisesa/ieaa009

Cited by 11 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Importantly, females were matched for body size in the Y-maze trials, so the increased attractiveness for females reared at HD is not driven by their larger body size. This male preference for young females is likely to have significant fitness consequences because older females rarely attract males in field populations [35], and delays in the timing of mating have a significant impact on fecundity in short-lived moths [38]. Competition between females may increase the risk of reproductive failure [39], especially for species such as U. lugens, where females have temporal constraints on mating [35].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth

2020

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Juvenile population density has profound effects on subsequent adult development, morphology and reproductive investment. Yet, little is known about how the juvenile social environment affects adult investment into chemical sexual signalling. Male gumleaf skeletonizer moths, Uraba lugens, facultatively increase investment into antennae (pheromone receiving structures) when reared at low juvenile population densities, but whether there is comparable adjustment by females into pheromone investment is not known. We investigate how juvenile population density influences the ‘calling' (pheromone-releasing) behaviour of females and the attractiveness of their pheromones. Female U. lugens adjust their calling behaviour in response to socio-sexual cues: adult females reared in high juvenile population densities called earlier and for longer than those from low juvenile densities. Juvenile density also affected female pheromonal attractiveness: Y-maze olfactometer assays revealed that males prefer pheromones produced by females reared at high juvenile densities. This strategic investment in calling behaviour by females, based on juvenile cues that anticipate the future socio-sexual environment, likely reflects a response to avoid mating failure through competition with neighbouring signallers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth

2020

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“…Several aspects of animal signals may change with age, and the signals of younger individuals have been found to be more attractive to the receivers, for example, in cricket songs and mouse urinary protein pheromones [73,74]. Because in moths, older females are typically less attractive, as measured by mating success [44–50], it is possible that a female benefits from maintaining a young-female-like blend. In addition to changes in the composition, female moths also produce more pheromone earlier in life.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex pheromone signal and stability covary with fitness

et al. 2021

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If sexual signals are costly, covariance between signal expression and fitness is expected. Signal–fitness covariance is important, because it can contribute to the maintenance of genetic variation in signals that are under natural or sexual selection. Chemical signals, such as female sex pheromones in moths, have traditionally been assumed to be species-recognition signals, but their relationship with fitness is unclear. Here, we test whether chemical, conspecific mate finding signals covary with fitness in the moth Heliothis subflexa . Additionally, as moth signals are synthesized de novo every night, the maintenance of the signal can be costly. Therefore, we also hypothesized that fitness covaries with signal stability (i.e. lack of temporal intra-individual variation). We measured among- and within-individual variation in pheromone characteristics as well as fecundity, fertility and lifespan in two independent groups that differed in the time in between two pheromone samples. In both groups, we found fitness to be correlated with pheromone amount, composition and stability, supporting both our hypotheses. This study is, to our knowledge, the first to report a correlation between fitness and sex pheromone composition in moths, supporting evidence of condition-dependence and highlighting how signal–fitness covariance may contribute to heritable variation in chemical signals both among and within individuals.

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“…The evidence thus supports our hypothesis for fitness costs to sex pheromone stability. Since in moths older females are typically less attractive, as measured by mating success (42–48), it is possible that a female benefits from maintaining a young-female-like blend. This would be similar to cricket song and mouse urinary protein pheromones, for which signal composition reliably reflects age and in both cases the scent of senescence is associated with reduced mate attraction (68,69).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In moths, older (virgin) females tend to have reduced mating activity and reduced mating success (42–48), and virgin female moths generally keep investing in signaling (49). Thus, prolonged virginity is expected to trigger physiological responses that modulate resource allocation between somatic maintenance and reproduction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex pheromone signal and stability covary with fitness

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et al. 2021

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If sexual signals are costly to produce or maintain, covariance between signal expression and fitness is expected. This signal-fitness covariance is important evolutionarily, because it can contribute to the maintenance of genetic variation in signal traits, despite selection from mate preferences. Chemical signals, such as moth sex pheromones, have traditionally been assumed to be stereotypical species-recognition signals, but their relationship with fitness is unclear. Here we test the hypothesis that for chemical signals that are primarily used for conspecific mate finding, there is covariation between signal properties and fitness in the noctuid moth Heliothis subflexa. Additionally, as moth signals are synthesized de novo every night throughout the female's reproductive life, the maintenance of the signal can be costly. Therefore, we also hypothesized that fitness covaries with signal stability (i.e. the lack of intra-individual variation over time). We measured among- and within-individual variation in pheromone amount and composition as well as fecundity, fertility, and fitness in two independent groups of females that differed in the time in between two consecutive pheromone samples. In both groups, we found reproductive success and longevity to be correlated with pheromone amount, composition, and stability, supporting both our hypotheses. This study is the first to report a correlation between fitness and sex pheromone composition in moths, solidifying previous indications of condition-dependent moth pheromones and highlighting how signal-fitness covariance may contribute to heritable variation in chemical signals both among and within individuals.

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Mating Delay Reduces Reproductive Performance but not Longevity in a Monandrous Moth

Cited by 11 publications

References 44 publications

Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth

Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth

Sex pheromone signal and stability covary with fitness

Sex pheromone signal and stability covary with fitness

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