Sphragis in Parnassius mnemosyne (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae): male-derived insemination plugs loose efficiency with progress of female flight

Vlašánek, Petr; Konvička, Martin

doi:10.2478/s11756-009-0207-3

Cited by 14 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In some species, males deposit a conspicuous mating plug (sphragis) to prevent females from remating, thus allowing non‐lethal field assessment (Matsumoto & Suzuki, 1992; Calabrese et al., 2008). A high proportion of females may subsequently lose the sphragis, however, which restricts the reliability of mating assessment (Orr, 2002; Vlasanek & Konvicka, 2009).…”

Section: Methodological Approaches To Estimate Female Mating Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female mating failures in insects

Rhainds¹

2010

Entomologia Exp Applicata

147

175

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Empirical and experimental studies reporting the probability that some females remain unmated in field populations of insects (defined herein as mating failures) are reviewed in more than 100 species. The techniques used to quantify mating failures in the field are summarized, as well as factors that influence the probability that females mate during their lifetime. The existing empirical data provide partial support for hypotheses generated by theoretical models, although the trends observed in field populations are far more diverse and complex than predictions derived from ecological theory, e.g., the effect of population density on female mating success at small and large spatial scales is opposite. Mating success of females increases with the ratio of males in the population, but the relation between emergence time, sex ratio, and female mating success is variable. Females have evolved a broad range of physiological and behavioural adaptations to reduce mating failures, and exhibit a flexible context‐dependent response to constraints limiting mating success. The large number of studies in Lepidoptera suggests a higher mating success in butterflies than moths. Examples of high rates of mating failure include species with gynogenous reproduction, long range migration, pre‐reproductive maturation, male‐biased sex ratio, acquisition of resources essential for reproduction, and female flightlessness. Species with sessile females that mate and oviposit near their emergence site provide model systems to investigate the causes and demographic consequences of female mating failure.

show abstract

Section: Methodological Approaches To Estimate Female Mating Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female mating failures in insects

Rhainds¹

2010

Entomologia Exp Applicata

147

175

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…φ(w1 + w2 + w3) p(g × t) 6.51 0.0107 but as most of the females seemed to be already mated (Vlasanek and Konvicka, 2009), it is unlikely that this late-season pattern would have much consequence on the viability of the population. The surplus of adult males was not due to higher male survival, because male residence (and resulting longevity) was lower than female residence.…”

Section: Models Testedmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The genus includes several intensively studied species threatened in parts of their ranges (e.g., Descimon, 1995;Witkowski et al, 1997;Konvicka and Kuras, 1999;Fred et al, 2006;Adamski and Witkowski, 2007). Shortages of females may cause profound genetic effects in the genus, because Parnassius males monopolize mated females by attaching a firm waxy structure (sphragis) to their genital apertures (Orr, 1995;Calabrese et al, 2008;Vlasanek and Konvicka 2009), thus likely reducing the proportion of males contributing to the next generation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Adult Sex Ratio in the Parnassius Mnemosyne Butterfly: Effects of Survival, Migration, And weather

Vlašánek

Hauck²,

Konvička

2009

Israel J Ecol Evol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sex ratio biases in animal populations influence the genetically effective population size, and thus are of interest in conservation. A butterfly group in which many authors report biases towards males is the genus Parnassius Latreille, 1804 (Papilionidae). Using a vulnerable woodland species, P. mnemosyne, we carried out a detailed marking campaign designed to eliminate biases towards individual sexes on marking. We then estimated the numbers of males and females using constrained linear models (CLMs) (Cormack-Jolly-Seber and Jolly-Seber in MARK); compared details of mobility between males and females using the Virtual Migration (VM) model; and built CLMs containing weather variables in order to directly assess weather effects on survival. The estimated population size was 4000 adults, with a male : female sex ratio of 1.5-1.6. Both daily and average catchability were higher for males, while the residence values (i.e., survival) were higher for females. Migration parameters were similar for the sexes, with slightly lower male survival within patches and slightly higher male emigration. CLMs with weather substituted for or added to marking days performed worse than models with mere marking days, and although weather affected the sexes differently, males still retained lower survival. The surplus of adult males in the studied population of P. mnemosyne was real, not caused by increased male survival or a difference in mobility. Therefore, the bias toward males must appear prior to adult emergence, probably during the larval period.

show abstract

“…There are cases known in Parnassius species where hardened sphragides have been lost by the female or were removed by subsequent males (Matsumoto and Suzuki 1995, Vlasanek and Konvicka 2009), which would potentially allow additional matings. Moreover, Orr (1988) experimentally induced males of C. cressida to mate with caged mated females, and they eventually dissolved the attached sphragis of the first male.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the occurrence and diversity of the sphragis in butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea)

Carvalho

Orr

Kawahara

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Males of many butterfly species secrete long-lasting mating plugs to prevent their mates from copulating with other males, thus ensuring their sperm will fertilize all future eggs laid. Certain species have further developed a greatly enlarged, often spectacular, externalized plug, termed a sphragis. This distinctive structure results from complex adaptations in both male and female genitalia and is qualitatively distinct from the amorphous, internal mating plugs of other species. Intermediate conditions between internal plug and external sphragis are rare. The term sphragis has often been misunderstood in recent years, hence we provide a formal definition based on accepted usage throughout most of the last century. Despite it being a highly apparent trait, neither the incidence nor diversity of the sphragis has been systematically documented. We record a sphragis or related structure in 273 butterfly species, representing 72 species of Papilionidae in 13 genera, and 201 species of Nymphalidae in 9 genera. These figures represent respectively, 13% of Papilionidae, 3% of Nymphalidae, and 1% of known butterfly species. A well-formed sphragis evolved independently in at least five butterfly subfamilies, with a rudimentary structure also occurring in an additional subfamily. The sphragis is probably the plesiomorphic condition in groups such as Parnassius (Papilionidae: Parnassiinae) and many Acraeini (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae). Some butterflies, such as those belonging to the Parnassius simo group, have apparently lost the structure secondarily. The material cost of producing the sphragis is considerable. It is typically offset by production of a smaller spermatophore, thus reducing the amount of male-derived nutrients donated to the female during mating for use in oogenesis and/or somatic maintenance. The sphragis potentially represents one of the clearest examples of mate conflict known. Investigating its biology should yield testable hypotheses to further our understanding of the selective processes at play in an ‘arms race’ between the sexes. This paper provides an overview, which will inform future study.

show abstract

Sphragis in Parnassius mnemosyne (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae): male-derived insemination plugs loose efficiency with progress of female flight

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Female mating failures in insects

Female mating failures in insects

Adult Sex Ratio in the Parnassius Mnemosyne Butterfly: Effects of Survival, Migration, And weather

A review of the occurrence and diversity of the sphragis in butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About