The lek mating system of Hetaerina damselflies (Insecta: Calopterygidae)

Abstract

We investigated whether territorial males of Hetaerina damselflies show lekking behaviour using experimental techniques and observations: (i) we altered potential vegetation substrates to determine whether this affected the number of female visitations and matings; (ii) by removing territorial males and allowing other males to occupy the territory, we determined whether females changed their visitation and mating number; (iii) we observed whether vegetation substrates were present and used, and whether lighting conditions affected male territorial behaviour; (iv) we documented female pre-and post-copulatory behaviour to examine whether female choice occurred; and (v) we investigated whether male traits were linked to mating success. Our results revealed that (1) vegetation substrates were rarely found in territories and even when vegetation was present, it did not affect female visitation and mating number; (2) males constantly moved to more illuminated places and females had little opportunity to exert choice due to harassment from males; (3) females oviposited outside territories; and (4) males with larger wing pigmentation and body size obtained a larger mating number because they were more likely to acquire a territory and/or displace other males while in tandem. This is the first documented evidence that odonate males display a lek mating system.

Resource Defense Polygyny by Hetaerina rosea Selys (Odonata: Calopterygidae): Influence of Age and Wing Pigmentation

“…Indeed, in Hetaerina americana (Raihani et al 2008), H. macropus (Eberhard 1986), H. miniata (Lefevre & Muehter 2004), H. vulnerata (Alcock 1982(Alcock , 1987 (Alcock 1982, 1987, Córdoba-Aguilar et al 2009 showed that the presence or absence of this resource do not affect male territorial behavior, female visitation or mating success. Thus current evidence suggests that Hetaerina males exhibit lek mating system, where males defend territories that contain no resource, and females visit males solely to mate; territories basically consist of sites for male exhibition (Córdoba-Aguilar et al 2009).…”

“…Considering that tropical systems are very different from subtropical ones, and that H. rosea is one of the most common damsel ly of the Brazilian Neotropical savannas, this species may be the perfect model to test differences in relation to reproductive tactics between South and North American species as predicted by Córdoba-Aguilar et al (2009). We adapted Alcock (1982Alcock ( , 1987 and Córdoba-Aguilar et al (2009) approach to test if substrate removal or addition can in luence male territoriality, aggressiveness and female visitation. We performed behavioral observations on male-male and male-female interactions to characterize reproductive and territorial behavior.…”

Character displacement in the fighting colours of Hetaerina damselflies

“…Male wing coloration in Hetaerina is intrasexually selected and does not appear to be a target of female mate choice (Grether 1996;Cordoba-Aguilar et al 2009b). Males of all species in the genus have conspicuous red wing coloration and compete to defend small mating territories in areas with flowing water; females visit these areas to mate and oviposit in submerged vegetation (Garrison 1990).…”

“…Calopteryx spp. ), males do not control access to oviposition sites within their territories and females only rarely oviposit inside their mate's territory (Alcock 1987;Weichsel 1987;Grether 1996;Cordoba-Aguilar et al 2009b). Thus, a Hetaerina territory is best viewed as a defended air space within which the resident male has the priority of access to arriving females (Weichsel 1987;Grether 1996).…”

Why are female color polymorphisms rare in territorial damselflies?

“…Mature adult male H. capitalis compete for small mating territories close to the surface of rivers in areas with flowing water and submerged vegetation, where females come to oviposit, as in most other species in this genus (Córdoba-Aguilar, Raihani, Serrano-Meneses, & -Garduño, 2009;Grether, 1996;Weichsel, 1987). Females evidently store sperm and can oviposit without re-mating if circumstances allow, but generally, they are pursued by one or more males and clasped as soon as they arrive to oviposit (there is no preclasping courtship).…”