Alternative reproductive tactics and male-dimorphism in the horned beetle Onthophagus acuminatus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) |
| |
Authors: | Douglas J Emlen |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1003, USA, US |
| |
Abstract: | Adult dung beetles (Onthophagus acuminatus) exhibit continuous variation in body size resulting from differential nutritional conditions experienced during larval development.
Males of this species have a pair of horns that protrude from the base of the head, and the lengths of these horns are bimodally
distributed in natural populations. Males growing larger than a threshold body size develop long horns, and males that do
not achieve this size grow only rudimentary horns or no horns at all. Previous studies of other horned beetle species have
shown that horned and hornless males often have different types of reproductive behavior. Here I describe the mating behaviors
of the two male morphs of O. acuminatus during encounters with females. Females excavate tunnels beneath dung, where they feed, mate and provision eggs. Large, horned
males were found to guard entrances to tunnels containing females. These males fought with all other males that attempted
to enter these tunnels. In contrast, small, hornless males encountered females by sneaking into tunnels guarded by other males.
In many instances, this was accomplished by digging new tunnels that intercepted the guarded tunnels below ground. Side-tunneling
behavior allowed sneaking males to enter tunnels beneath the guarding male, and mate with females undetected. Both overall
body size and relative horn length significantly affected the outcome of fights over tunnel ownership. These results suggest
that alternative reproductive tactics may favor divergence in male horn morphology, with long horns favored in males large
enough to guard tunnels, and hornlessness favored in smaller males that adopt the “sneaking” behavioral alternative.
Received: 12 October 1996 / Accepted after revision: 8 August 1997 |
| |
Keywords: | Alternative reproductive behavior Male dimorphism Male competition Horned beetles Onthophagus |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|