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1.
In species where males use alternative reproductive tactics and male phenotypes are confronted with different risks of sperm
competition, theory predicts that between-male-type differences in sperm expenditure may evolve. In the frog Crinia georgiana big males can monopolize females, whereas small males often engage in polyandrous matings. Consequently, big males may experience
a lower risk of sperm competition than do small males. We tested if the predictions from theoretical models can be applied
to the mating system of C. georgiana. Our results showed that small males do not have larger testes relative to their body size compared to their larger counterparts
and that the efficiency with which sperm number, size, motility, and longevity are produced by the testes does not differ
between small and large males in the predicted way. These results are not in alignment with predictions from a loaded raffle
model of sperm competition on sperm expenditure in males with alternative phenotypes. The plasticity in mating tactics used
by C. georgiana males and a high intraseasonal variation in male densities may have prevented the evolution of enhanced sperm performance
in smaller males. A fair raffle in the sperm competition game played by C. georgiana males could also explain the observed patterns in sperm traits. Future investigations determining the parameters responsible
for the deviation from theoretical predictions in this system will test the degree to which current theoretical models can
indeed be applied to species with plastic reproductive tactics. 相似文献
2.
Experimental evidence is presented for the storage of exogenous sperm by zooids of the simultaneously hermaphroditic didemnid ascidianDiplosoma listerianum. Cross-fertilized zygotes can be produced up to 1 mo after a ramet is placed in reproductive isolation. Previously published observations, considered in the light of the present data, suggest that the lumen of the ovary is the site of sperm storage. This is believed to be the first report of post-transmission storage of sperm by an ascidian. Existing records of storage of exogenous sperm in other taxa rarely involve aquatic animals in which spermatozoa are transmitted between mates singly through the surrounding water, as inD. listerianum. The potential significance of sperm storage in the mating systems of sessile aquatic invertebrates is discussed. 相似文献
3.
Variation in reproductive potential usually occurs among individuals of both sexes; for example, some individuals may carry
more gametes or be able to continue to generate more gametes in their reproductive life than others. Therefore, to maximize
their reproductive success, both sexes are expected to show adaptations for mate choice. However, most authors concentrated
on how females choose their mates with the belief that females invest more in reproduction than males, and males are generally
eager to pair with any female. In this paper, we report our work on a polygamous moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), with special emphasis on male pre- and in-copulation mate choice in relation to the reproductive
quality and re-copulation potential of females. We show that in E. kuehniella, younger and heavier females have significantly higher reproductive value than older and lighter ones, and male sperm supply
significantly decreases over successive copulations. Males exercise pre-copulation mate choice by selecting females with higher
reproductive potential for copulation and in-copulation mate choice by allocating more sperm to females with higher reproductive
potential. However, high-quality females are more likely to re-copulate than low-quality ones, and allocation of more sperm
to females by males does not increase female reproductive outputs. It is suggested that the allocation of more sperm to high-quality
females functions to increase sperm competitiveness against rivals. 相似文献
4.
Xiao-Ming Ma Xi Chen Shi-Wei Ma P.J. Coenraads Jing Liu Chun-Mei Zhang 《毒物与环境化学》2013,95(9):1715-1727
The chronic effects low-dose 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) were examined on protein expression profiles in rat testis, sperm, and serum gonadal hormones. A total of 32 male rats were randomly divided into three TCDD-exposed groups, administered either 140, 350, or 875 ng TCDD/kg/week for 29 weeks, respectively, and one control group receiving only corn oil. The proteins from rat testis were separated and analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. TCDD induced significant decreases in sperm counts and serum gonadal hormone levels compared with controls. TCDD altered testicular protein expression levels. Several interesting volume-altered proteins that were related to the reproductive toxicities or other toxicities of TCDD were identified. Among these proteins, PERF15 was the only down-regulated protein; sperm protein SSP411, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L-3, and eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 gamma were up-regulated by TCDD. The differentially expressed proteins and other data provide further insight into the mechanisms of reproductive toxicity mediated by low-dose TCDD exposure. 相似文献
5.
Comparative analyses have found that relative testis size is a strong predictor of the prevalence of sperm competition for many taxa, including mammals, yet underlying this pattern is the assumption that intraspecific variation in testis size is related to individual fitness. Because intraspecific variation in ejaculate investment underlies interspecific patterns, it is critical to understand the causes and consequences of intraspecific variation in ejaculate investment. We examined relationships between ejaculate investment (testis size and sperm length) and reproductive success, body size and condition in the yellow-pine chipmunk (Tamias amoenus), a small ground squirrel in which sperm competition occurs. We examined genetic estimates of male reproductive success from a wild population of yellow-pine chipmunks and determined that males with large testes had higher annual reproductive success than males with small testes. This result provides empirical support for the numerous comparative studies that indicate testis size is associated with the intensity of sperm competition. In addition, males in good condition had relatively larger testes than males in poor condition, but there was no evidence of sperm length being dependent on condition. Finally, contrary to many predictions, males that invested more in sperm production (relatively heavy testes) produced shorter sperm, not longer sperm, than males that invested less.Communicated by P.M. Kappeler 相似文献
6.
Multiple paternity and individual variation in sperm precedence in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum 总被引:2,自引:0,他引:2
Bruno Baurl 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》1994,35(6):413-421
Intraspecific variation in the proportion of offspring sired by the second mate with a female (P2) is an aspect of sperm competition that has received little attention. I examined the effects of delay between copulations (range 9–380 days) and size of sperm donor on sperm precedence in double-mated individuals of the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum. Using shell colour as a genetic marker, paternity was analysed in 132 broods produced by 35 snails that had mated with two partners of different genotype. Sperm precedence (P2) was influenced by the time between the two matings when the mating delay exceeded 70 days (one reproductive season). P2 averaged 0.34 in the first brood of snails that mated twice within 70 days indicating first mate sperm precedence. In contrast, P2 averaged 0.76 in broods of snails that remated in the following season, indicating a decreased viability of sperm from the first mate. The size of sperm-donating individuals had no effect on the fertilization success of their sperm in the first brood produced after the second copulation. Analysis of long-term sperm utilization in 23 snails that laid three to nine egg batches over 2 years revealed striking differences among individuals. Five snails (21.7%) exhibited first-mate sperm precedence throughout, eight snails (34.8%) showed second-mate sperm precedence throughout, whereas ten snails (43.5%) exhibited sperm mixing in successive batches. It is suggested that the individual variation in sperm precedence in A. arbustorum may partly be due to differences in the amount of sperm transferred. Paternity analysis in 34 batches laid by 19 wild-caught individuals of A. arbustorum indicated that at least 12 snails (63.2%) used sperm from two or more mates for the fertilization of their eggs. This suggests a high incidence of multiple paternity in broods of A. arbustorum under field conditions. 相似文献
7.
Male genitalia show rapid and divergent evolution. It is rarely determined whether variation in male genital morphology influences
male reproductive success. Male damselflies possess a unique aedeagus with a re-curved head and spiny lateral processes, and
most females have two sperm storage organs, a spherical bursa copulatrix and a tubular spermatheca. Previous studies have
indicated that the re-curved head may remove bursal sperm, whereas the lateral processes remove spermathecal sperm. However,
we need more direct evidence of these functions. We compared sperm number in female sperm storage organs by interrupting copulation
to examine sperm removal by the male. In Calopteryx cornelia, males removed almost all bursal sperm but only partially removed spermathecal sperm. In contrast, females of Mnais pruinosa store sperm primarily in the bursa, and males removed only bursal sperm. To examine the functions of male spiny lateral processes,
we compared mating behaviour between control and experimental males from which we removed (cut) the lateral processes. In
C. cornelia, cutting of the lateral processes resulted in a decreased number of abdominal movements during copulation and no removal
of spermathecal sperm. The amount of bursal sperm removed during copulation also decreased in experimental males compared
to the unmanipulated males. However, in M. pruinosa, the experimental removal of male lateral processes did not decrease the abdominal movements and little affected the removal
of bursal sperm. Inter-specific differences between C. cornelia and M. pruinosa may be caused by variation in the strategies of female sperm storage. 相似文献
8.
Laura K. Sirot Norene A. Buehner Anthony C. Fiumera Mariana F. Wolfner 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2009,63(10):1505-1513
In many species, seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) affect female post-mating behavioral patterns, including sperm storage, egg
laying, feeding, and remating. Yet, few studies have investigated the patterns of allocation, depletion, and replenishment
of SFPs in male animals, despite the importance of these proteins to male and female reproductive success. To investigate
such SFP dynamics, it is necessary to have a sensitive method for quantifying SFP levels in males and mated females. We developed
such a method by adapting the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using anti-SFP antibodies. Here, we first use two
Drosophila melanogaster SFPs (ovulin and sex peptide) to demonstrate that ELISAs provide accurate measures of SFP levels. We find that, consistent
with previous data from Western blotting or immunofluorescence studies, levels of both ovulin and sex peptide decline in the
mated female with time since mating, but they do so at different rates. We then use ELISAs to show that males become depleted
of SFPs with repeated matings, but that previously mated males are able to transfer “virgin” levels of SFPs after 3 days of
sexual inactivity. Finally, we demonstrate that ELISAs can detect SFPs from wild-caught D. melanogaster males and, thus, potentially can be used to track mating patterns in the wild. This method of measuring SFP dynamics can
be used in a wide range of species to address questions related to male reproductive investment, female mating history, and
variation in female post-mating behavioral changes.
Norene A. Buehner and Anthony C. Fiumera contributed equally to this work. 相似文献
9.
Larval development in Amphiglena mediterranea is direct in the parental tube, and larvae crawl away as young juveniles with a radiolar crown capable of feeding. The non-feeding
larvae of A. nathae are initially brooded in the parental tube, and then have a swimming phase before settling and developing a radiolar crown.
Developmental data and reproductive features such as sperm structure are combined with other morphological data for an assessment
of the cladistic relationships of the species in the genus Amphiglena. Two species of Laonome are included as part of the ingroup. Six genera, representing a sister group to the Laonome/Amphiglena clade, are used as an outgroup. Two most-parsimonious cladograms were found, and the evolution of reproductive features are
discussed. The monophyly of Amphiglena is indicated by features previously identified, as well as two features based on sperm morphology. At present a plesiomorphic
larval form cannot be identified for the genus Amphiglena.
Received: 16 June 1997 / Accepted: 29 January 1998 相似文献
10.
Sperm traits often show extreme variation both between and within species. Between-species variation may often be interpreted
in the context of a sperm competition theory, but within-species variation has remained unexplained. Previous studies on intraspecific
variation in sperm traits have focused on a limited set of variables and may have failed to explain observed variation because
of potential trade-offs between different sperm traits. We report on variation in number, size, motility and longevity of
sperm in the frog Crinia georgiana, a species where sperm competition is common. We found intrapopulation variation in sperm size and motility and interpopulation
variation in relative sperm number and size. When we combined relative sperm number and size into one variable, and motility
and longevity into another, we found significant interpopulation variation in these variables as well. We also detected considerable
intra- and significant interpopulation variation in cumulative sperm quality, a combination of all four sperm traits. Furthermore,
a significant effect of the interaction between population origin and male size on sperm characteristics indicated interpopulation
variation in the strength of selection acting on sperm traits of males adopting different mating strategies. We discuss heterogeneity
in the reproductive environment, a complex genetic background in the determination of sperm characteristics and varying levels
of developmental noise as potential contributors to the observed variation in sperm traits. 相似文献
11.
Sperm competition can be a powerful selective force in the evolution of reproductive strategies and mating systems. In studies on sperm competition, patterns of sperm use are typically reported as the mean species value of P
2, determined as the proportion of offspring sired by the second male to copulate with a doubly mated female. However, the within-species variance in P
2 has mostly been ignored, although taking this variance into account may be crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms of sperm competition. Paternity analysis among the offspring of doubly mated females of Panorpa germanica (Mecoptera, Panorpidae) revealed a relationship between relative copulation durations of both males and the proportion of offspring each male will sire. This correlation between proportional copulation durations and paternity suggests mixing of sperm from different males inside the female’s spermatheca. Yet, sperm mixing appears to be incomplete, as paternity was overall slightly shifted towards the second male on average fathering a higher proportion of the offspring than its relative copulation duration would predict in case of complete sperm mixing. For individual males, however, the outcome of sperm competition is rather unpredictable as the intraspecific variance in P
2 was found to be very high, irrespective of copulation durations. Possible causes of the observed variance in P
2 and the partial last male sperm precedence are discussed. 相似文献
12.
In this study, a proteomic approach was applied for the generation of reference maps and subsequently to detect, quantify and compare the global protein expression between two related species of marine mussels, Mytilus edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis, growing in their own geographical habitats. A comparative study of the protein profiles generated from analytical two-dimensional electrophoresis gels was performed, and changes in protein expression were analysed quantitatively by computer analysis. An average of 1,278 spots per gel was detected in 16 individuals (8 M. edulis and 8 M. galloprovincialis); however, not all spots were included in the study. Expression of 420 spots was compared, and significant differences in the intensity levels were detected in 37 protein spots (8.8%). Fifteen proteins showed higher expression in M. edulis, and 22 proteins, in M. galloprovincialis. The technique of peptide mass fingerprinting using MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation/time-of-flight) and/or nanoelectrospray double subfragmentation mass spectrometry enabled the unambiguous identification of 15 of these 37 differentially expressed proteins. Most of the identified proteins can be grouped basically into four broad functional classes: cytoskeletal and myofibrillar proteins, proteins associated with stress response, proteins associated with the storage or production of energy, and proteins related to rearrangement in the synthesis of native structures. These results expand our understanding of the molecular differentiation of the two mussel taxa and serve as a useful base for future ecological, physiological and genetic studies. 相似文献
13.
Mating system,optimal number of matings,and sperm transfer in the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Summary In ants, because males have a finite sperm supply and females mate only at the beginning of their reproductive lives, it is possible to infer which is the limiting sex from a few parameters: the amount of sperm produced by males, the amount of sperm stored by females, and the numerical sex ratio. In the Argentine ant Iridomyrmex humilis mating takes place in the nest. Laboratory experiments and field data showed that the numerical sex ratio is heavily male-biased (10.1:1) and that the maximum number of sperm a female can store is similar to the number of sperm a male possesses. Thus females are the limiting sex in this species. In a set of mating experiments, one queen was presented with 1–20 males. The highest proportion of successful matings occurred when females were presented with two males. There was a significant negative correlation between the amount of sperm queens stored and the number of males present in the mating arena. This relationship most likely resulted from male interference during the copulation process. When several males were present in the arena, the mating pair was frequently disturbed by other males trying to copulate. Newly mated queens collected from the field stored 172,000 ± 76,000 sperm, a quantity most similar to that measured in laboratory mating experiments with a ratio of 5 or 10 males per queen. Because the operational sex ratio in I. humilis is highly male-biased, male interference may also decrease the amount of sperm queens store in the field. In many ants, fewer sperm stored by queens should decrease their reproductive success because they would run out of sperm earlier in their reproductive lifetimes. However, comparison of the amount of sperm present in young and old I. humilis queens collected in the field suggests that most use only a small proportion of their sperm supply during their lifetimes. Males mate once and discharge all their sperm during a single mating. Females may mate with several males but dissection of these males indicated that in most cases only one of them had empty seminal vesicles thus suggesting that a single male is responsible for most of the sperm transfer. Thus caution should be exercised in inferring multiple inseminations, as is frequently done in eusocial insects, from the observation of multiple copulations.
Correspondence to: L. Keller 相似文献
14.
Marine mussels (Mytilus spp.) belong to a group of benthic species crucial to coastal ecosystems in Europe and are important for the cultivation industry. In the present study, the nuclear adhesive protein marker (Me15/16) was used for identification of Mytilus species in coastal areas, on a large geographic scale in Europe. Pure M. edulis populations were found in the White Sea and Iceland. M. edulis, M. trossulus and their hybrids were found in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea (Oosterschelde, The Netherlands). M. galloprovincialis, M. edulis and their hybrids occurred in Ireland. M. galloprovincialis populations were observed in the Sea of Azov (Black Sea), the Mediterranean and Portugal. The mitochondrial (mt) DNA coding-region ND2-COIII was studied by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) assay methods. The mtDNA control region was studied by PCR. Substantial differentiation in the frequency of female haplotypes among the studied populations in Europe was observed. Despite isolation between the Mytilus taxa on a macro-geographic scale, considerable mitochondrial gene flow occurred between populations, with introgression in hybrid zones on a more local geographic scale in Europe. MtDNA of the Atlantic Iberian (Portugal) population of M. galloprovincialis was more similar to mtDNA in populations of M. galloprovincialis and M. edulis from the Atlantic coasts of the Ireland and M. edulis from the North Sea, than to M. galloprovincialis from the Mediterranean. Lower polymorphism of mtDNA in populations of the Baltic and Azov Sea mussels in comparison with other European populations was observed and can be explained by the recent history of both seas after the Pleistocene glaciation. In the M. galloprovincialis population from the Azov Sea, the presence of the male-inherited (M) genome was demonstrated for the first time by sequencing the control region and was observed at high frequency. Possible influence of mussel culture on geographic distribution of the Mytilus taxa in Europe is discussed. 相似文献
15.
In birds, the number of sperm trapped between the perivitelline membranes around the ovum is an estimate of sperm numbers
present at the time and place of fertilisation in the female reproductive tract. Sperm numbers may vary among species and
between eggs in a clutch and can provide information about sperm utilisation and mechanisms of sperm competition. Here, we
describe patterns of variation in sperm numbers through the egg-laying sequence in three passerines in which extra-pair paternity
is common, but copulation behaviour differs. Sperm numbers showed no systematic change across the laying sequence in blue
tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), but decreased significantly with laying order in bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) and tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) clutches. This is consistent with observations that blue tits regularly copulate throughout the laying sequence, while bluethroats
stop mate guarding and tree swallows reduce their copulation frequency once the first egg is laid. Nevertheless, cases of
a sudden increase in sperm numbers in clutches of bluethroats and tree swallows suggest that successful inseminations also
occurred after laying started. In blue tits and bluethroats, sperm numbers were not higher on extra-pair sired eggs than on
eggs sired by the social male, suggesting that extra-pair copulations are not timed to the period of peak fertility for each
egg. More extra-pair offspring originated from eggs laid early in the sequence in blue tits, while there was no systematic
bias in bluethroats. Our results suggest that copulations during the laying sequence are predominantly performed by within-pair
males in our study species. 相似文献
16.
Blue mussels, Mytilus spp., have inhabited the brackish Baltic Sea, an environment lacking predatory crabs and starfish, for several thousand years. In this paper we examined whether Baltic Mytilus that were transplanted to the North Sea showed predator-inducible plasticity like their "marine" conspecifics. Our experiments showed that native North Sea Mytilus changed their morphology when exposed to waterborne scents from shore-crabs and starfish. These predators induced different kinds of changes, with emphasis on shell thickness and adductor muscle size, respectively. Baltic Mytilus responded in a similar way to crab scents, whereas starfish scents had a relatively weak effect on the morphology. Crab and starfish scent induced strengthening of the byssal attachment in North Sea Mytilus, with crabs providing more stimulation than starfish. Baltic mussels also improved the byssal attachment when exposed to either of the predators, but the attachment strength, as well as the response to crabs, were relatively weaker than that of North Sea mussels. We conclude that inducible plasticity still is present in Baltic Mytilus, despite their recent evolution in a predator-free environment. There is probably no strong selective pressure against inducible plasticity, but it could also be maintained in the population by gene flow from Mytilus in the adjoining North Sea. The question whether Baltic Mytilus are M. edulis or M. trossulus may also be relevant for the present results. 相似文献
17.
Light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to describe spermatogenesis and the morphology of mature sperm and sperm storage organs in five sibling species of Capitella, three species in the related genus Capitomastus, and one species in the genus Capitellides. These capitellids lack a well-developed testis, but young males have a few specialized regions of the peritoneum in the eighth setiger, where germ cells proliferate and spermatogonia are released into the coelom, and spermiogenesis is completed. Mature sperm are stored in the central regions of paired genital ducts (coelomoducts), which lie between the seventh and eighth setigers. The cells forming the walls of the coelomostome and central region of the duct are ciliated and have large glycogen deposits. The lumenal borders have extensive microvilli and there is evidence that they secrete glycogen-containing materials into the duct. All species have modified primitive sperm with a conical acrosome, elongated nucleus, and long middle piece extending along the proximal portion of the flagellum. A single ring-shaped mitochondrion encircles the centriolar region of the middle piece and the cytoplasm is filled with glycogen. The sperm of all nine species differ significantly in the lengths of their middle pieces, acrosomes and especially in their nuclear lengths. The nuclear lengths have a twofold range among the sibling species of Capitella and Capitomastus. Subtle differences in the shape and volume of the acrosomal vesicle and acrosomal space characteristic of the Capitella sibling species seem to correlate with a basic division of these species into those with diploid chromosome numbers of 20 or 26. Spermiogenesis, the number of sperm produced, and the method of sperm storage are appropriate for efficient sperm utilization in fertilization. No evidence indicates that spermatophores are formed and transferred between individuals and the method of sperm transfer is not understood. The differences in the dimensions and acrosome morphology of mature sperm, and the previously demonstrated specializations in the egg envelopes in the Capitella sibling species, are characteristic features of the reproductive isolation that exists among these capitellid species. 相似文献
18.
Behavioral experiments have shown that male copepods of the species Tigriopus japonicus (Nori) can distinguish species, sex, and developmental stage of potential mates using contact chemoreception. Lectin-binding
patterns on the body surface of females have indicated that surface-bound glycoproteins may be important signals in mate choice.
In the present study, the proteolytic enzyme trypsin was used to cleave surface proteins from females, reducing their attractiveness
to males. The protein fragments released were used to make monoclonal antibodies. Three levels of screening were used to identify
monoclonal antibodies that recognized proteins involved in mate recognition. One monoclonal antibody bound to the terminal
urosome and lateral prosome of CV females, and its binding significantly decreased female attractiveness to males. Western
blotting showed that this antibody bound the trypsin-cleaved fragment and proteins of homogenized CV females and virgin adult
females, but did not bind proteins of homogenized males, CIII females, or females of T. californicus or T. fulvus. This antibody recognized proteins on the surface of females that may enable males to discriminate conspecifics, sex, and
age. It is likely that this molecule has a central role in the evolution of reproductive isolation in this group.
Received: 22 July 1999 / Accepted: 21 March 2000 相似文献
19.
Hursthouse AS Matthews JM Figures JE Iqbal-Zahid P Davies IM Vaughan DH 《Environmental geochemistry and health》2003,25(2):171-203
Detailed surveys of intertidal sediments have been performed along the north and south shores of the Inner Clyde estuary, UK. Surface sediment data reveal significant spatial variation in Cr content and an association with major sediment characteristics and location within the estuary. Depth variation for Cr and other heavy metals cannot be explained by variation in major geochemical controls such as grain size and organic matter and highlights the impact of historical contamination on sediment quality. These elevated levels at depth may still have environmental impact through redox-reactivity, in association with iron and manganese. Sequential extraction of sediments and pore water analysis of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) provide detailed information on release potential from the sediments. The implication of Cr mobility for biota in the estuary has been assessed by the analysis of a common marine bivalve, Mytilus edulis (Blue Mussel) and a burrowing polychaete, Nereis diversicolor (rag worm) from a number of survey sites. Bioconcentration factors for Mytilus indicate that the weakly held portion of sediment Cr is available for uptake and in the case of Nereis, bioaccumulation appears to be inhibited by sediment organic matter. 相似文献
20.
Lesley Vande Velde Pauline Silvestre David Damiens Hans Van Dyck 《Behavioral ecology and sociobiology》2012,66(3):347-359
Male reproductive investment may signify a considerable cost to male insects that produce sperm packages or spermatophores.
Male butterflies allocate much of their active time budget to mate location, and they may adopt different behavioural strategies
to do so. In the speckled wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria L.), males adopt either a territorial wait-and-fight strategy (territorial perching) or a fly-and-search strategy in wider
areas (patrolling). In this study, we analysed the impact of male age, male size and male behaviour (i.e. behavioural strategies
and levels of activity) on spermatophore investment (i.e. spermatophore mass, number of eupyrene sperm bundles). As predicted,
reproductive investment increased with male age and size. Nevertheless, the increase of spermatophore mass with age and the
number of eupyrene sperm bundles (i.e. fertile sperm) was stronger in low-activity males compared to active flying males.
This suggests that flight activity has a negative impact on male reproductive investment. However, males that were forced
to fly in the laboratory produced more eupyrene sperm bundles than resting males. We discuss the potential effects of male–male
competition and predation risk on current versus future male reproduction. Males adopting different mate-locating strategies
(perching and patrolling) in outdoor cages did not differ in spermatophore traits as was predicted from their very different
flight performances. Copulations of territorial perching males took somewhat longer than copulations with non-perching males.
There was a significant family effect of spermatophore size and of the expression of male mate-locating strategies suggesting
heritable variation. Female traits (i.e. age and size) did not strongly affect spermatophore production. We discuss the results
relative to both ultimate and proximate explanations of the complex relationships between butterfly activity, behavioural
strategies, age and spermatophore production. 相似文献