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Ježová Z, Prokop P, Zvaríková M, Zvarík M. Unraveling the Significance of Draglines: Female Sexual Signalization in the Nursery-Web Spider, Pisaura mirabilis. INSECTS 2023; 14:765. [PMID: 37754733 PMCID: PMC10532251 DOI: 10.3390/insects14090765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Chemical signals used by animals to attract the opposite sex are well known in insects, but heavily understudied in spiders. We investigated the role of chemical signals in female draglines in a gift-giving spider, Pisaura mirabilis, using combined data from behavioral tests and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We also investigated whether the quality of sexual signalization is influenced by crucial factors, such as female spider ontogeny, nutritional status, and mating status. We found that draglines of adult (versus subadult) and hungry (versus fed) females stimulated male motivation to produce nuptial gift, and highly sexually excited males invested more silk in gift production than less sexually excited males. Unexpectedly, chemical signals of eggsac-carrying females were similarly sexually attractive to draglines of adult females not carrying eggsac. HPLC identified significant chemical differences in female draglines, but these differences did not always correspond to male behavior. The integration of behavioral and chemical approaches is required to better understand animal behavior in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Ježová
- Department of Environmental Ecology and Landscape Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.J.)
| | - Pavol Prokop
- Department of Environmental Ecology and Landscape Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.J.)
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martina Zvaríková
- Department of Environmental Ecology and Landscape Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia; (Z.J.)
| | - Milan Zvarík
- Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, Mlynská Dolina F1, 842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia;
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2
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Grinde B, Husselman TA. An Attempt to Explain Visual Aesthetic Appreciation. Integr Psychol Behav Sci 2023; 57:840-855. [PMID: 35583718 PMCID: PMC10350433 DOI: 10.1007/s12124-022-09701-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We suggest an evolutionary based explanation for why humans are preoccupied with aesthetic aspects of visual input. Briefly, humans evolved to be swayed by positive and negative feelings in the form of rewards and punishments, and to pursue situations that induce rewards, even when the feeling is not sufficiently strong to be recognized as a reward. The brain is designed to offer rewards when a person focuses on certain types of visual stimuli. For example, warm colors are typically pleasant because they are associated with edible fruits, and complex images appeal to curiosity. At some point people began exploiting these types of brain rewards by beautifying objects and creating art. The utility of objects, and the associative (or communicative) aspects of art, may dominate the design, but the artist tends to add aesthetic elements. These elements imply visual aspects that do not add to the functional value or evoke memories or associations based on easily recognized features in the picture. The adaptive rationale for the rewards offered by the aesthetic elements should help explain human aesthetic appreciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Grinde
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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3
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Foquet B, Rapkin J, Sharma MD, Sadd BM, Sakaluk SK, Hunt J. Transcriptomic responses of females to consumption of nuptial food gifts as a potential mediator of sexual conflict in decorated crickets. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:183-194. [PMID: 36357978 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Nuptial food gift provisioning by males to females at mating is a strategy in many insects that is thought to be shaped by sexual conflict or sexual selection, as it affords males access to a female's physiology. While males often attempt to use these gifts to influence female behaviour to their own advantage, females can evolve counter mechanisms. In decorated crickets, the male's nuptial gift comprises part of the spermatophore, the spermatophylax, the feeding on which deters the female from prematurely terminating sperm transfer. However, ingested compounds in the spermatophylax and attachment of the sperm-containing ampulla could further influence female physiology and behaviour. We investigated how mating per se and these two distinct routes of potential male-mediated manipulation influence the female transcriptomic response. We conducted an RNA sequencing experiment on gut and head tissues from females for whom nuptial food gift consumption and receipt of an ejaculation were independently manipulated. In the gut tissue, we found that females not permitted to feed during mating exhibited decreased overall gene expression, possibly caused by a reduced gut function, but this was countered by feeding on the spermatophylax or a sham gift. In the head tissue, we found only low numbers of differentially expressed genes, but a gene co-expression network analysis revealed that ampulla attachment and spermatophylax consumption independently induce distinct gene expression patterns. This study provides evidence that spermatophylax feeding alters the female post-mating transcriptomic response in decorated crickets, highlighting its potential to mediate sexual conflict in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert Foquet
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - James Rapkin
- Center for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Manmohan D Sharma
- Center for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Ben M Sadd
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA
| | - John Hunt
- Center for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK.,School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
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Hakala SM, Fujioka H, Gapp K, De Gasperin O, Genzoni E, Kilner RM, Koene JM, König B, Linksvayer TA, Meurville MP, Negroni MA, Palejowski H, Wigby S, LeBoeuf AC. Socially transferred materials: why and how to study them. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 38:446-458. [PMID: 36543692 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
When biological material is transferred from one individual's body to another, as in ejaculate, eggs, and milk, secondary donor-produced molecules are often transferred along with the main cargo, and influence the physiology and fitness of the receiver. Both social and solitary animals exhibit such social transfers at certain life stages. The secondary, bioactive, and transfer-supporting components in socially transferred materials have evolved convergently to the point where they are used in applications across taxa and type of transfer. The composition of these materials is typically highly dynamic and context dependent, and their components drive the physiological and behavioral evolution of many taxa. Our establishment of the concept of socially transferred materials unifies this multidisciplinary topic and will benefit both theory and applications.
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5
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Pretterebner K, Pardo LM, Paschke K, Riveros MP. Influence of mating strategies on seminal material investment in crabs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18376. [PMID: 36319667 PMCID: PMC9626634 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21116-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproduction involves high energetic costs which are related to behaviour and gamete production. In females energy allocation to gamete production has been well documented. However, estimations of male investment in seminal material are scarce. The present study aims to assess and compare male investment in four brachyuran species by determining biochemical substrates present in the vasa deferentia to subsequently estimate energetic investment during the reproductive cycle. We identified two groups with contrasting energy investments. Two species, Homalaspis plana and Romaleon setosum, showed high investment due to significant quantities of proteins and lipids. Both species are characterised by large and complex vasa deferentia, and the formation of a remarkably large sperm plug deposited to the female after copulation as a sperm competition avoidance strategy. In contrast, Metacarcinus edwardsii and Taliepus dentatus invested little energy in their smaller-sized and simpler vasa deferentia. Morpho-functional traits may play a key role in determining the investment, which may also be influenced by mechanisms (i.e. mating tactics) to prevent sperm competition and the intensity of polygyny. This study emphasises the high amount of energy males invest in seminal material and highlights the diversity of mating strategies in Brachyura, which are reflected even on the physiological level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Pretterebner
- grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XPrograma de Doctorado en Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000 Valdivia, Chile ,grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XLaboratorio Costero de Calfuco, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000 Valdivia, Chile ,grid.507876.bCentro de Investigación de Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), 5090000 Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis Miguel Pardo
- grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XLaboratorio Costero de Calfuco, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5090000 Valdivia, Chile ,grid.507876.bCentro de Investigación de Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), 5090000 Valdivia, Chile
| | - Kurt Paschke
- grid.507876.bCentro de Investigación de Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), 5090000 Valdivia, Chile ,grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XInstituto de Acuicultura, Universidad Austral de Chile, 5480000 Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Marcela Paz Riveros
- grid.8170.e0000 0001 1537 5962Programa de Magister en Didáctica de Las Ciencias Experimentales, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, 2340000 Valparaíso, Chile
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Dehnen T, Arbon JJ, Farine DR, Boogert NJ. How feedback and feed-forward mechanisms link determinants of social dominance. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1210-1230. [PMID: 35150197 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In many animal societies, individuals differ consistently in their ability to win agonistic interactions, resulting in dominance hierarchies. These differences arise due to a range of factors that can influence individuals' abilities to win agonistic interactions, spanning from genetically driven traits through to individuals' recent interaction history. Yet, despite a century of study since Schjelderup-Ebbe's seminal paper on social dominance, we still lack a general understanding of how these different factors work together to determine individuals' positions in hierarchies. Here, we first outline five widely studied factors that can influence interaction outcomes: intrinsic attributes, resource value asymmetry, winner-loser effects, dyadic interaction-outcome history and third-party support. A review of the evidence shows that a variety of factors are likely important to interaction outcomes, and thereby individuals' positions in dominance hierarchies, in diverse species. We propose that such factors are unlikely to determine dominance outcomes independently, but rather form part of feedback loops whereby the outcomes of previous agonistic interactions (e.g. access to food) impact factors that might be important in subsequent interactions (e.g. body condition). We provide a conceptual framework that illustrates the multitude potential routes through which such feedbacks can occur, and how the factors that determine the outcomes of dominance interactions are highly intertwined and thus rarely act independently of one another. Further, we generalise our framework to include multi-generational feed-forward mechanisms: how interaction outcomes in one generation can influence the factors determining interaction outcomes in the next generation via a range of parental effects. This general framework describes how interaction outcomes and the factors determining them are linked within generations via feedback loops, and between generations via feed-forward mechanisms. We then highlight methodological approaches that will facilitate the study of feedback loops and dominance dynamics. Lastly, we discuss how our framework could shape future research, including: how feedbacks generate variation in the factors discussed, and how this might be studied experimentally; how the relative importance of different feedback mechanisms varies across timescales; the role of social structure in modulating the effect of feedbacks on hierarchy structure and stability; and the routes of parental influence on the dominance status of offspring. Ultimately, by considering dominance interactions as part of a dynamic feedback system that also feeds forward into subsequent generations, we will understand better the factors that structure dominance hierarchies in animal groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobit Dehnen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland
| | - Josh J Arbon
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, 8057, Switzerland.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, Konstanz, 78464, Germany
| | - Neeltje J Boogert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, TR10 9FE, U.K
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7
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Pandulli‐Alonso I, Tomasco IH, Albo MJ. The handsome liar: Male spiders offering worthless gifts can benefit increasing mating duration. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Pandulli‐Alonso
- Departamento de Ecología y Biología Evolutiva Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Ivanna H. Tomasco
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución. Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay
| | - Maria J. Albo
- Departamento de Ecología y Biología Evolutiva Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable Montevideo Uruguay
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución. Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de la República Montevideo Uruguay
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8
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Modak S, Brown WD, Balakrishnan R. Decoupling of female phonotaxis and mating propensity in a tree cricket. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03084-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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9
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Kamimura Y, Yoshizawa K, Lienhard C, Ferreira RL, Abe J. Evolution of nuptial gifts and its coevolutionary dynamics with male-like persistence traits of females for multiple mating. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:164. [PMID: 34482815 PMCID: PMC8419916 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01901-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many male animals donate nutritive materials during courtship or mating to their female mates. Donation of large-sized gifts, though costly to prepare, can result in increased sperm transfer during mating and delayed remating of the females, resulting in higher paternity. Nuptial gifting sometimes causes severe female-female competition for obtaining gifts (i.e., sex-role reversal in mate competition) and selection on females to increase their mating rate, changing the intensity of sperm competition and the resultant paternity gains. We built a theoretical model to simulate such coevolutionary feedbacks between nuptial gift size (male trait) and propensity for multiple mating (female trait). Donation of nuptial gifts sometimes causes development of female persistence trait for gift acquisition. We also analyzed the causes and consequences of this type of traits, taking double receptacles for nutritious seminal gifts, which are known to occur in an insect group with a "female penis" (Neotrogla spp.), as an illustrative example. RESULTS Our individual-based simulations demonstrated that female-female competition for male-derived nutrients always occur when the environment is oligotrophic and mating costs are low for females. However, a positive correlation between donated gift size and the resultant paternity gain was a requisite for the co-occurrence of large gifts and females' competitive multiple mating for the gifts. When gift donation satisfied female demands and thus resulted in monandry, exaggeration of nuptial gift size also occurred under the assumption that the last male monopolizes paternity. The evolution of double slots for gift acquisition and digestion (female persistence trait) always occurred when males could not satisfy the demands of females for gifts. However, through coevolutionary reduction in male gift size, fixation of this trait in a population drastically reduced the average female fitness. CONCLUSION Sperm usage patterns, which have rarely been examined for animals with nuptial gifts, can be a critical factor for determining the extent of exaggeration in nuptial gifting. Sex-role reversals in mate competition, as a result of donation of nuptial gifts from males to females, can involve the evolution of male-like, persistent traits in females that reduce population productivity, as is the case with persistence traits in males.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kazunori Yoshizawa
- Systematic Entomology, School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan
| | - Charles Lienhard
- Geneva Natural History Museum, CP 6434, 1211, Geneva 6, Switzerland
| | - Rodrigo L Ferreira
- Biology Department, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras, MG, 37200-000, Brazil
| | - Jun Abe
- Faculty of Liberal Arts, Meijigakuin University, Yokohama, Japan
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Shuker DM, Kvarnemo C. The definition of sexual selection. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:781-794. [PMID: 34695172 PMCID: PMC8528540 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection is a key component of evolutionary biology. However, from the very formulation of sexual selection by Darwin, the nature and extent of sexual selection have been controversial. Recently, such controversy has led back to the fundamental question of just what sexual selection is. This has included how we incorporate female-female reproductive competition into sexual or natural selection. In this review, we do four things. First, we examine what we want a definition to do. Second, we define sexual selection: sexual selection is any selection that arises from fitness differences associated with nonrandom success in the competition for access to gametes for fertilization. An important outcome of this is that as mates often also offer access to resources, when those resources are the targets of the competition, rather than their gametes, the process should be considered natural rather than sexual selection. We believe this definition encapsulates both much of Darwin's original thinking about sexual selection, and much of how contemporary biologists use the concept of sexual selection. Third, we address alternative definitions, focusing in some detail on the role of female reproductive competition. Fourth, we challenge our definition with a number of scenarios, for instance where natural and sexual selection may align (as in some forms of endurance rivalry), or where differential allocation means teasing apart how fecundity and access to gametes influence fitness. In conclusion, we emphasize that whilst the ecological realities of sexual selection are likely to be complex, the definition of sexual selection is rather simple.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Shuker
- School of Biology, Harold Mitchell Building, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, SE, Sweden
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Differential allocation in a gift-giving spider: males adjust their reproductive investment in response to female condition. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:140. [PMID: 34238218 PMCID: PMC8268551 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01870-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background When males are selective, they can either reject low-quality females or adjust their reproductive investment in response to traits that indicate female quality (e.g., body size or condition). According to the differential allocation hypothesis, males increase their reproductive investment when paired with high-quality females (positive differential allocation) or increase their reproductive investment when paired with low-quality females (negative differential allocation). This hypothesis has been proposed for monogamous species with biparental care, and most empirical studies focus on birds. Here we used the polygamous spider Paratrechalea ornata, in which males offer prey wrapped in silk as nuptial gifts, to test whether males adjust their reproductive investment in gift size, pre-copulatory and copulatory courtship, and sperm transfer in response to female body condition. Results Males exposed to females in good body condition added more flies to the gift, stimulated these females longer with abdominal touches during pre-copulatory courtship, and had longer pedipalp insertions than males exposed to females in poor body condition. Female condition affected neither silk investment in nuptial gift wrapping nor the quantity of sperm transferred by males. Finally, females in good body condition oviposited faster after copulation and laid more eggs than females in poor body condition. Conclusions We provide experimental evidence that males of a gift-giving spider exhibit positive differential allocation in three key aspects of their reproductive investment: the size of the nutritious gift, duration of pre-copulatory courtship, and duration of pedipalp insertions, which is regarded as a form of copulatory courtship in spiders. This positive differential allocation is likely associated with the benefits of copulating with females in good body condition. These females are more fecund and oviposit faster after copulation than females in poor body condition, which under natural field conditions probably reduces the risk of multiple matings and thus the level of sperm competition faced by the males. As a final remark, our findings indicate that the hypothesis of differential allocation also applies to species with a scramble competition mating system, in which males heavily invest in nuptial gift construction, but not in parental care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-021-01870-1.
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McDonough-Goldstein CE, Pitnick S, Dorus S. Drosophila oocyte proteome composition covaries with female mating status. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3142. [PMID: 33542461 PMCID: PMC7862673 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82801-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Oocyte composition can directly influence offspring fitness, particularly in oviparous species such as most insects, where it is the primary form of parental investment. Oocyte production is also energetically costly, dependent on female condition and responsive to external cues. Here, we investigated whether mating influences mature oocyte composition in Drosophila melanogaster using a quantitative proteomic approach. Our analyses robustly identified 4,485 oocyte proteins and revealed that stage-14 oocytes from mated females differed significantly in protein composition relative to oocytes from unmated females. Proteins forming a highly interconnected network enriched for translational machinery and transmembrane proteins were increased in oocytes from mated females, including calcium binding and transport proteins. This mating-induced modulation of oocyte maturation was also significantly associated with proteome changes that are known to be triggered by egg activation. We propose that these compositional changes are likely to have fitness consequences and adaptive implications given the importance of oocyte protein composition, rather than active gene expression, to the maternal-to-zygotic transition and early embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E. McDonough-Goldstein
- grid.264484.80000 0001 2189 1568Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY USA
| | - Scott Pitnick
- grid.264484.80000 0001 2189 1568Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY USA
| | - Steve Dorus
- grid.264484.80000 0001 2189 1568Center for Reproductive Evolution, Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY USA
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13
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Kelly PW, Pfennig DW, Pfennig KS. Adaptive Plasticity as a Fitness Benefit of Mate Choice. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:294-307. [PMID: 33546877 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity and sexual selection can each promote adaptation in variable environments, but their combined influence on adaptive evolution is not well understood. We propose that sexual selection can facilitate adaptation in variable environments when individuals prefer mates that produce adaptively plastic offspring. We develop this hypothesis and review existing studies showing that diverse groups display both sexual selection and plasticity in nonsexual traits. Thus, plasticity could be a widespread but unappreciated benefit of mate choice. We describe methods and opportunities to test this hypothesis and describe how sexual selection might foster the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. Understanding this interplay between sexual selection and phenotypic plasticity might help predict which species will adapt to a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick W Kelly
- Department of Biology, Coker Hall, CB#3280, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.
| | - David W Pfennig
- Department of Biology, Coker Hall, CB#3280, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Karin S Pfennig
- Department of Biology, Coker Hall, CB#3280, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA.
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Reyes-Ramírez A, Rocha-Ortega M, Córdoba-Aguilar A. Dietary macronutrient balance and fungal infection as drivers of spermatophore quality in the mealworm beetle. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:100009. [PMID: 36003606 PMCID: PMC9387488 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2021.100009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Abstract
Parental care is extremely diverse across species, ranging from simple behaviours to complex adaptations, varying in duration and in which sex cares. Surprisingly, we know little about how such diversity has evolved. Here, using phylogenetic comparative methods and data for over 1300 amphibian species, we show that egg attendance, arguably one of the simplest care behaviours, is gained and lost faster than any other care form, while complex adaptations, like brooding and viviparity, are lost at very low rates, if at all. Prolonged care from the egg to later developmental stages evolves from temporally limited care, but it is as easily lost as it is gained. Finally, biparental care is evolutionarily unstable regardless of whether the parents perform complementary or similar care duties. By considering the full spectrum of parental care adaptations, our study reveals a more complex and nuanced picture of how care evolves, is maintained, or is lost. Parental care can take many forms but how this diversity arises is not well understood. Here, the authors compile data for over 1300 amphibian species and show that different forms of care evolve at different rates, prolonged care can be easily reduced, and biparental care is evolutionarily unstable.
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17
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Sirot LK. Modulation of seminal fluid molecules by males and females. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2019; 35:109-116. [PMID: 31472462 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In insects, seminal fluid molecules (SFMs) influence female post-mating phenotypes that affect reproductive success including egg development, sperm use, mating behavior, attractiveness, and lifespan. Yet, the magnitude of these effects can be quite variable, even within inbred strains. This variation is important because it could impact post-copulatory reproductive success of both males and females. One likely cause of this variation is modulation by males or females of the quantities or qualities (e.g. stability or activity state) of SFMs, or, in the case of females, of their sensitivity to SFMs. Here, I review opportunities for SFM modulation by males and females and propose that these processes could provide mechanisms by which information received before and during copulation influences post-copulatory reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura King Sirot
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH 44691, United States.
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18
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The effect of nuptial gift number on fertilization success in a Hawaiian swordtail cricket. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2705-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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19
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Harten L, Prat Y, Ben Cohen S, Dor R, Yovel Y. Food for Sex in Bats Revealed as Producer Males Reproduce with Scrounging Females. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1895-1900.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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20
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Ben Mocha Y, Pika S. Intentional Presentation of Objects in Cooperatively Breeding Arabian Babblers (Turdoides squamiceps). Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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21
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Reyes-Ramírez A, Enríquez-Vara JN, Rocha-Ortega M, Téllez-García A, Córdoba-Aguilar A. Female choice for sick males over healthy males: Consequences for offspring. Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Reyes-Ramírez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología; Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal México
| | - Jhony N. Enríquez-Vara
- CONACYT-Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco AC; Zapopan Mexico
| | - Maya Rocha-Ortega
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología; Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal México
| | - Aldo Téllez-García
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología; Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal México
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología; Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal México
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22
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Jensen K, Silverman J. Frequently mated males have higher protein preference in German cockroaches. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Jensen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Jules Silverman
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Kahn PC, Cao DD, Burns M, Boyer SL. Nuptial gift chemistry reveals convergent evolution correlated with antagonism in mating systems of harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7103-7110. [PMID: 30214716 PMCID: PMC6131725 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuptial gifts are material donations given from male to female before or during copulation and are subject to sexual selection in a wide variety of taxa. The harvestman genus Leiobunum has emerged as a model system for understanding the evolution of reproductive morphology and behavior, as transitions between solicitous and antagonistic modes of courtship have occurred multiple times within the lineage and are correlated with convergence in genital morphology. We analyzed the free amino acid content of nuptial gift secretions from five species of Leiobunum using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Multivariate analysis of the free amino acid profiles revealed that, rather than clustering based on phylogenetic relationships, nuptial gift chemical composition was better predicted by genital morphology and behavior, suggesting that convergent evolution has acted on the chemical composition of the nuptial gift. In addition, we found that, species with solicitous courtship produce gifts consisting of a 19% larger proportion of essential amino acids as compared to those with more antagonistic courtship interactions. This work represents the first comparative study of nuptial gift chemistry within a phylogenetic framework in any animal group and as such contributes to our understanding of the evolution of reproductive diversity and the participant role of nuptial gift chemistry in mating system transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dennis D. Cao
- Chemistry DepartmentMacalester CollegeSt. PaulMinnesota
| | - Mercedes Burns
- Biology DepartmentSan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCalifornia
- Present address:
Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of MarylandBaltimore CountyBaltimoreMaryland
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Villarreal SM, Pitcher S, Helinski MEH, Johnson L, Wolfner MF, Harrington LC. Male contributions during mating increase female survival in the disease vector mosquito Aedes aegypti. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 108:1-9. [PMID: 29729859 PMCID: PMC5988987 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is a vector of medically important viruses including those causing Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. During mating, males transfer a number of proteins and other molecules to the female and these components of the male ejaculate are essential in shifting female post-mating behaviors in a number of insect species. Because these molecules are highly variable by species, and female post-mating behavior by species is also varied, behavioral assays testing the function of the ejaculate are necessary before we can develop control strategies targeting the mating system to reduce mosquito populations. Because increased survival in mosquitoes strongly increases vectorial capacity and can influence population sizes and potential risk we tested the effect of mating on female survival. The ejaculate can either promote or reduce female survival, as both have been shown in multiple insect species, yet this effect has not been directly assessed in mosquitoes. We compared survival of females in four treatment groups: mated females, virgin females, and virgin females injected with either an extract from the male reproductive glands or a saline control. Survival, blood feeding frequency, fecundity and cumulative net reproductive rate (R0) were determined after multiple feedings from a human host. Our results confirm that male reproductive gland substances increase female fecundity and blood feeding frequency, resulting in dramatic increases in fitness (R0). We also demonstrate, for the first time, an effect of male reproductive gland extracts alone on female survival, regardless of whether or not the female ingested a vertebrate blood meal. Thus, the effects of MAG extract on survival are not secondary effects from altered blood feeding. Collectively, we demonstrate a direct role for Ae. aegypti male-derived molecules on increasing female fitness, reproductive success and, ultimately, transmission potential for vector borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Villarreal
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Sylvie Pitcher
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michelle E H Helinski
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Lynn Johnson
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, B-11 Savage Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 423 Biotechnology Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Laura C Harrington
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 3131 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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25
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Ghislandi PG, Pekár S, Matzke M, Schulte-Döinghaus S, Bilde T, Tuni C. Resource availability, mating opportunity and sexual selection intensity influence the expression of male alternative reproductive tactics. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1035-1046. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stano Pekár
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Masaryk University; Brno Czech Republic
| | - Magdalena Matzke
- Department of Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians University; Munich Germany
| | | | - Trine Bilde
- Department of Bioscience; Aarhus University; Aarhus Denmark
| | - Cristina Tuni
- Department of Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians University; Munich Germany
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26
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Toft S, Albo MJ. The shield effect: nuptial gifts protect males against pre-copulatory sexual cannibalism. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2015.1082. [PMID: 27194284 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.1082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Several not mutually exclusive functions have been ascribed to nuptial gifts across different taxa. Although the idea that a nuptial prey gift may protect the male from pre-copulatory sexual cannibalism is attractive, it has previously been considered of no importance based on indirect evidence and rejected by experimental tests. We reinvestigated whether nuptial gifts may function as a shield against female attacks during mating encounters in the spider Pisaura mirabilis and whether female hunger influences the likelihood of cannibalistic attacks. The results showed that pre-copulatory sexual cannibalism was enhanced when males courted without a gift and this was independent of female hunger. We propose that the nuptial gift trait has evolved partly as a counteradaptation to female aggression in this spider species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Søren Toft
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Maria J Albo
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Lodi M, Meijer FW, Koene JM. Ejaculates are not used as nuptial gifts in simultaneously hermaphroditic snails. ZOOLOGY 2017; 123:30-36. [PMID: 28712675 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Promoted by sexual selection, males usually adopt different ways to increase their fertilization chances. In many insect taxa males donate nuptial gifts, together with sperm, which represent a valuable additional nutrient source that females can use to provision eggs. This has also been suggested to occur in simultaneous hermaphrodites, organisms with both sex functions. In theory, donation of nuptial gifts or extra nutrients might work in hermaphrodites that mate unilaterally (one-way donation of ejaculates), but will not be effective when these organisms mate reciprocally (mutual exchange of ejaculates), since on average each partner would receive the amount it also transfers. Hence, for the latter the net amount gained would be zero, and when considering the non-trivial costs of metabolic conversion the energy balance of this exchange ends up negative. To test this prediction, we measured the material (dry weight) and resource (carbon and nitrogen content) investment into ejaculates of the unilaterally mating freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis and spermatophores of the reciprocally mating land snail Cornu aspersum. When compared to eggs, our measurements indicate that the investment is low for ejaculates and spermatophores, neither of which represent a significant contribution to egg production. Importantly, during reciprocal matings, couples exchanged similar amounts of material and resources, thus a gain of extra substances seems irrelevant. Hence, caution is needed when generalizing functions of male reproductive strategies across mating systems. Although digestion of ejaculates does not provide extra material and resources in simultaneous hermaphrodites, their absorption could still be important to eliminate an excess of received sperm and to select sperm via cryptic female choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Lodi
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Fedde W Meijer
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joris M Koene
- Section of Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, The Netherlands
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29
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Meslin C, Cherwin TS, Plakke MS, Hill J, Small BS, Goetz BJ, Wheat CW, Morehouse NI, Clark NL. Structural complexity and molecular heterogeneity of a butterfly ejaculate reflect a complex history of selection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E5406-E5413. [PMID: 28630352 PMCID: PMC5502654 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1707680114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Male ejaculates are often structurally complex, and this complexity is likely to influence key reproductive interactions between males and females. However, despite its potential evolutionary significance, the molecular underpinnings of ejaculate structural complexity have received little empirical attention. To address this knowledge gap, we sought to understand the biochemical and functional properties of the structurally complex ejaculates of Pieris rapae butterflies. Males in this species produce large ejaculates called spermatophores composed of an outer envelope, an inner matrix, and a bolus of sperm. Females are thought to benefit from the nutrition contained in the soluble inner matrix through increases in longevity and fecundity. However, the indigestible outer envelope of the spermatophore delays female remating, allowing males to monopolize paternity for longer. Here, we show that these two nonsperm-containing spermatophore regions, the inner matrix and the outer envelope, differ in their protein composition and functional properties. We also reveal how these divergent protein mixtures are separately stored in the male reproductive tract and sequentially transferred to the female reproductive tract during spermatophore assembly. Intriguingly, we discovered large quantities of female-derived proteases in both spermatophore regions shortly after mating, which may contribute to spermatophore digestion and hence, female control over remating rate. Finally, we report evidence of past selection on these spermatophore proteins and female proteases, indicating a complex evolutionary history. Our findings illustrate how structural complexity of ejaculates may allow functionally and/or spatially associated suites of proteins to respond rapidly to divergent selective pressures, such as sexual conflict or reproductive cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Meslin
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (IEES-Paris), 78026 Versailles Cedex, France
| | - Tamara S Cherwin
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Melissa S Plakke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | | | - Brandon S Small
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | - Breanna J Goetz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
| | | | - Nathan I Morehouse
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260;
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221
| | - Nathan L Clark
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260;
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
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Prokop P, Semelbauer M. Biometrical and behavioural associations with offering nuptial gifts by males in the spider Pisaura mirabilis. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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31
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Albo MJ, Macías-Hernández N, Bilde T, Toft S. Mutual benefit from exploitation of female foraging motivation may account for the early evolution of gifts in spiders. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Pandulli-Alonso I, Quaglia A, Albo MJ. Females of a gift-giving spider do not trade sex for food gifts: a consequence of male deception? BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:112. [PMID: 28506206 PMCID: PMC5433081 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0953-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Polyandry is commonly maintained by direct benefits in gift-giving species, so females may remate as an adaptive foraging strategy. However, the assumption of a direct benefit fades in mating systems where male gift-giving behaviour has evolved from offering nutritive to worthless (non-nutritive) items. In the spider Paratrechalea ornata, 70% of gifts in nature are worthless. We therefore predicted female receptivity to be independent of hunger in this species. We exposed poorly-fed and well-fed females to multiple males offering nutritive gifts and well-fed females to males offering worthless gifts. Results Though the treatments strongly affected fecundity, females of all groups had similar number of matings. This confirms that female receptivity is independent of their nutritional state, i.e. polyandry does not prevail as a foraging strategy. Conclusions In the spider Pisaura mirabilis, in which the majority (62%) of gifts in nature are nutritive, female receptivity depends on hunger. We therefore propose that the dependence of female receptivity on hunger state may have evolved in species with predominantly nutritive gifts but is absent in species with predominantly worthless gifts. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0953-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Pandulli-Alonso
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avenida Italia, 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Agustín Quaglia
- Laboratorio de Arbovirus-Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella"-Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria J Albo
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Avenida Italia, 3318, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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Ghislandi PG, Beyer M, Velado P, Tuni C. Silk wrapping of nuptial gifts aids cheating behaviour in male spiders. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Al-Wathiqui N, Fallon TR, South A, Weng JK, Lewis SM. Molecular characterization of firefly nuptial gifts: a multi-omics approach sheds light on postcopulatory sexual selection. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38556. [PMID: 28004739 PMCID: PMC5177949 DOI: 10.1038/srep38556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Postcopulatory sexual selection is recognized as a key driver of reproductive trait evolution, including the machinery required to produce endogenous nuptial gifts. Despite the importance of such gifts, the molecular composition of the non-gametic components of male ejaculates and their interactions with female reproductive tracts remain poorly understood. During mating, male Photinus fireflies transfer to females a spermatophore gift manufactured by multiple reproductive glands. Here we combined transcriptomics of both male and female reproductive glands with proteomics and metabolomics to better understand the synthesis, composition and fate of the spermatophore in the common Eastern firefly, Photinus pyralis. Our transcriptome of male glands revealed up-regulation of proteases that may enhance male fertilization success and activate female immune response. Using bottom-up proteomics we identified 208 functionally annotated proteins that males transfer to the female in their spermatophore. Targeted metabolomic analysis also provided the first evidence that Photinus nuptial gifts contain lucibufagin, a firefly defensive toxin. The reproductive tracts of female fireflies showed increased gene expression for several proteases that may be involved in egg production. This study offers new insights into the molecular composition of male spermatophores, and extends our understanding of how nuptial gifts may mediate postcopulatory interactions between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy R Fallon
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Adam South
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jing-Ke Weng
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 9 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Sara M Lewis
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
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Clary D, Kelly DM. Clark's Nutcrackers ( Nucifraga columbiana) Flexibly Adapt Caching Behavior to a Cooperative Context. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1643. [PMID: 27826273 PMCID: PMC5078760 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corvids recognize when their caches are at risk of being stolen by others and have developed strategies to protect these caches from pilferage. For instance, Clark's nutcrackers will suppress the number of caches they make if being observed by a potential thief. However, cache protection has most often been studied using competitive contexts, so it is unclear whether corvids can adjust their caching in beneficial ways to accommodate non-competitive situations. Therefore, we examined whether Clark's nutcrackers, a non-social corvid, would flexibly adapt their caching behaviors to a cooperative context. To do so, birds were given a caching task during which caches made by one individual were reciprocally exchanged for the caches of a partner bird over repeated trials. In this scenario, if caching behaviors can be flexibly deployed, then the birds should recognize the cooperative nature of the task and maintain or increase caching levels over time. However, if cache protection strategies are applied independent of social context and simply in response to cache theft, then cache suppression should occur. In the current experiment, we found that the birds maintained caching throughout the experiment. We report that males increased caching in response to a manipulation in which caches were artificially added, suggesting the birds could adapt to the cooperative nature of the task. Additionally, we show that caching decisions were not solely due to motivational factors, instead showing an additional influence attributed to the behavior of the partner bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawson Clary
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
| | - Debbie M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, Canada
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36
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Al-Wathiqui N, Dopman EB, Lewis SM. Postmating transcriptional changes in the female reproductive tract of the European corn borer moth. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 25:629-645. [PMID: 27329655 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Mating triggers a cascade of physiological and behavioural responses in females that persist after copulation. In insects, seminal fluid proteins contained within male ejaculates are known to initiate some responses, but our understanding of how females mediate these reactions remains limited. Few studies have examined postmating transcriptional changes within ejaculate-receiving organs within females or how these changes might depend on the identity of the male. Furthermore, whereas males of many insects transfer packaged ejaculates, transcriptional dynamics have mainly been examined in dipterans, in which males transfer a free ejaculate. To identify genes that may be important in mediating female physiological responses in a spermatophore-producing species, we sequenced the transcriptomes of the ejaculate-receiving organs and examined postmating gene expression within and between pheromone strains of the European corn borer (ECB) moth, Ostrinia nubilalis. After within-strain mating, significant differential expression of 978 transcripts occurred in the female bursa or its associated bursal gland, including peptidases, transmembrane transporters, and hormone processing genes; such genes may potentially play a role in postmating male-female interactions. We also identified 14 transcripts from the bursal gland that were differentially expressed after females mated with cross-strain males, representing candidates for previously observed postmating reproductive isolation between ECB strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Al-Wathiqui
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - E B Dopman
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - S M Lewis
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
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37
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38
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Levin E, Mitra C, Davidowitz G. Fed males increase oviposition in female hawkmoths via non-nutritive direct benefits. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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39
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Rapkin J, Jensen K, Lane SM, House CM, Sakaluk SK, Hunt J. Macronutrient intake regulates sexual conflict in decorated crickets. J Evol Biol 2015; 29:395-406. [PMID: 26563682 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexual conflict results in a diversity of sex-specific adaptations, including chemical additions to ejaculates. Male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) produce a gelatinous nuptial gift (the spermatophylax) that varies in size and free amino acid composition, which influences a female's willingness to fully consume this gift. Complete consumption of this gift maximizes sperm transfer through increased retention of the sperm-containing ampulla, but hinders post-copulatory mate choice. Here, we examine the effects of protein (P) and carbohydrate (C) intake on the weight and amino acid composition of the spermatophylax that describes its gustatory appeal to the female, as well as the ability of this gift to regulate sexual conflict via ampulla attachment time. Nutrient intake had similar effects on the expression of these traits with each maximized at a high intake of nutrients with a P : C ratio of 1 : 1.3. Under dietary choice, males actively regulated their nutrient intake but this regulation did not coincide with the peak of the nutritional landscape for any trait. Our results therefore demonstrate that a balanced intake of nutrients is central to regulating sexual conflict in G. sigillatus, but males are constrained from reaching the optima needed to bias the outcome of this conflict in their favour.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Rapkin
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - K Jensen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.,Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - S M Lane
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - C M House
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - S K Sakaluk
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK.,Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - J Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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40
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Alcock J. A Note on the Mating Behavior ofEmpis gulosaCoquillett (Diptera: Empididae). Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2015. [DOI: 10.1656/045.022.0401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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41
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Lewis SM, Vahed K, Koene JM, Engqvist L, Bussière LF, Perry JC, Gwynne D, Lehmann GUC. Emerging issues in the evolution of animal nuptial gifts. Biol Lett 2015; 10:rsbl.2014.0336. [PMID: 25030043 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Uniquely positioned at the intersection of sexual selection, nutritional ecology and life-history theory, nuptial gifts are widespread and diverse. Despite extensive empirical study, we still have only a rudimentary understanding of gift evolution because we lack a unified conceptual framework for considering these traits. In this opinion piece, we tackle several issues that we believe have substantively hindered progress in this area. Here, we: (i) present a comprehensive definition and classification scheme for nuptial gifts (including those transferred by simultaneous hermaphrodites), (ii) outline evolutionary predictions for different gift types, and (iii) highlight some research directions to help facilitate progress in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara M Lewis
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Karim Vahed
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1GB, UK
| | - Joris M Koene
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Leif Engqvist
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany Department of Behavioural Ecology, University of Bern, Hinterkappelen 3032, Switzerland
| | - Luc F Bussière
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Jennifer C Perry
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK Jesus College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3DW, UK
| | - Darryl Gwynne
- Department of Zoology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
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Jarrige A, Body M, Giron D, Greenfield MD, Goubault M. Amino acid composition of the bushcricket spermatophore and the function of courtship feeding: Variable composition suggests a dynamic role of the nuptial gift. Physiol Behav 2015; 151:463-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Duffield KR, Hunt J, Rapkin J, Sadd BM, Sakaluk SK. Terminal investment in the gustatory appeal of nuptial food gifts in crickets. J Evol Biol 2015. [PMID: 26201649 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Investment in current versus future reproduction represents a prominent trade-off in life-history theory and is likely dependent on an individual's life expectancy. The terminal investment hypothesis posits that a reduction in residual reproductive value (i.e. potential for future offspring) will result in increased investment in current reproduction. We tested the hypothesis that male decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus), when cued to their impending mortality, should increase their reproductive effort by altering the composition of their nuptial food gifts (i.e. spermatophylaxes) to increase their gustatory appeal to females. Using a repeated-measures design, we analysed the amino acid composition of spermatophylaxes derived from males both before and after injection of either a saline control or a solution of heat-killed bacteria. The latter, although nonpathogenic, represents an immune challenge that may signal an impending survival threat. One principal component explaining amino acid variation in spermatophylaxes, characterized by a high loading to histidine, was significantly lower in immune-challenged versus control males. The relevance of this difference for the gustatory appeal of gifts to females was assessed by mapping spermatophylax composition onto a fitness surface derived in an earlier study identifying the amino acid composition of spermatophylaxes preferred by females. We found that immune-challenged males maintained the level of attractiveness of their gifts post-treatment, whereas control males produced significantly less attractive gifts post-injection. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that cues of a survival-threatening infection stimulate terminal investment in male decorated crickets with respect to the gustatory appeal of their nuptial food gifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Duffield
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - J Hunt
- Center for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - J Rapkin
- Center for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - B M Sadd
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
| | - S K Sakaluk
- Behavior, Ecology, Evolution & Systematics Section, School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, USA
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Albo MJ, Peretti AV. Worthless and Nutritive Nuptial Gifts: Mating Duration, Sperm Stored and Potential Female Decisions in Spiders. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129453. [PMID: 26107397 PMCID: PMC4480359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In nuptial gift-giving species females sometimes select their potential mates based on the presence and size of the gift. But in some species, such as the Neotropical polyandrous spider Paratrechalea ornate male gifts vary in quality, from nutritive to worthless, and this male strategy can be in conflict with female nutritional benefits. In this species, males without gifts experience a reduction in mating success and duration, while males that offer worthless or genuine nutritive gifts mate with similar frequencies and durations. The female apparently controls the duration of copulation. Thus, there is scope for females to favour males offering gifts and further if these are nutritious, via post-copulatory processes. We first tested whether females differentially store sperm from males that offer the highest nutritional benefits by experimentally presenting females with males that offer either nutritive or worthless gifts (uninterrupted matings). Second, we carried out another set of experiments to examine whether females can select sperm based only on gift presence. This time we interrupted matings after the first pedipalp insertion, thus matching number of insertions and mating duration for males that: offered and did not offer gift. Our results showed that the amount of sperm stored is positive related to mating duration in all groups, except in matings with worthless gifts. Gift presence itself did not affect the sperm stored by females, while they store similar number of sperm in matings with males offering either nutritive or worthless gifts. We discuss whether females prefer males with gifts regardless, if content, because it represents an attractive and/or reliable signal. Or alternatively, they prefer nutritive nuptial gifts, as they are an important source of food supply and/or signal of male donor ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J. Albo
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, IIBCE, Montevideo, Uruguay
- * E-mail:
| | - Alfredo V. Peretti
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, CONICET-, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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Mitchell SN, Kakani EG, South A, Howell PI, Waterhouse RM, Catteruccia F. Mosquito biology. Evolution of sexual traits influencing vectorial capacity in anopheline mosquitoes. Science 2015; 347:985-8. [PMID: 25722409 DOI: 10.1126/science.1259435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The availability of genome sequences from 16 anopheline species provides unprecedented opportunities to study the evolution of reproductive traits relevant for malaria transmission. In Anopheles gambiae, a likely candidate for sexual selection is male 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Sexual transfer of this steroid hormone as part of a mating plug dramatically changes female physiological processes intimately tied to vectorial capacity. By combining phenotypic studies with ancestral state reconstructions and phylogenetic analyses, we show that mating plug transfer and male 20E synthesis are both derived characters that have coevolved in anophelines, driving the adaptation of a female 20E-interacting protein that promotes oogenesis via mechanisms also favoring Plasmodium survival. Our data reveal coevolutionary dynamics of reproductive traits between the sexes likely to have shaped the ability of anophelines to transmit malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara N Mitchell
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Evdoxia G Kakani
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy
| | - Adam South
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Paul I Howell
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Robert M Waterhouse
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School, Geneva 1211, Switzerland. Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Geneva 1211, Switzerland. Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Flaminia Catteruccia
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia 06100, Italy.
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Ortíz-Jiménez I, Cueva del Castillo R. Nuptial gifts and female fecundity in the neotropical katydid Conocephalus ictus (Orthoptera: Tettigonidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 22:106-110. [PMID: 24431289 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/30/2012] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In general, female fitness is greatly increased in gift-giving insects. In katydids, this nuptial gift consists of a gelatinous mass produced by accessory glands: the spermatophylax, which is attached to the ampulla. During mating, males of the neotropical katydid Conocephalus ictus transfer a spermatophylax that is ingested by the females. Fecundity, egg-laying rate and longevity were higher in females that consumed the spermatophylax than in those that did not. Also, female receptivity turned off after mating. Females actively rejected other males by hitting them with their forelegs and moving away. Their refractory period lasted as long as 17 d. Only a few females accepted a 2nd mating and died a few days later. In C. ictus, spermatophylax consumption can be beneficial for both males and females. On one hand, the compounds in the spermatophylax or the ejaculate could prevent or delay females from copulating with rivals, thus avoiding sperm competition. On the other hand, such compounds can improve the females' opportunity to increase their lifespan and fecundity. Moreover, a rise in egg-laying rate may lower the risk of female prereproductive death caused by rapid oviposition. In any case, the boost in female egg laying might also be beneficial for males because their number of offspring increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Ortíz-Jiménez
- Laboratorio de Ecología, UBIPRO, UNAM, FES Iztacala, México, Edo. México, México
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Toft S, Albo MJ. Optimal numbers of matings: the conditional balance between benefits and costs of mating for females of a nuptial gift-giving spider. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:457-67. [PMID: 25580948 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Revised: 01/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In species where females gain a nutritious nuptial gift during mating, the balance between benefits and costs of mating may depend on access to food. This means that there is not one optimal number of matings for the female but a range of optimal mating numbers. With increasing food availability, the optimal number of matings for a female should vary from the number necessary only for fertilization of her eggs to the number needed also for producing these eggs. In three experimental series, the average number of matings for females of the nuptial gift-giving spider Pisaura mirabilis before egg sac construction varied from 2 to 16 with food-limited females generally accepting more matings than well-fed females. Minimal level of optimal mating number for females at satiation feeding conditions was predicted to be 2-3; in an experimental test, the median number was 2 (range 0-4). Multiple mating gave benefits in terms of increased fecundity and increased egg hatching success up to the third mating, and it had costs in terms of reduced fecundity, reduced egg hatching success after the third mating, and lower offspring size. The level of polyandry seems to vary with the female optimum, regulated by a satiation-dependent resistance to mating, potentially leaving satiated females in lifelong virginity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Toft
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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48
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Burela S, Martín PR. Nuptial Gifts inPomacea canaliculata(Ampullariidae, Caenogastropoda): Experimental and Field Evidence about Their Function. MALACOLOGIA 2014. [DOI: 10.4002/040.057.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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49
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Tigreros N, Mowery MA, Lewis SM. Male mate choice favors more colorful females in the gift-giving cabbage butterfly. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1764-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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50
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Hosken DJ, Hodgson DJ. Why do sperm carry RNA? Relatedness, conflict, and control. Trends Ecol Evol 2014; 29:451-5. [PMID: 24916312 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Classically, sperm were seen as transcriptionally inactive vehicles for delivering the paternal haplotype to an egg. Yet, it has become apparent that sperm also carry thousands of different RNAs, and the functions of most of these are unknown. Here, we make four novel suggestions for sperm RNA function. First, they could act as relatedness markers facilitating sperm cooperation. Second, they could act as paternally imposed suppressors of haploid interests. Third, they could act as a nuptial gift, providing the female with resources that entice her to fertilise ova using the sperm of the gift-provider. Fourth, they could represent the contents of a Trojan horse, delivered by males to manipulate female reproduction. We discuss these ideas and suggest how they might be tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Hosken
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Tremough, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
| | - David J Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Tremough, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK
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