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Luepold SB, Korner-Nievergelt F, Züst Z, Pasinelli G. It's about Her: Male Within-Season Movements Are Related to Mate Searching in a Songbird. Am Nat 2024; 203:562-575. [PMID: 38635362 DOI: 10.1086/729424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIn species with resource-defense mating systems (such as most temperate-breeding songbirds), male dispersal is often considered to be limited in both frequency and spatial extent. When dispersal occurs within a breeding season, the favored explanation is ecological resource tracking. In contrast, movements of male birds associated with temporary emigration, such as polyterritoriality (i.e., defense of an additional location after attracting a female in the initial territory), are usually attributed to mate searching. We suggest that male dispersal and polyterritoriality are functionally related and that mate searching may be a unifying hypothesis for predicting the within-season movements of male songbirds. Here, we test three key predictions derived from this hypothesis in Wood Warblers (Phylloscopus sibilatrix). We collected data on the spatial behavior of 107 males between 2017 and 2019 and related male movements to a new territory (in both a dispersal and a polyterritorial context) to mating potential in the current territory. Most males dispersed from their territories within days or weeks after failing to attract a female, despite occupying territories in apparently suitable habitat. Probability of polyterritoriality by paired males increased after the peak fertile period of their mate. Males never dispersed following nest predation if the female remained to renest. Thus, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that both movement types are functionally related to mate searching.
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Cueva Del Castillo R, Elias-Quevedo A, Medrano JV, Ruíz-Flores A, Flores-Ortiz CM. Potential strategic allocation of nuptial gift proteins of the neotropical katydid Conocephalus ictus (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae). J Insect Physiol 2024; 154:104633. [PMID: 38554814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
In many katydids, the male feeds his mate with a large gelatinous spermatophore. While providing large spermatophores can increase female fecundity and lifespan, it may also decrease their sexual receptivity, benefiting male fitness. Allocating resources to these edible gifts may entail a lower apportionment of them to other functions, generating a trade-off between somatic and reproductive functions. Despite their effect on male and female fitness, little is known of the compounds associated with katydid spermatophores. Our study found 177 different putative proteins in the spermatophore of Conocephalus ictus, with no correlation between male body size with spermatophore mass, number, concentration and mass of proteins. However, we did observe a negative relationship between male forewing length and protein concentration, and a negative relationship between the mass of the spermatophore transferred to the females and their body size, suggesting a resource allocation trade-off in males, but also strategic transference of resources based on female quality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anahi Elias-Quevedo
- UBIPRO, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, A.P. 314, Tlalnepantla 54090. Mexico
| | | | - Anabel Ruíz-Flores
- UBIPRO, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, A.P. 314, Tlalnepantla 54090. Mexico
| | - César M Flores-Ortiz
- UBIPRO, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, A.P. 314, Tlalnepantla 54090. Mexico
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Hosono S, Masuda Y, Tokioka S, Kawamura T, Iwata Y. Squid male alternative reproductive tactics are determined by birth date. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240156. [PMID: 38654644 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) are discontinuous phenotypes associated with reproduction, observed in males of many species. Typically, large males adopt a tactic of competing with rivals for mating, while small males adopt a tactic of stealing fertilization opportunities from the large males. The 'birth date hypothesis', proposing that the date of birth influences the determination of each male's reproductive tactic, has been tested only in teleost fish to date. Here, the birth date hypothesis was tested in ARTs of Japanese spear squid Heterololigo bleekeri (consort/sneaker) by analysing statolith growth increments. The birth date significantly differed between consorts (early-hatched) and sneakers (late-hatched). However, no differences were detected in growth history up to 100 days from hatching. Most immature males caught during the reproductive season were larger than sneakers, and their hatch date was similar to that of consorts, suggesting that these immature males had already been following a life-history pathway as a consort. These results indicate that ARTs of H. bleekeri are determined based on their hatch date in early life. This study firstly suggests that the birth date hypothesis applies to aquatic invertebrates, suggesting that the mechanism by which birth date determines the individual phenotype is a phenomenon more common than previously believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shota Hosono
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yoshio Masuda
- Miyagi Prefecture Fisheries Technology Institute, Ishinomaki, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Shun Tokioka
- Shiogama Field Station, Fisheries Resources Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Shiogama, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Kawamura
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
| | - Yoko Iwata
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
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Abubaker TAS, Matsui Y, Naka H. Identification of the female sex pheromone of Bastilla arctotaenia (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2024; 88:577-580. [PMID: 38378960 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbae020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
(3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene was identified as a major component of female sex pheromone of Bastilla arctotaenia (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), a pest of cultivated roses, by gas chromatograph-electroantennographic detector( GC-EAD) and gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. The single (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-henicosatriene (1.0 mg/lure) successfully attracted B. arctotaenia males in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tareq A S Abubaker
- T he United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Yuki Matsui
- T he United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
- Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hideshi Naka
- Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
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Gong LL, Zhang MQ, Ma YF, Feng HY, Zhao YQ, Zhou YY, He M, Smagghe G, He P. RNAi of yellow-y, required for normal cuticle pigmentation, impairs courtship behavior and oviposition in the German cockroach (Blattella germanica). Arch Insect Biochem Physiol 2024; 115:e22114. [PMID: 38659314 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The insect cuticle plays a key role in maintaining the insect's physiological function and behavior. Herein, the yellow-y protein is required to produce black melanin, and is expressed in a pattern that correlates with the distribution of this pigment. However, yellow-y can also have other functions, for instance, in insect behavior, but not much is known. In this study, we have studied the yellow-y gene in one important model and pest species, namely the German cockroach (Blattella germanica), which is to our knowledge the first time reported. In essence, we identified the yellow-y gene (BgY-y) and characterized its function by using RNA interference (RNAi). Silencing of BgY-y gene led to different developmental abnormalities (body weight and wings) in both genders. Specifically, there was an abundant decrease in melanin, turning the body color in pale yellow and the cuticle softer and more transparent. Interestingly, we also observed that the knockdown of BgY-y impaired the male cockroaches to display a weaker response to female-emitted contact sex pheromones, and also that the oviposition ability was weakened in the RNAi females. This study comprehensively analyzed the biological functions of the yellow-y gene in German cockroaches from the perspectives of development, body color, courtship behavior and oviposition, and as a consequence, this may opens new avenues to explore it as a novel pest control gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang-Lang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yun-Feng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Hong-Yan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ya-Qin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yang-Yuntao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ming He
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Institute Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Peng He
- State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Center for R&D of Fine Chemicals of Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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Pfaus JG, Antonie RA, Dosa PI, Kim SW. Effects of cabergoline and dimethylcabergoline on the sexual behavior of male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:717-726. [PMID: 37968530 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06501-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cabergoline (CAB) is an ergot derivative typically prescribed for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia. It suppresses the release of prolactin through agonist actions on dopamine (DA) D2 receptors; however, it possesses binding affinity for other DA and 5-HT receptors. Side effects that exacerbate valvular heart disease can occur with high doses. OBJECTIVE The present study examined the acute, subchronic, and chronic dose-response effects of CAB and a derivative dimethylcabergoline (DMC) which acts as an antagonist instead of agonist at 5-HT 2B receptors, on appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviors of male rats. METHODS CAB (0, 0.03, 0.15, or 0.3 mg/kg/ml) was administered daily to sexually experienced male rats (N = 10/dose) by oral gavage for a total of 68 days. Sexual behavior was tested every 4 days during this period for a total of 16 trials. On the 17th trial, rats were administered their dose of CAB, and 4 h after were overdosed with sodium pentobarbital, perfused intracardially, and their brains processed for Fos immunohistochemistry. DMC (0, 0.03, 0.15, 0.3 mg/kg/ml) was administered daily to sexually experienced male rats (N = 10/dose) by oral gavage for a total of 36 days. Sexual behavior was tested every 4 days for a total of 9 trials. RESULTS CAB increased anticipatory level changes, intromissions, and ejaculations significantly across all timepoints, with the medium and high doses being most potent. The medium and high doses also increased Fos protein significantly within the medial preoptic area, whereas in the nucleus accumbens shell, the low and medium doses decreased Fos protein but the high dose increased it significantly from control. Similar to CAB, the medium and high doses of DMC increased the number of ejaculations significantly. Rats in all drug dose groups appeared healthy for the duration of the experiments. CONCLUSIONS Both CAB and DMC facilitate ejaculations, and CAB further facilitates measures of anticipatory sexual motivation and intromissions. These data suggest that both could be used as treatments for sexual arousal disorders and ejaculation/orgasm disorders with little or no untoward side effects at low doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- James G Pfaus
- Center for Sexual Health and Intervention, Czech National Institute of Mental Health, 250687, Klecany, Czech Republic.
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, 18200, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Radu A Antonie
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, H4B 1R7, Canada
| | - Peter I Dosa
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery & Development, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA
| | - Suck Won Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA
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Wang X, Zheng J, Xu H. Neural Circuitry Involving Substance P in Male Sexual Behavior. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:544-546. [PMID: 38376747 PMCID: PMC11004096 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01177-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xinrong Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China
| | - Junqiang Zheng
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Han Xu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China.
- Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311121, China.
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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Cunningham E, Benítez ME. From pathology to pleasure: Reframing mechanistic studies on same-sex sexual behavior in primates. Horm Behav 2024; 160:105476. [PMID: 38278061 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Same-sex sexual behaviors (SSB) in primates have historically been studied as sexual perversions, evolutionary paradoxes, and hormone-driven pathologies. Researchers in recent decades have challenged these perspectives, yet some of the original biases still linger. In this paper, we examine how the study of endocrinological mechanisms in SSB has been influenced by the historical framework of pathology. Societal attitudes and cultural conceptions of human sexuality have led researchers to study SSB in primates as the outcome of "abnormal" processes of "feminization" or "masculinization" of sexual behavior. Here, we argue for a renewed attention to other areas of inquiry regarding the relationship between hormones and SSB, such as the role of pleasure. We briefly review how current knowledge on the neuroendocrinology of pleasure in nonhuman primates may relate to the expression of SSB and highlight oxytocin and dopamine as potentially fruitful areas for future research. We argue that future studies on SSB in primates would benefit from 1) acknowledging how the historical study of SSB as a pathology has shaped mechanistic studies and 2) studying SSB with the same holistic approach as is taken with different-sex sexual behavior (DSB).
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Cunningham
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Marcela E Benítez
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
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Schlicht E, Gilsenan C, Santema P, Türk A, Wittenzellner A, Kempenaers B. Removal of older males increases extra-pair siring success of yearling males. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002584. [PMID: 38626215 PMCID: PMC11020368 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In animals, reproductive performance typically improves over time early in life. Several ultimate and proximate mechanisms may contribute to such an age-related improvement and these mechanisms can act in a relative or in an absolute sense. Low performance of young individuals may be the consequence of a comparison or competition with older individuals (relative), or it may be due to specific traits of young individuals and be unrelated to the presence of older competitors (absolute). Here, we perform a test to disentangle whether the effect of age class (yearling or older) on male extra-pair siring success is relative or absolute. Male age is the most consistent predictor of male extra-pair siring success across bird species, yet the mechanisms underlying this pattern are not well understood. Low extra-pair siring success of yearling males may be a consequence of the presence of older ("adult") males (hypothesis 1), because adult males are more successful in intra- and intersexual interactions or because females prefer to copulate with adult males when available (relative preference). Alternatively, low extra-pair siring success of yearlings may be independent of the presence of adult males (hypothesis 2), for example, if yearling males on average invest less in extra-pair behavior or if females avoid them as extra-pair mates, independent of the availability of older males (absolute preference). To distinguish between these 2 hypotheses, we experimentally manipulated the age structure of a nest-box-breeding population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) by removing almost all adult males, and compared patterns of extra-pair paternity in the experimental year with those from the preceding 15 "control" years. Removal of adult males resulted in a substantial increase in the extra-pair siring success of yearling males compared to the "control" years, but did not affect the population-level frequency of extra-pair paternity or its spatial patterns. Our results provide clear evidence that extra-pair siring success of yearlings can increase and that it depends on the presence of older males in the population, indicating a relative effect of age on reproductive performance. These results suggest that older males outcompete yearling males in direct or indirect interactions, in sperm competition or as a result of differences in attractiveness to females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmi Schlicht
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Carol Gilsenan
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter Santema
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Agnes Türk
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Andrea Wittenzellner
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Department of Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
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Pacheco C, Rio-Maior H, Nakamura M, Álvares F, Godinho R. Relatedness-based mate choice and female philopatry: inbreeding trends of wolf packs in a human-dominated landscape. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:211-220. [PMID: 38472424 PMCID: PMC10997798 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00676-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding can reduce offspring fitness and has substantial implications for the genetic diversity and long-term viability of populations. In social cooperative canids, inbreeding is conditioned by the geographic proximity between opposite-sex kin outside natal groups and the presence of related individuals in neighbouring groups. Consequently, challenges in moving into other regions where the species is present can also affect inbreeding rates. These can be particularly problematic in areas of high human density, where movement can be restricted, even for highly vagile species. In this study, we investigate the socio-ecological dynamics of Iberian wolf packs in the human-dominated landscape of Alto Minho, in northwest Portugal, where wolves exhibit a high prevalence of short-distance dispersal and limited gene flow with neighbouring regions. We hypothesise that mating occurs regardless of relatedness, resulting in recurrent inbreeding due to high kin encounter rates. Using data from a 10-year non-invasive genetic monitoring programme and a combination of relatedness estimates and genealogical reconstructions, we describe genetic diversity, mate choice, and dispersal strategies among Alto Minho packs. In contrast with expectations, our findings reveal relatedness-based mate choice, low kin encounter rates, and a reduced number of inbreeding events. We observed a high prevalence of philopatry, particularly among female breeders, with the most common breeding strategy involving the pairing of a philopatric female with an unrelated immigrant male. Overall, wolves were not inbred, and temporal changes in genetic diversity were not significant. Our findings are discussed, considering the demographic trend of wolves in Alto Minho and its human-dominated landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Pacheco
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Helena Rio-Maior
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Mónia Nakamura
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Francisco Álvares
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Raquel Godinho
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
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Jiang H, Zhan Y, Wu Q, Zhang H, Kuntner M, Tu L. A spider mating plug functions to protect sperm. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301290. [PMID: 38551985 PMCID: PMC10980215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Mating plugs in animals are ubiquitous and are commonly interpreted to be products of mating strategies. In spiders, however, mating plugs may also take on functions beyond female remating prevention. Due to the vagaries of female genital (spermathecal) anatomy, most spiders face the problem of having to secure additional, non-anatomical, protection for transferred sperm. Here, we test the hypothesis that mating plugs, rather than (or in addition to) being adaptations for mating strategies, may serve as sperm protection mechanism. Based on a comparative study on 411 epigyna sampled from 36 families, 187 genera, 330 species of entelegyne spiders, our results confirm the necessity of a sperm protection mechanism. We divided the entelegyne spermathecae into four types: SEG, SED, SCG and SCD. We also studied detailed morphology of epigynal tracts in the spider Diphya wulingensis having the SEG type spermathecae, using 3D-reconstruction based on semi thin histological series section. In this species, we hypothesize that two distinct types of mating plug, the sperm plug and the secretion plug, serve different functions. Morphological details support this: sperm plugs are formed on a modified spermathecal wall by the spilled sperm, and function as a temporary protection mechanism to prevent sperm from leaking and desiccating, while secretion plugs function in postcopulation both as a permanent protection mechanism, and to prevent additional mating. Furthermore, with the modified spermathecal wall of S2 stalk, the problem of shunt of sperm input and output, and the possibility of female multiple mating have been resolved. Variation in spermathecal morphology also suggests that the problem of sperm protection might be resolved in different ways in spiders. Considering mating plugs of varying shapes and origins in the vast morphospace of spiders, we conclude that mating plugs might serve different purposes that relate both to mating strategies, as well as to sperm protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yongjia Zhan
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qingqing Wu
- Lang Yue Campus of Beijing 12th High School, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Huitao Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Imaging Technology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering & Centre for Behavioural Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Lihong Tu
- College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China
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MacLaren RD. Aesthetic preference for artificially selected color variant affects mate choice copying behavior in female Poecilia latipinna. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298171. [PMID: 38547203 PMCID: PMC10977783 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Three experiments were conducted examining whether an artificially selected "gold" color variant in female "models" affects mate choice copying behavior in sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna). Experiment I consisted of a pair of female preference assays, first assessing preference for male body size, followed by a mate choice copying assay that paired a model female with the smaller, non-preferred male from the initial preference test. Female subjects were divided into three groups that used either a wildtype female model, an artificially selected "gold" variant (cultivated within the aquarium fish trade) model, or control wherein no model was presented. Results showed females consistently copied the model's choice, switching preferences from the larger to smaller male when paired with a model regardless of color. In the second experiment wildtype females were presented with a pair of size-matched dummy males both of which paired with model females (one gold and the other wild type). Subjects consistently preferred the male previously paired with the gold- over the male with the wildtype-model, suggesting pre-existing sensory/perceptual biases may have affected their mate choice copying behavior. Previous studies have offered evidence for the spread of novel traits in males via sensory exploitation. However, these results indicate such biases may influence courtship behavior in circumstances where the novel trait is expressed in females as well. For the third experiment, wildtype females were presented with a choice between gold vs wildtype dummy males, the results of which revealing significant preferences for gold. In a follow-up assay pairing a wild type model with the non-preferred wildtype male, females maintained their preference for gold males despite the conflicting social driver of mate choice copying. These data offer evidence for the existence of a perceptual/cognitive bias in the context of mate choice copying, favoring the gold phenotype and/or novelty in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald David MacLaren
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts, United States of America
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13
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Gleason JM, Danborno B, Nigro M, Escobar H, Cobbs MJ. Mating dynamics of a sperm-limited drosophilid, Zaprionus indianus. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300426. [PMID: 38526998 PMCID: PMC10962835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
When males have large sperm, they may become sperm limited and mating dynamics may be affected. One such species is Zaprionus indianus, a drosophilid that is an introduced pest species in the Americas. We examined aspects of mating behavior in Z. indianus to determine the senses necessary for mating and measure female and male remating habits. We found that vision is necessary for successful copulation, but wings, which produce courtship song, are not needed. Males need their foretarsi to successfully copulate and although the foretarsi may be needed for chemoreception, their role in hanging on to the female during copulation may be more important for successful mating. Females that mate once run out of sperm in approximately five days, although mating a second time greatly increases offspring production. Females do not seem to exert pre-mating choice among males with respect to mating with a familiar versus a novel male. Males are not capable of mating continuously and fail to produce offspring in many copulations. Overall, females of this species benefit from polyandry, providing an opportunity to study sexual selection in females. In addition, the dynamics of male competition for fertilizing eggs needs to be studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Gleason
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Barnabas Danborno
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Marena Nigro
- Undergraduate Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Henry Escobar
- Undergraduate Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Micalea J. Cobbs
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
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14
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Baker CA, Guan XJ, Choi M, Murthy M. The role of fruitless in specifying courtship behaviors across divergent Drosophila species. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadk1273. [PMID: 38478605 PMCID: PMC10936877 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk1273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Sex-specific behaviors are critical for reproduction and species survival. The sex-specifically spliced transcription factor fruitless (fru) helps establish male courtship behaviors in invertebrates. Forcing male-specific fru (fruM) splicing in Drosophila melanogaster females produces male-typical behaviors while disrupting female-specific behaviors. However, whether fru's joint role in specifying male and inhibiting female behaviors is conserved across species is unknown. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to force FruM expression in female Drosophila virilis, a species in which males and females produce sex-specific songs. In contrast to D. melanogaster, in which one fruM allele is sufficient to generate male behaviors in females, two alleles are needed in D. virilis females. D. virilis females expressing FruM maintain the ability to sing female-typical song as well as lay eggs, whereas D. melanogaster FruM females cannot lay eggs. These results reveal potential differences in fru function between divergent species and underscore the importance of studying diverse behaviors and species for understanding the genetic basis of sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiao-Juan Guan
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
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15
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Hernández A, Hoffman K, Reyes R, Fernández-Guasti A. Multiparity favors same-sex partner preference in male rats. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114842. [PMID: 38160811 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Same-sex partner preference is present in many mammals, including rodents. Several possible causal factors have been proposed for the establishment of this preference. The Fraternal Birth Order effect refers to the observation that older brothers increase the probability of homosexuality in men, but no experiment has analyzed this possibility. In this study, partner preference (tested in a three compartments box) and female and male sexual behavior (studied in a cylindrical arena) were evaluated in young male rats (3 months) born to multiparous mothers that had 4-6 previous gestations and around 12 months of age. Control groups were young male rats born to primiparous young (4 months) or aged (12 months) mothers. In the partner preference test, the males born to multiparous dams spent less time interacting with the receptive female and more time interacting with the sexually active male, and a 39% exhibited same-sex partner preference. This high percentage seems related to multiparity of their mothers and not to maternal age, because the males born to primiparous aged females (12 months) showed a similar low proportion of same-sex partner preference than the males born to young (4 months) primiparous females (4%). In the sexual behavior tests, no male born of a multiparous dam and with same-sex preference ejaculated and 54% displayed proceptivity and lordosis. Present results suggest that the fraternal birth order effect may occur also in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Hernández
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Kurt Hoffman
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, Cinvestav-UAT, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Rebeca Reyes
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Alonso Fernández-Guasti
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Coapa, CDMX, Mexico.
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16
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Rasool A, Fatima S, Shah SH, Munis MFH, Irshad A, Shelly TE, Haq IU. Methyl eugenol aromatherapy: a delivery system facilitating the simultaneous application of male annihilation and sterile insect technique against the peach fruit fly. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:1465-1473. [PMID: 37941165 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an economically important polyphagous, quarantine pest endemic to South and South-East Asia. The male annihilation technique (MAT) and the sterile insect technique (SIT) are environmentally benign techniques used to suppress fruit fly populations on an area-wide basis. The MAT and SIT are typically used sequentially to avoid killing released sterile males; however, MAT and SIT potentially could be used simultaneously and thereby increase the overall efficiency of control programmes. Mating competitiveness of sterile males against wild counterparts is critical for the success of the SIT. Feeding on a semiochemical, methyl eugenol (ME) has been reported to enhance the male mating performance of many Bactrocera spp., including B. zonata, but its use in SIT operational programmes is limited owing to the absence of a viable delivery system. RESULTS In the present study, we demonstrated that ME aromatherapy, a practical method for large-scale delivery of ME olfactorily, enhances the mating success of treated B. zonata males. ME aromatherapy application to 5-day-old immature males for a duration of 5 h resulted in increased mating success of males tested when sexually mature, compared to untreated males. The ME-aromatized males also exhibited reduced attraction to ME-lure. CONCLUSION A practical delivery system for applying ME by aromatherapy to mass-reared males was developed. ME-aromatherapy enhanced male mating success and suppressed their subsequent attraction to ME, thus enabling the application of MAT and SIT at the same time. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awais Rasool
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
- Insect Pest Management Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sehar Fatima
- Insect Pest Management Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Said Hussain Shah
- Insect Pest Management Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Afshan Irshad
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Ihsan Ul Haq
- Insect Pest Management Program, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan
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17
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Arredondo J, Aguirre-Medina JF, Meza-Hernández JS, Cancino J, Díaz-Fleischer F. Accelerating sexual maturation of male Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) fruit flies by adding two juvenile hormone analogues. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:1367-1371. [PMID: 37961838 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving the mating competitiveness and survival of sterile males are direct means to increase the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique (SIT). Some insecticide growth regulators, such as the juvenile hormone analogue (JHA) methoprene, have been used to improve the mating competitiveness of male tephritid flies by reducing their sexual maturation period. However, the application of methoprene reduces fly resistance to stress and decreases survival. Here, we compared the effects of methoprene and pyriproxyfen (PPF), another JHA, in Anastrepha ludens males. PPF is an insect growth regulator that exhibits higher negative effects on the larval molting process than methoprene or natural juvenile hormone. Both compounds were administered at two doses (0.05% and 0.10%) via the male diet immediately after emergence. RESULTS Our results show that both PPF and methoprene reduced male sexual maturation. However, PPF-treated males exhibited a shorter maturation period and obtained more matings at a given age than methoprene-treated males. No significant differences were observed between the two PPF doses tested (0.05% and 0.10%). Male survival was equally reduced by the two compounds. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that PPF accelerated sexual development without reducing the mating propensity of sterile male flies and can be used as a suitable alternative for methoprene. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Arredondo
- Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas Campus V, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Villaflores, Mexico
| | - Juan F Aguirre-Medina
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas Campus IV, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Entronque carretera costera y Huehuetan Pueblo, Huehuetán, Mexico
| | | | - Jorge Cancino
- Programa Moscafrut, SADER-SENASICA, Metapa de Domínguez, Mexico
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18
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Schneider WT, Rutz C, Bailey NW. Behavioural plasticity compensates for adaptive loss of cricket song. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14404. [PMID: 38519842 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Behavioural flexibility might help animals cope with costs of genetic variants under selection, promoting genetic adaptation. However, it has proven challenging to experimentally link behavioural flexibility to the predicted compensation of population-level fitness. We tested this prediction using the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. In Hawaiian populations, a mutation silences males and protects against eavesdropping parasitoids. To examine how the loss of this critical acoustic communication signal impacts offspring production and mate location, we developed a high-resolution, individual-based tracking system for low-light, naturalistic conditions. Offspring production did not differ significantly in replicate silent versus singing populations, and fitness compensation in silent conditions was associated with significantly increased locomotion in both sexes. Our results provide evidence that flexible behaviour can promote genetic adaptation via compensation in reproductive output and suggest that rapid evolution of animal communication systems may be less constrained than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will T Schneider
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Christian Rutz
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
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19
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Basit A, Khan KUR, Rahman AU, Khan M, Ahmad T, Arafat M, Khan KU, Nalinbenjapun S, Sripetthong S, Ovatlarnporn C. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS profiling of Viola stocksii Boiss. and evaluation of aphrodisiac potential and risk factors associated with erectile dysfunction. J Ethnopharmacol 2024; 321:117477. [PMID: 38007166 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Viola stocksii Boiss. locally known as makhni or makhanr booti, is an important medicinal food plant with multiple therapeutic applications, including erectile dysfunction (ED). It is mixed with butter and used for boosting energy and sexual health in the subcontinent. AIMS OF THE STUDY This study was designed to evaluate the chemical composition, aphrodisiac potential and effect of V. stocksii on the risk factors associated with ED. METHODOLOGY The hydroethanolic extract of V. stocksii (HEEVS) was prepared through the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique. The chemical composition was evaluated using preliminary phytochemical screening and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. Metals and minerals analysis was performed by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The aphrodisiac activity of HEEVS was evaluated using an in vivo aphrodisiac model established in male albino rats and the effect on various sexual parameters such as mount, intromission, ejaculation frequencies and mount, intromission, ejaculation latencies, postejaculatory interval, penile reflexes and serum hormone concentration were analyzed. The effect of HEEVS on various risk factors associated with ED, including prostate cancer (PC), bacterial infections, diabetes and obesity, was evaluated using various in vitro assays. Moreover, four compounds were selected from the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS profile and evaluated for in silico computational analysis against phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) for possible interaction. FINDINGS The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various secondary metabolites in HEEVS, while 58 compounds were tentatively identified in the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis. Various important minerals and metals such as zinc, calcium, cadmium and magnesium were detected in the atomic absorption spectrometry analysis. The in vivo aphrodisiac evaluation showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the mount, intromission and ejaculation frequencies and a decrease in the mount, intromission latencies and post-ejaculatory intervals at a dose of 300 mg/kg. A marked (p < 0.05) increase was observed in the concentration of serum testosterone and luteinizing hormones in HEEVS treated animals with a significant increase in total penile reflexes. The extract displayed significant anti-prostate cancer activity and a potential antibacterial spectrum against E. coli and S. aureus, with MIC50 values of 215.72 μg/mL and 139.05 μg/mL, respectively. Similarly, HEEVS was found active towards pancreatic lipase (67.34 ± 1.03%), α-glucosidase (3.87 ± 0.54 mmol ACAE/g d.w.) and α-amylase (6.98 ± 1.63 mmol ACAE/g d.w.). The in silico docking study presented a potential interaction between the selected compounds and residues of the active site of PDE-5. CONCLUSION This report highlights the aphrodisiac potential of V. stocksii and provides experimental support for its traditional use in ED with an attenuative effect on the risk factors associated with ED. Moreover, the chemical composition displayed the presence of functional phytoconstituents and minerals in HEEVS and paves the way for the isolation of compounds with potent aphrodisiac activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Basit
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand; Drug Delivery System and Excellence Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Kashif Ur Rehman Khan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Punjab, Pakistan.
| | - Asad Ur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand; Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Khan
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Tawseef Ahmad
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Mosab Arafat
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Kifayat Ullah Khan
- Quaid-e-Azam College of Pharmacy, Quaid-e-Azam Educational Complex, Sahiwal, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Sirinporn Nalinbenjapun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand; Drug Delivery System and Excellence Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sasikarn Sripetthong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand; Drug Delivery System and Excellence Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Chitchamai Ovatlarnporn
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand; Drug Delivery System and Excellence Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Songkhla, Thailand.
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20
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Yang M, Su J. Love Matters: The Effect of Mating Motive on Female Food Choice. Arch Sex Behav 2024; 53:969-979. [PMID: 38155337 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02768-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity has been increasing globally in recent decades. Behind the phenomenon, high-fat food consumption has been conceived as an important driver. In the current study, we explored whether mating motive caused an effect on female food choice as well as the psychological mechanism underlying it. In Study 1, we recruited 64 participants from a university and asked them to complete a mating prime, after which they would finish a food choice task in which food with different flavors were shown. In Study 2, we replicated Study 1 with a different mating priming method and examined the mediating role of body shaping desire on the relation between mating motive and female food choice. Results showed that: (1) The salience of mating motive decreased female's high-fat food choice but increased male's high-fat food choice; (2) the effect of mating motive in females was robust and more salient for sweet food rather than salty food; and (3) the body shaping desire partially mediated the effect of mating motive on female food choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyan Yang
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Gulou District, 122 Ninghai Road, Nanjing, 210024, China
| | - Jinlong Su
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Gulou District, 122 Ninghai Road, Nanjing, 210024, China.
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21
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Li XL, Li DD, Cai XY, Cheng DF, Lu YY. Reproductive behavior of fruit flies: courtship, mating, and oviposition. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:935-952. [PMID: 37794312 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Many species of the Tephritidae family are invasive and cause huge damage to agriculture and horticulture, owing to their reproductive characteristics. In this review, we have summarized the existing studies on the reproductive behavior of Tephritidae, particularly those regarding the genes and external factors that are associated with courtship, mating, and oviposition. Furthermore, we outline the issues that still need to be addressed in fruit fly reproduction research. The review highlights the implications for understanding the reproductive behavior of fruit flies and discusses methods for their integrated management and biological control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Lian Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dou-Dou Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Yan Cai
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dai-Feng Cheng
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yong-Yue Lu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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22
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Marie-Orleach L, Hall MD, Schärer L. Contrasting the form and strength of pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection in a flatworm. Evolution 2024; 78:511-525. [PMID: 38149973 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Sexual traits may be selected during multiple consecutive episodes of selection, occurring before, during, or after copulation. The overall strength and form of selection acting on traits may thus be determined by how selection (co-)varies along different episodes. However, it is challenging to measure pre- and postcopulatory phenotypic traits alongside variation in fitness components at each different episode. Here, we used a transgenic line of the transparent flatworm Macrostomum lignano expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) in all cell types, including sperm cells, enabling in vivo sperm tracking. We assessed the mating success, sperm-transfer efficiency, and sperm fertilizing efficiency of GFP(+) focal worms in which we measured 13 morphological traits. We found linear selection on sperm production rate arising from pre- and postcopulatory components and on copulatory organ shape arising from sperm fertilizing efficiency. We further found nonlinear (mostly concave) selection on combinations of copulatory organ and sperm morphology traits arising mostly from sperm-transfer efficiency and sperm fertilizing efficiency. Our study provides a fine-scale quantification of sexual selection, showing that both the form and strength of selection can change across fitness components. Quantifying how sexual selection builds up along episodes of selection allows us to better understand the evolution of sexually selected traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Marie-Orleach
- Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, ECOBIO (Écosystèmes, Biodiversité, Évolution)-UMR 6553, Rennes, France
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS-Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Matthew D Hall
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lukas Schärer
- Evolutionary Biology, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Chen X, Su X, Qiu Z, Xu Y, Yang Z, Hu P. Courtship and mating behavior of Endoclita signifer (Hepialidae: Lepidoptera) and the male sex pheromones in hairbrushes. J Econ Entomol 2024; 117:218-229. [PMID: 38195198 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Endoclita signifer Walker is the most destructive wood-boring pest of Eucalyptus in China, causing significant economic and ecological damage. As an insect of the primitive Lepidoptera family Hepialidae, E. signifer fly and mat for only 10-20 min at dusk. The courtship and mating behavior of E. signifer adults and whether male moths release sex pheromones are still unknown, especially since transitory flight survival strategies in primitive moths differ from advanced moths like noctuids. In this study, we first observed the courtship and mating behavior of E. signifer by considering the effects of space and then analyzed extracts of male hairbrushes using gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection. Our results indicated that during the courtship period, flying males form courtship fields, lekking, and chase flying females before mating with them; E. signifer were more successful in mating in larger spaces (Length × Width × Height = 9.6 × 7 × 4 m); 5 compounds in the hairbrushes of the male moths which elicited antennal responses of 2 sexes, despite at high concentrations. Combined with it, indicating that communication between male and female may rely on male sex pheromones. These findings can serve as a basis for studying the mechanisms of sex communication in E. signifer and developing sex pheromone-based trapping techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xiaoyan Su
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhisong Qiu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Zhende Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Ping Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory for Cultivation and Utilization of Subtropical Forest Plantation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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24
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Martin O, Nguyen C, Sarfati R, Chowdhury M, Iuzzolino ML, Nguyen DMT, Layer RM, Peleg O. Embracing firefly flash pattern variability with data-driven species classification. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3432. [PMID: 38341450 PMCID: PMC10858911 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53671-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Many nocturnally active fireflies use precisely timed bioluminescent patterns to identify mates, making them especially vulnerable to light pollution. As urbanization continues to brighten the night sky, firefly populations are under constant stress, and close to half of the species are now threatened. Ensuring the survival of firefly biodiversity depends on a large-scale conservation effort to monitor and protect thousands of populations. While species can be identified by their flash patterns, current methods require expert measurement and manual classification and are infeasible given the number and geographic distribution of fireflies. Here we present the application of a recurrent neural network (RNN) for accurate automated firefly flash pattern classification. Using recordings from commodity cameras, we can extract flash trajectories of individuals within a swarm and classify their species with an accuracy of approximately seventy percent. In addition to its potential in population monitoring, automated classification provides the means to study firefly behavior at the population level. We employ the classifier to measure and characterize the variability within and between swarms, unlocking a new dimension of their behavior. Our method is open source, and deployment in community science applications could revolutionize our ability to monitor and understand firefly populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Martin
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Chantal Nguyen
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Raphael Sarfati
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Murad Chowdhury
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Michael L Iuzzolino
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Dieu My T Nguyen
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Ryan M Layer
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Orit Peleg
- Department of Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Applied Math, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
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25
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Sperling AL, Glover DM. Aneuploidy during development in facultative parthenogenetic Drosophila. Heredity (Edinb) 2024; 132:89-97. [PMID: 38017115 PMCID: PMC10844303 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-023-00664-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
From concatenated chromosomes to polyploidization, large-scale genome changes are known to occur in parthenogenetic animals. Here, we report mosaic aneuploidy in larval brains of facultatively parthenogenetic Drosophila. We identified a background of aneuploidy in D. mercatorum strains and found increased levels of aneuploidy in the larval brain tissue of animals arising parthenogenetically versus those arising from sexual reproduction. There is also intra-individual variation in germline-derived aneuploidy within the same strain. To determine if this is a general feature of facultative parthenogenesis in drosophilids, we compared sexually reproduced and parthenogenetic offspring from an engineered facultative parthenogenetic strain of D. melanogaster. In addition to germline-derived aneuploidy, this revealed somatic aneuploidy that increased by up to fourfold in parthenogens compared to sexually reproduced offspring. Therefore, the genetic combination identified in D. mercatorum that causes facultative parthenogenesis in D. melanogaster results in aneuploidy, which indicates that the loss of mitotic control resulting in parthenogenesis causes subsequent genome variation within the parthenogenetic offspring. Our findings challenge the assumption that parthenogenetic offspring are near genetic replicas of their mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Sperling
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - D M Glover
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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26
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Ports BL, Jensen-Seaman MI. Convergent rates of protein evolution identify novel targets of sexual selection in primates. Evolution 2024; 78:364-377. [PMID: 37864838 PMCID: PMC10834059 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection is the differential reproductive success of individuals, resulting from competition for mates, mate choice, or success in fertilization. In primates, this selective pressure often leads to the development of exaggerated traits which play a role in sexual competition and successful reproduction. In order to gain insight into the mechanisms driving the development of sexually selected traits, we used an unbiased genome-wide approach across 21 primate species to correlate individual rates of protein evolution to relative testes size and sexual dimorphism in body size, 2 anatomical hallmarks of sexual selection in mammals. Among species with presumed high levels of sperm competition, we detected strong conservation of testes-specific proteins responsible for spermatogenesis and ciliary form and function. In contrast, we identified accelerated evolution of female reproductive proteins expressed in the vagina, cervix, and fallopian tubes in these same species. Additionally, we found accelerated protein evolution in lymphoid tissue, indicating that adaptive immune functions may also be influenced by sexual selection. This study demonstrates the distinct complexity of sexual selection in primates revealing contrasting patterns of protein evolution between male and female reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bri L Ports
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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27
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Goffinet AJ, Darragh K, Saleh N, Ostwald MM, Buchmann SL, Ramirez SR. Individual Variation in Male Pheromone Production in Xylocopa sonorina Correlates with size and Gland Color. J Chem Ecol 2024; 50:1-10. [PMID: 38110848 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-023-01466-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Sex pheromones are species-specific chemical signals that facilitate the location, identification, and selection of mating partners. These pheromones can vary between individuals, and act as signals of mate quality. Here, we investigate the variation of male pheromones in the mesosomal glands of the large carpenter bee Xylocopa sonorina, within a Northern California population. We tested the hypothesis that morphological traits are correlated with the observed variation in chemical blend composition of these bees. We also conducted behavioral assays to test whether these male pheromones act as long-range attractants to conspecifics. We found that larger males with darker mesosomal glands have a higher pheromone amount in their glands. Our analysis also suggests that this pheromone blend functions as a long-range attractant to both males and females. We show that both male body size and sexual maturation are important factors influencing pheromone abundance, and that this pheromone blend acts as a long-range attractant. We hypothesize that this recorded variation in male pheromone could be important for female choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Goffinet
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kathy Darragh
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nicholas Saleh
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, CA, 93702, USA
| | - Madeleine M Ostwald
- Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Stephen L Buchmann
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Santiago R Ramirez
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
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28
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Allen PE, Miller CW. Inbreeding depression in a sexually selected weapon and the homologue in females. J Evol Biol 2024; 37:28-36. [PMID: 38285664 DOI: 10.1093/jeb/voad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Theory predicts that traits with heightened condition dependence, such as sexually selected traits, should be affected by inbreeding to a greater degree than other traits. The presence of environmental stress may compound the negative consequences of inbreeding depression. In this study, we examined inbreeding depression across multiple traits and whether it increased with a known form of environmental stress. We conducted our experiment using both sexes of the sexually dimorphic leaf-footed cactus bug, Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Adult male cactus bugs have enlarged hind legs used as weapons in male-male contests; these traits, and their homologue in females, have been previously found to exhibit high condition dependence. In this study, we employed a small developmental group size as an environmental stress challenge. Nymph N. femorata aggregate throughout their juvenile stages, and previous work has shown the negative effects of small group size on survivorship and body size. We found evidence of inbreeding depression for survival and seven of the eight morphological traits measured in both sexes. Inbreeding depression was higher for the size of the male weapon and the female homolog. Additionally, small developmental group size negatively affected survival to adulthood. However, small group size did not magnify the effects of inbreeding on morphological traits. These findings support the hypothesis that traits with heightened condition dependence exhibit higher levels of inbreeding depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo E Allen
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Christine W Miller
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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29
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Zhang R, Rayner JG, Bailey NW. Rapid sexual signal diversification is facilitated by permissive females. Curr Biol 2024; 34:403-409.e3. [PMID: 38141618 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
The initial process by which novel sexual signals evolve remains unclear, because rare new variants are susceptible to loss by drift or counterselection imposed by prevailing female preferences.1,2,3,4 We describe the diversification of an acoustic male courtship signal in Hawaiian populations of the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus, which was brought about by the evolution of a brachypterous wing morph ("small-wing") only 6 years ago.5 Small-wing has a genetic basis and causes silence or reduced-amplitude signaling by miniaturizing male forewings, conferring protection against an eavesdropping parasitoid, Ormia ochracea.5 We found that wing reduction notably increases the fundamental frequency of courtship song from an average of 5.1 kHz to 6.4 kHz. It also de-canalizes male song, broadening the range of peak signal frequencies well outside normal song character space. As courtship song prompts female mounting and is sexually selected,6,7,8,9 we evaluated two scenarios to test the fate of these new signal values. Females might show reduced acceptance of small-wing males, imposing counterselection via prevailing preferences. Alternatively, females might accept small-wing males as readily as long-wing males if their window of preference is sufficiently wide. Our results support the latter. Females preferred males who produced some signal over none, but they mounted sound-producing small-wing males as often as sound-producing long-wing males. Indiscriminate mating can facilitate the persistence of rare, novel signal values. If female permissiveness is a general characteristic of the earliest stages of sexual signal evolution, then taxa with low female mate acceptance thresholds should be more prone to diversification via sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Zhang
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, UK.
| | - Jack G Rayner
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20741, USA
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, UK.
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30
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Hopkins BR, Angus-Henry A, Kim BY, Carlisle JA, Thompson A, Kopp A. Decoupled evolution of the Sex Peptide gene family and Sex Peptide Receptor in Drosophilidae. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312380120. [PMID: 38215185 PMCID: PMC10801855 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312380120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Across internally fertilising species, males transfer ejaculate proteins that trigger wide-ranging changes in female behaviour and physiology. Much theory has been developed to explore the drivers of ejaculate protein evolution. The accelerating availability of high-quality genomes now allows us to test how these proteins are evolving at fine taxonomic scales. Here, we use genomes from 264 species to chart the evolutionary history of Sex Peptide (SP), a potent regulator of female post-mating responses in Drosophila melanogaster. We infer that SP first evolved in the Drosophilinae subfamily and has since followed markedly different evolutionary trajectories in different lineages. Outside of the Sophophora-Lordiphosa, SP exists largely as a single-copy gene with independent losses in several lineages. Within the Sophophora-Lordiphosa, the SP gene family has repeatedly and independently expanded. Up to seven copies, collectively displaying extensive sequence variation, are present in some species. Despite these changes, SP expression remains restricted to the male reproductive tract. Alongside, we document considerable interspecific variation in the presence and morphology of seminal microcarriers that, despite the critical role SP plays in microcarrier assembly in D. melanogaster, appears to be independent of changes in the presence/absence or sequence of SP. We end by providing evidence that SP's evolution is decoupled from that of its receptor, Sex Peptide Receptor, in which we detect no evidence of correlated diversifying selection. Collectively, our work describes the divergent evolutionary trajectories that a novel gene has taken following its origin and finds a surprisingly weak coevolutionary signal between a supposedly sexually antagonistic protein and its receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben R. Hopkins
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Aidan Angus-Henry
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Bernard Y. Kim
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Jolie A. Carlisle
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY14853
| | - Ammon Thompson
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Artyom Kopp
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
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31
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Berger D, Liljestrand-Rönn J. Environmental complexity mitigates the demographic impact of sexual selection. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14355. [PMID: 38225825 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Sexual selection and the evolution of costly mating strategies can negatively impact population viability and adaptive potential. While laboratory studies have documented outcomes stemming from these processes, recent observations suggest that the demographic impact of sexual selection is contingent on the environment and therefore may have been overestimated in simple laboratory settings. Here we find support for this claim. We exposed copies of beetle populations, previously evolved with or without sexual selection, to a 10-generation heatwave while maintaining half of them in a simple environment and the other half in a complex environment. Populations with an evolutionary history of sexual selection maintained larger sizes and more stable growth rates in complex (relative to simple) environments, an effect not seen in populations evolved without sexual selection. These results have implications for evolutionary forecasting and suggest that the negative demographic impact of sexually selected mating strategies might be low in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Berger
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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32
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Morgan WH, Palmer SCF, Lambin X. Mating system induced lags in rates of range expansion for different simulated mating systems and dispersal strategies: a modelling study. Oecologia 2024; 204:119-132. [PMID: 38172416 PMCID: PMC10830608 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05492-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Mismatches between current and potential species distributions are commonplace due to lags in the response of populations to changing environmental conditions. The prevailing mating system may contribute to such lags where it leads to mating failure at the range edge, but how active dispersers might mitigate these lags using social information to inform dispersal strategies warrants greater exploration. We used an individual-based model to explore how different mating systems for species that actively search for habitat can impose a filter on the ability to colonise empty, fragmented landscapes, and explored how using social information during dispersal can mitigate the lags caused by more constrained mating systems. The mate-finding requirements implemented in two-sex models consistently led to slower range expansion compared to those that were not mate limited (i.e., female only models), even when mating was polygynous. A mate-search settlement strategy reduced the proportion of unmated females at the range edge but had little impact on rate of spread. In contrast, a negative density-dependent settlement strategy resulted in much faster spread, which could be explained by a greater number of long-distance dispersal events. Our findings suggest that even low rates of mating failure at the range edge can lead to considerable lags in range expansion, though dispersal strategies that favour colonising more distant, sparsely occupied habitat patches may effectively mitigate these lags.
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Affiliation(s)
- W H Morgan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK.
| | - S C F Palmer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - X Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
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33
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Richardson J, Zuk M. Meta-analytical evidence that males prefer virgin females. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14341. [PMID: 37988323 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Males are often predicted to prefer virgin over non-virgin females because of the reduced risk of sperm competition. Does this prediction hold across studies? Our systematic meta-analysis of 138 studies, mainly conducted in invertebrates, confirms that males generally prefer virgin females. However, males preferred virgin females even in species with last male sperm precedence, suggesting that sperm competition alone does not drive male preferences. Furthermore, our results suggest that males may reject mated females even when no alternative exists. Preference for virgins is unlikely to influence female reproductive success since virginity cannot be selected for, but strong preference for virgin females could swamp or reinforce selection on other traits. Our results add to growing evidence that males are not indiscriminate in mating. However, given the unexplained heterogeneity in effect sizes, we urge caution in assuming that males will prefer virgins and recommend considering the natural context of mating decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Richardson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Marlene Zuk
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
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34
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Perrodin C, Verzat C, Bendor D. Courtship behaviour reveals temporal regularity is a critical social cue in mouse communication. eLife 2023; 12:RP86464. [PMID: 38149925 PMCID: PMC10752583 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
While animals navigating the real world face a barrage of sensory input, their brains evolved to perceptually compress multidimensional information by selectively extracting the features relevant for survival. Notably, communication signals supporting social interactions in several mammalian species consist of acoustically complex sequences of vocalisations. However, little is known about what information listeners extract from such time-varying sensory streams. Here, we utilise female mice's natural behavioural response to male courtship songs to identify the relevant acoustic dimensions used in their social decisions. We found that females were highly sensitive to disruptions of song temporal regularity and preferentially approached playbacks of intact over rhythmically irregular versions of male songs. In contrast, female behaviour was invariant to manipulations affecting the songs' sequential organisation or the spectro-temporal structure of individual syllables. The results reveal temporal regularity as a key acoustic cue extracted by mammalian listeners from complex vocal sequences during goal-directed social behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Perrodin
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Colombine Verzat
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
- Idiap Research InstituteMartignySwitzerland
| | - Daniel Bendor
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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35
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Buczek W, Buczek A, Asman M, Bartosik K. Copulation of Ixodes ricinus males and females on the host and its potential impact on pathogen transmission. Ann Agric Environ Med 2023; 30:617-622. [PMID: 38153063 DOI: 10.26444/aaem/174105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE The common tick Ixodes ricinus is one of Europe's most important vectors of tick-borne diseases. The increased risk of attacks by this tick suggests the need for identification of factors contributing to the transmission of tick-borne pathogens, and the routes of pathogen circulation in nature. MATERIAL AND METHODS Polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the prevalence of four pathogens, i.e. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (Bb), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap), Babesia spp. (Bs), and Bartonella spp. (Ba) in I. ricinus females and males mating on dogs in south-central Poland. RESULTS The study revealed the presence of three pathogens: Bb, Ap, and Bs in 9.4%, 5.4%, and 5.4% of all I. ricinus adults in copula, respectively. Co-infection with two pathogens was detected in one tick specimen. Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes were isolated in two females and two males in copula, but the sexual transfer of the spirochetes between these specimens could not be clearly confirmed. CONCLUSIONS By increasing the feeding dynamics in females, the copulation of I. ricinus males with females attached to the host's skin may stimulate pathogen replication in tick tissues and migration from the gut to the salivary glands. Further investigations of the I. ricinus copulation on the host on female feeding and pathogen transmission may contribute to the elucidation of the eco-epidemiology of tick-borne diseases transmitted by this tick species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marek Asman
- Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
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36
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Brown NC, Gordon B, McDonough-Goldstein CE, Misra S, Findlay GD, Clark AG, Wolfner MF. The seminal odorant binding protein Obp56g is required for mating plug formation and male fertility in Drosophila melanogaster. eLife 2023; 12:e86409. [PMID: 38126735 PMCID: PMC10834028 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
In Drosophila melanogaster and other insects, the seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) and male sex pheromones that enter the female with sperm during mating are essential for fertility and induce profound post-mating effects on female physiology. The SFPs in D. melanogaster and other taxa include several members of the large gene family known as odorant binding proteins (Obps). Work in Drosophila has shown that some Obp genes are highly expressed in the antennae and can mediate behavioral responses to odorants, potentially by binding and carrying these molecules to odorant receptors. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the seminal Obps might act as molecular carriers for pheromones or other compounds important for male fertility, though functional evidence in any species is lacking. Here, we used functional genetics to test the role of the seven seminal Obps in D. melanogaster fertility and the post-mating response (PMR). We found that Obp56g is required for male fertility and the induction of the PMR, whereas the other six genes are dispensable. We found males lacking Obp56g fail to form a mating plug in the mated female's reproductive tract, leading to ejaculate loss and reduced sperm storage, likely due to its expression in the male ejaculatory bulb. We also examined the evolutionary history of these seminal Obp genes, as several studies have documented rapid evolution and turnover of SFP genes across taxa. We found extensive lability in gene copy number and evidence of positive selection acting on two genes, Obp22a and Obp51a. Comparative RNAseq data from the male reproductive tract of multiple Drosophila species revealed that Obp56g shows high male reproductive tract expression in a subset of taxa, though conserved head expression across the phylogeny. Together, these functional and expression data suggest that Obp56g may have been co-opted for a reproductive function over evolutionary time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora C Brown
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Benjamin Gordon
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | | | - Snigdha Misra
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
| | - Geoffrey D Findlay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
- Department of Biology, College of the Holy CrossWorcesterUnited States
| | - Andrew G Clark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell UniversityIthacaUnited States
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Leavell BC, Pantoja-Sánchez H, Vélez V, Hemingway CT, Wilhite K, Halfwerk W, Bernal XE. Ripple effects in a communication network: anti-eavesdropper defence elicits elaborated sexual signals in rival males. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231910. [PMID: 38113943 PMCID: PMC10730286 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emitting conspicuous signals into the environment to attract mates comes with the increased risk of interception by eavesdropping enemies. As a defence, a commonly described strategy is for signallers to group together in leks, diluting each individual's risk. Lekking systems are often highly social settings in which competing males dynamically alter their signalling behaviour to attract mates. Thus, signalling at the lek requires navigating fluctuations in risk, competition and reproductive opportunities. Here, we investigate how behavioural defence strategies directed at an eavesdropping enemy have cascading effects across the communication network. We investigated these behaviours in the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), examining how a calling male's swatting defence directed at frog-biting midges indirectly affects the calling behaviour of his rival. We found that the rival responds to swat-induced water ripples by increasing his call rate and complexity. Then, performing phonotaxis experiments, we found that eavesdropping fringe-lipped bats (Trachops cirrhosus) do not exhibit a preference for a swatting male compared to his rival, but females strongly prefer the rival male. Defences to minimize attacks from eavesdroppers thus shift the mate competition landscape in favour of rival males. By modulating the attractiveness of signalling prey to female receivers, we posit that eavesdropping micropredators likely have an unappreciated impact on the ecology and evolution of sexual communication systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Leavell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Hoover Pantoja-Sánchez
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Viviana Vélez
- Program of Study and Control of Tropical Diseases, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
| | - Claire T. Hemingway
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Kyle Wilhite
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá
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38
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Yang YT, Hu SW, Zhu Y. A protocol for measuring the sexual receptivity of female Drosophila. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102563. [PMID: 37703181 PMCID: PMC10507193 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Female receptivity in mating is crucial for successful copulation, but protocols for quantifying female behaviors reflecting receptivity are scarce compared to the analysis of male behaviors. Here, we present a protocol for assessing the sexual receptivity of female Drosophila that considers behaviors from both sexes. We describe steps for preparing and loading flies into a courtship chamber, video recording the behaviors of the pairs, and analyzing their behavioral displays. This protocol includes behavior recognition criteria suitable for typical laboratory settings. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Yang et al. (2023).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China.
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing 101408, China; Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100190, China.
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39
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Grommes AC, Millar JG, Hanks LM. Dose-responses of seven species of cerambycid beetles to synthesized pheromones in field experiments. J Econ Entomol 2023; 116:2035-2042. [PMID: 37878589 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Adult male cerambycid beetles of the subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae emit aggregation-sex pheromones that attract both sexes, and these chemicals can be utilized for quarantine surveillance for related exotic species which produce the same or similar pheromones. Here, we assess how attraction of 7 cerambycid species to pheromone-baited traps was influenced by the release rates of synthesized pheromones from polyethylene sachet emitters. Compounds tested included racemic 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one, the (R)-enantiomer of which is the sole or major pheromone component of numerous cerambycine species, and 2 compounds that are pheromone components of many lamiine species: (E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-yl acetate (fuscumol acetate) and 6-methylhept-5-en-2-ol (sulcatol). We confirmed release rates of these compounds could be manipulated by varying the doses loaded into emitters. Various doses and concentrations, ranging from very dilute to the neat compounds, were then tested in field trials. Several species were most strongly attracted to the highest dose of a tested compound, one species to an intermediate dose, while another species was equally attracted regardless of dose. Our results demonstrate the importance of characterizing dose-response relationships for cerambycid species targeted by pheromone-based trapping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Grommes
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jocelyn G Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lawrence M Hanks
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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40
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Reynolds AM. Mosquito swarms shear harden. Eur Phys J E Soft Matter 2023; 46:126. [PMID: 38063901 PMCID: PMC10709253 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-023-00379-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Recently Cavagna et al. (Sci Rep 13(1): 8745, 2023) documented the swarming behaviors of laboratory-based Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Here key observations from this 3D-video tracking study are reproduced by a minimally structured (maximum entropy) stochastic trajectory model. The modelling shows that in contrast with midge swarms which are a form of collective behavior, unperturbed mosquito swarms are more like collections of individuals that independently circulate around a fixed location. The modelling predicts the observed response Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes in wild swarms to varying wind speeds (Butail et al. in J Med Entomol 50(3): 552-559, 2013). It is shown that this response can be attributed to shear hardening. This is because mosquitoes are found to be attracted to the centre of the swarm by an effective force that increases with increasing flight speed. Mosquitoes can therefore better resist the influence of environmental disturbances by increasing their flight speeds. This contrasts with other emergent mechanical-like properties of swarming which arise accidentally without a change in an individual's behavior. The new results add to the growing realization that perturbations can drive swarms into more robust states.
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41
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Chen Y, Zhang Y, Ai S, Xing S, Zhong G, Yi X. Female semiochemicals stimulate male courtship but dampen female sexual receptivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311166120. [PMID: 38011549 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311166120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemical communication plays a vital role in mate attraction and discrimination among many insect species. Here, we document a unique example of semiochemical parsimony, where four chemicals act as both aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs in different contexts in Bactrocera dorsalis. Specifically, we identified four female-specific semiochemicals, ethyl laurate, ethyl myristate, ethyl cis-9-hexadecenoate, and ethyl palmitate, which serve as aphrodisiacs to attract male flies and arouse male courtship. Interestingly, these semiochemicals, when sexually transferred to males during mating, can function as anti-aphrodisiacs, inhibiting the receptivity of subsequent female mates. We further showed that the expression of elongase11, a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of these semiochemicals, is under the control of doublesex, facilitating the exclusive biosynthesis of these four semiochemicals in females and guaranteeing effective chemical communication. The dual roles of these semiochemicals not only ensure the attractiveness of mature females but also provide a simple yet reliable mechanism for female mate discrimination. These findings provide insights into chemical communication in B. dorsalis and add elements for the design of pest control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Yuhua Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shupei Ai
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Shuyuan Xing
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Guohua Zhong
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xin Yi
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Pesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
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Eberhart-Hertel LJ, Rodrigues LF, Krietsch J, Hertel AG, Cruz-López M, Vázquez-Rojas KA, González-Medina E, Schroeder J, Küpper C. Egg size variation in the context of polyandry: a case study using long-term field data from snowy plovers. Evolution 2023; 77:2590-2605. [PMID: 37757813 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Gamete size variation between the sexes is central to the concept of sex roles, however, to what extent gamete size variation within the sexes relates to sex role variation remains unclear. Comparative and theoretical studies suggest that, when clutch size is invariable, polyandry is linked to a reduction of egg size, while increased female-female competition for mates favors early breeding when females cannot monopolize multiple males. To understand whether and how breeding phenology, egg size, and mating behavior are related at the individual level, we studied the reproductive histories of 424 snowy plover females observed in the wild over a 15-year period. Egg size, but not polyandry, were highly repeatable for individual females. Consistent with theoretical predictions, we found that polyandrous females were the earliest breeders and that early clutches contained smaller eggs than clutches initiated later. Neither egg size nor mating behavior showed clear signs of an age-related deterioration, on the contrary, prior experience acquired either through age or local recruitment enabled females to nest early. Taken together, these results suggest that gamete size variation is not linked to mating behavior at the individual level, and, consequently, the adaptive potential of such variation appears to be limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Eberhart-Hertel
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
- Research Group Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Lourenço Falcão Rodrigues
- Department of Ecology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Krietsch
- Department of Ornithology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Anne G Hertel
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Medardo Cruz-López
- Institute of Ocean Sciences and Limnology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico
| | - Karina Alejandra Vázquez-Rojas
- Research Group Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Erick González-Medina
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens Küpper
- Research Group Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
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43
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Leung G, Ricart-Arbona R, Monette S, Lipman NS. Pathologic copulatory lock in a genetically engineered laboratory mouse breeding pair. Lab Anim 2023; 57:664-668. [PMID: 37070346 DOI: 10.1177/00236772231168185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
A breeding pair of genetically engineered laboratory mice (Mus musculus) presented in apparent copulatory lock (coital tie). After anesthetizing the animals, gentle traction was used to separate the pair at which point a vaginal prolapse was detected and the penis was covered with black, firm, dry crusts and noted to have a solid pale, tan, firm cylindrical mass adhering to its glans. The vaginal prolapse was reduced and the female was returned to its cage. The male mouse had a severely distended bladder which could not be expressed and was euthanized. Histopathologic examination of the distal two-thirds of the penis revealed diffuse, acute coagulative necrosis. The mass adhered to the distal penis was a homogenous granular eosinophilic material consistent with a copulatory plug. While copulatory plugs and locks have been described in some rodent species, they have not been reported in laboratory mice. While the cause of the adherence of the plug to the penis could not be determined, we hypothesize that its adherence to both the penis and the vagina led to the lock and subsequently to ischemic necrosis of the distal penis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glory Leung
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, USA
| | - Rodolfo Ricart-Arbona
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, USA
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, USA
| | - Sebastien Monette
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, USA
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, USA
| | - Neil S Lipman
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, USA
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, USA
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44
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Liu J, He XZ, Wang Q. Male larval experience of cues from adult rivals alters lifetime sperm investment patterns in a sperm heteromorphic moth, Ephestia kuehniella. Insect Sci 2023; 30:1773-1783. [PMID: 37162266 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Male animals may adjust their resource allocations for reproduction and other fitness functions in response to cues from rivals. For instance, adult males increase their investment in sperm for a higher paternity share when they perceive sperm competition risk in their surroundings. In nature, both juveniles and adults may coexist spatially and temporally. Yet, it is not clear how juvenile males of different ages respond to cues from adult rivals and fine-tune their lifetime investment in sperm production and ejaculation in any insect. Here we used the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella, which produces both fertile eupyrene and infertile apyrene sperm, to explore this question. We demonstrate that the late, but not early, instar larvae are sensitive to adult male cues. As a response, they produce more sperm before emergence and their resultant adults have shorter mating latency and ejaculate more sperm in the first few matings. When the juvenile stage produces more eupyrenes, the adult stops making these sperm, but regardless of the number of apyrenes produced during the juvenile stage, the adult continues to make them. These findings suggest that the number of spermatogonia for eupyrenes may be limited and that for apyrenes may be flexible. Our results show that the insect does not trade off survival, mating frequency, body size, or testis size for sperm production in response to adult males during the larval stage. Knowledge created in the present study offers insight into the stage-dependent sensitivity of juvenile males to cues from adult rivals and subsequent lifetime resource allocations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Xiong Zhao He
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Qiao Wang
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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45
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Székely T. Evolution of reproductive strategies: sex roles, sex ratios and phylogenies. Biol Futur 2023; 74:351-357. [PMID: 37723361 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-023-00177-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural variations associated with breeding-termed reproductive strategies-are some of the striking behaviours that have occupied naturalists for 1000s of years. How an animal seeks, competes for and/or chooses a mate? Do they breed with a single partner, or do they change partners between breeding events? How and when do they look after their young? Behavioural biologists, ecologists and evolutionary biologists have investigated these questions using quantitative methods since 1970s. In Debrecen, with the support and mentoring of Prof Zoltán Varga, we are investigating the causes and implications of reproductive strategies since 1988. This article reviews some of the core ideas in reproductive strategies research and explains the influence of Prof Varga on the development of these ideas. My main thesis here is that both integrative thinking and adopting a multi-pronged research approach using an explicit phylogenetic framework-both of these have been spearheaded by Prof Varga throughout his lifetime-can reveal novel aspects of reproductive strategies. Importantly, some of these academic insights have direct implications for preserving species and their habitats in the wild, and thus benefit biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
- ELKH - DE Reproductive strategies Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem Tér 1, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
- Debrecen Biodiversity Centre, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
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46
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Lemm JM, Martin MS. Social opportunities and mate preference improve breeding success in Caribbean iguanas. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20877. [PMID: 38012257 PMCID: PMC10682467 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47599-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Conservation breeding of West Indian rock iguanas (Cyclura) has met with limited success historically. Many facilities witness high levels of aggression and mate incompatibility resulting in failed breeding introductions which often require animals to be separated. This may be due, in part, to lack of knowledge of how mate familiarity and preference affect reproductive outcomes in these species. We investigated whether social exposure during the pre-breeding season influenced copulation success, egg production, and breeding behaviors. Additionally, we examined whether mate preference, as determined by pre-mating dichotomous choice tests, increased these reproductive outcomes. Female rock iguanas that were socialized with males prior to breeding opportunities copulated with familiar males for longer periods of time than females that were not socialized. Socialization opportunities did not alter male reproductive success measurements or breeding behavior. Female rock iguanas introduced for mating to their preferred partners had a higher probability of successful copulations, higher average number of copulations, and less resting behavior during introductions than females mated to non-preferred males. Male mate preference had no effect on reproductive success measurements during mating introductions. These results indicate that socializing animals and providing mate choice opportunities increase breeding success of rock iguanas under managed care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Lemm
- Conservation Science and Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Rd., Escondido, CA, 92027, USA.
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47
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Troconis EL, Seo C, Guru A, Warden MR. Serotonin neurons in mating female mice are activated by male ejaculation. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4926-4936.e4. [PMID: 37865094 PMCID: PMC10901455 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Sexual stimulation triggers changes in female physiology and behavior, including sexual satiety and preparing the uterus for pregnancy. Serotonin (5-HT) is an important regulator of reproductive physiology and sexual receptivity, but the relationship between sexual stimulation and 5-HT neural activity in females is poorly understood. Here, we investigated dorsal raphe 5-HT neural activity in female mice during sexual behavior. We found that 5-HT neural activity in mating females peaked specifically upon male ejaculation and remained elevated above baseline until disengagement. Artificial intravaginal mechanical stimulation was sufficient to elicit increased 5-HT neural activity but the delivery of ejaculatory fluids was not. Distal penis expansion ("penile cupping") at ejaculation and forceful expulsion of ejaculatory fluid each provided sufficient mechanical stimulation to elicit 5-HT neuron activation. Our study identifies a female ejaculation-specific signal in a major neuromodulatory system and shows that intravaginal mechanosensory stimulation is necessary and sufficient to drive this signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen L Troconis
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Changwoo Seo
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Neurotech, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Akash Guru
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Neurotech, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Melissa R Warden
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Cornell Neurotech, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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48
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Zweerus NL, van Wijk M, Schal C, Groot AT. Diet-derived male sex pheromone compounds affect female choice in a noctuid moth. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19802. [PMID: 37957216 PMCID: PMC10643667 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47041-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual signals often function in species recognition and may also guide mate choice within a species. In noctuid moths, both males and females may exercise mate choice. Females of the tobacco budworm Chloridea virescens prefer to mate with larger males, but the signal(s) underlying female choice remain unknown. Male hairpencil volatiles are emitted during close range courtship displays. However, previously identified male hairpencil volatiles, namely acetate esters, aldehydes, alcohols, and fatty acids, are not associated with female choice. Recently, two new hairpencil compounds were identified that elicit strong electrophysiological responses in female antennae: methyl salicylate (MeSA) and δ-decalactone. In this study, we investigated the effect of larval diet and adult feeding on MeSA and δ-decalactone content in hairpencils and determined whether these compounds are involved in female choice. We found that larval diet affected MeSA content in hairpencils, but not δ-decalactone. Conversely, adult feeding affected the level of δ-decalactone, but not MeSA: sugar-water feeding increased δ-decalactone content compared to plain water. In two-choice assays, females mated more with males that had higher amounts of δ-decalactone, and less with males with higher amounts of MeSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi L Zweerus
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Michiel van Wijk
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Coby Schal
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA
| | - Astrid T Groot
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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49
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Davies N, Janicke T, Morrow EH. Evidence for stronger sexual selection in males than in females using an adapted method of Bateman's classic study of Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution 2023; 77:2420-2430. [PMID: 37624087 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Bateman's principles, originally a test of Darwin's theoretical ideas, have since become fundamental to sexual selection theory and vital to contextualizing the role of anisogamy in sex differences of precopulatory sexual selection. Despite this, Bateman's principles have received substantial criticism, and researchers have highlighted both statistical and methodological errors, suggesting that Bateman's original experiment contains too much sampling bias for there to be any evidence of sexual selection. This study uses Bateman's original method as a template, accounting for two fundamental flaws in his original experiments, (a) viability effects and (b) a lack of mating behavior observation. Experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster consisted of wild-type focal individuals and nonfocal individuals established by backcrossing the brown eye (bw-) eye-color marker-thereby avoiding viability effects. Mating assays included direct observation of mating behavior and total number of offspring, to obtain measures of mating success, reproductive success, and standardized variance measures based on Bateman's principles. The results provide observational support for Bateman's principles, particularly that (a) males had significantly more variation in number of mates compared with females and (b) males had significantly more individual variation in total number of offspring. We also find a significantly steeper Bateman gradient for males compared to females, suggesting that sexual selection is operating more intensely in males. However, female remating was limited, providing the opportunity for future study to further explore female reproductive success in correlation with higher levels of remating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Davies
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Janicke
- Applied Zoology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Edward H Morrow
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, United Kingdom
- Department for Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
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50
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Giannopoulos AS, Giannakou L, Gourgoulianni N, Pitaraki E, Jagirdar R, Marnas P, Tzamalas PI, Rouka E, Livanou E, Hatzoglou C, Gourgoulianis K, Lüpold S, Blanckenhorn WU, Zarogiannis SG. The effect of cigarette smoke extract exposure on the size and sexual behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2023; 104:104325. [PMID: 37995887 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2023.104325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster is a widely used animal model in human diseases and to date it has not been applied to the study of the impact of tobacco use on human sexual function. Hence, this report examines the effects of different concentrations of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure on the size and sexual behavior of D. melanogaster. Wild-type flies were held in vials containing CSE-infused culture media at concentrations of 10%, 25%, and 50% for three days, and their offspring were reared under the same conditions before measuring their body size and mating behavior. CSE exposure during development reduced the tibia length and body mass of emerging adult flies and prolonged the time required for successful courtship copulation success, while courtship behaviors (wing extension, tapping, abdomen bending, attempted copulation) remained largely unchanged. Our findings indicate that CSE exposure negatively affects the development of flies and their subsequent reproductive success. Future experiments should investigate the CSE effect on male female fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios-Stefanos Giannopoulos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Lydia Giannakou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Natalia Gourgoulianni
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eleanna Pitaraki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Rajesh Jagirdar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Periklis Marnas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Panagiotis I Tzamalas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Erasmia Rouka
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Eleni Livanou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Chrissi Hatzoglou
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Gourgoulianis
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wolf U Blanckenhorn
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sotirios G Zarogiannis
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, BIOPOLIS, 41500 Larissa, Greece.
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