In many sexually reproducing species, individuals can gather information about potential mates by observing their mating success. This behavioral pattern, that we call mate-copying, was reported in the fruit fly Droso...In many sexually reproducing species, individuals can gather information about potential mates by observing their mating success. This behavioral pattern, that we call mate-copying, was reported in the fruit fly Drosophila rnelanogaster where females choosing between 2 males of contrasting phenotypes can build a preference for males of the phenotype they previously saw being chosen by a demonstrator female. As sex ratio is known to affect mate choice, our goal was to test whether mate-copying is also affected by encountered sex ratios. Thus, we created a gradient of sex ratio during demonstrations of mate-copying experiments by changing the number of females observ- ing from a central arena 6 simultaneous demonstrations unfolding in 6 peripheral compartments of a hexagonal device. We also tested whether the sex ratio experienced by females during demon- strations affected their choosiness （male courtship duration and double courtship rate） in subse- quent mate-choice tests. Experimental male：female sex ratio during demonstrations did not affect mate-copying indices, but positively affected the proportion of both males courting the female during mate-choice tests, as well as male courtship duration, the latter potentially explaining the for- mer relationship. As expected, the sex ratio affected female choosiness positively, and Drosophila females seem to have evolved a mate-copying ability independently of sex ratio, and a capacity to adapt their choosiness to male availability. This suggests that, as in many animal species, individuals, especially females, can adapt their mate choice depending on the current sex ratio.展开更多
High male mating effort and high variation in female quality select for male mate choice, which may be expressed as differential investment of reproductive effort based on female value. Male reproductive effort includ...High male mating effort and high variation in female quality select for male mate choice, which may be expressed as differential investment of reproductive effort based on female value. Male reproductive effort includes investment in direct contest competition with rival males for access to females, yet variation in male-male contest behavior is rarely examined in the context of male mate choice. We examine such male response to variation in female body size, reproductive state, and female-specific ornamentation in the striped plateau lizard, Sceloporus virgatus. We housed lizards in trios of 2 size-matched males and one female for 5 days, such that all 3 lizards were physi- cally isolated and the males could see the female but not each other. We then placed males simultaneously into the female＇s cage and scored the interaction. Male-male aggression was not significantly affected by female body size, reproductive state, nor ornament color, but was influenced by ornament size which reliably signals the phenotypic quality of the female and her off- spring. In the presence of larger-ornamented females, males engaged in more male-male aggressive display behavior more quickly, and performed fewer high-intensity contact behaviors but were equally likely to escalate to this riskier level of fighting. Our data suggest that males adjust their energetic investment during intrasexual competitive interactions in response to variation in the contested female which, assuming males gain direct or indirect benefits from their strategic allocation of reproductive effort, fits the modern understanding of male mate choice.展开更多
文摘In many sexually reproducing species, individuals can gather information about potential mates by observing their mating success. This behavioral pattern, that we call mate-copying, was reported in the fruit fly Drosophila rnelanogaster where females choosing between 2 males of contrasting phenotypes can build a preference for males of the phenotype they previously saw being chosen by a demonstrator female. As sex ratio is known to affect mate choice, our goal was to test whether mate-copying is also affected by encountered sex ratios. Thus, we created a gradient of sex ratio during demonstrations of mate-copying experiments by changing the number of females observ- ing from a central arena 6 simultaneous demonstrations unfolding in 6 peripheral compartments of a hexagonal device. We also tested whether the sex ratio experienced by females during demon- strations affected their choosiness （male courtship duration and double courtship rate） in subse- quent mate-choice tests. Experimental male：female sex ratio during demonstrations did not affect mate-copying indices, but positively affected the proportion of both males courting the female during mate-choice tests, as well as male courtship duration, the latter potentially explaining the for- mer relationship. As expected, the sex ratio affected female choosiness positively, and Drosophila females seem to have evolved a mate-copying ability independently of sex ratio, and a capacity to adapt their choosiness to male availability. This suggests that, as in many animal species, individuals, especially females, can adapt their mate choice depending on the current sex ratio.
文摘High male mating effort and high variation in female quality select for male mate choice, which may be expressed as differential investment of reproductive effort based on female value. Male reproductive effort includes investment in direct contest competition with rival males for access to females, yet variation in male-male contest behavior is rarely examined in the context of male mate choice. We examine such male response to variation in female body size, reproductive state, and female-specific ornamentation in the striped plateau lizard, Sceloporus virgatus. We housed lizards in trios of 2 size-matched males and one female for 5 days, such that all 3 lizards were physi- cally isolated and the males could see the female but not each other. We then placed males simultaneously into the female＇s cage and scored the interaction. Male-male aggression was not significantly affected by female body size, reproductive state, nor ornament color, but was influenced by ornament size which reliably signals the phenotypic quality of the female and her off- spring. In the presence of larger-ornamented females, males engaged in more male-male aggressive display behavior more quickly, and performed fewer high-intensity contact behaviors but were equally likely to escalate to this riskier level of fighting. Our data suggest that males adjust their energetic investment during intrasexual competitive interactions in response to variation in the contested female which, assuming males gain direct or indirect benefits from their strategic allocation of reproductive effort, fits the modern understanding of male mate choice.
