An insect anti-antiaphrodisiac

Brent, Colin S.; Byers, John A.; Levi−Zada, Anat

doi:10.7554/elife.24063

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 47 publications

(87 reference statements)

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“…These pheromones have both species-specific and sex-specific effects [ 6 ]. For example, in Drosophilae female hydrocarbons attract males, while male hydrocarbons have an anti-aphrodisiac effect on other males and increase female receptivity [ 7 – 9 ]. While these studies highlight the importance of pheromones in mate choice, many of the taxa studied have additional behaviors and traits that contribute to the mate choice process, potentially confounding the relative reliance on pheromone-based cues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying male and female pheromone-based mate choice in Caenorhabditis nematodes using a novel microfluidic technique

2017

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Pheromone cues are an important component of intersexual communication, particularly in regards to mate choice. Caenorhabditis nematodes predominant rely on pheromone production for mate finding and mate choice. Here we describe a new microfluidic paradigm for studying mate choice in nematodes. Specifically, the Pheromone Arena allows for a constant flow of odorants, including pheromones and other small molecules, to be passed in real time from signaling worms to those making a choice without any physical contact. We validated this microfluidic paradigm by corroborating previous studies in showing that virgin C. remanei and C. elegans males have a strong preference for virgin females over mated ones. Moreover, our results suggest that the strength of attraction is an additive effect of male receptivity and female signal production. We also explicitly examine female choice and find that females are more attracted to virgin males. However, a female’s mate choice is strongly dependent on her mating status.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying male and female pheromone-based mate choice in Caenorhabditis nematodes using a novel microfluidic technique

2017

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“…obs.). Recently mated females would not suffer as badly as virgins; along with sperm, an L. hesperus spermatophore contains an antiaphrodisiac that the female slowly externalizes to reduce male courtship for several days (Brent, ,b; Brent & Byers, ; Brent et al., ). Although this pheromone is effective, male harassment would resume once the emitted concentration dropped below an activational threshold (Brent et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During insemination, L. hesperus males deliver a spermatophore that includes a complex blend of chemicals which may be of additional benefit or detriment to the female. This mix includes pheromones (Brent & Byers, ; Brent et al., ), hormones (Brent et al., ), trace amounts of micro‐ and macronutrients (Brent et al., ), and other modulators of behavior and physiology that could impact long‐term female health. Frequent mating may also maintain an elevated rate of egg production, which may influence female longevity (Strong & Sheldahl, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mating and social contact change egg production and longevity in adult females of the mirid Lygus hesperus

Brent

2018

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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There is frequently a tradeoff between fecundity and longevity, but the relationship is inconsistent across species and influenced by various exogenous and endogenous factors. Previous studies of Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) established that egg production is promoted by insemination, at least temporarily, but little is known about the long‐term effects of mating and nonsexual interactions with conspecifics on egg production and female lifespan. To elucidate these relationships, survivorship and oviposition rate were tracked daily in females that were isolated or paired with a fertile male or another female throughout their adult lives. Mating rates were determined by postmortem examination. Results indicate that male‐specific stimuli accelerate female reproductive maturation, and that mating elevates oviposition rate. However, females paired with either a female or male companion had shortened lifespans, suggesting that social contacts exact a significant cost in this solitary species. Despite the negative impact of conspecific interactions and the finding that a singly mated female has sufficient sperm to fertilize a lifetime supply of eggs, many females were found to have mated more than once. Multiply mated females had higher sustained oviposition rates, lived longer, and had greater lifetime fecundities. Collectively, no strong evidence was found of a direct physiological link between fecundity and longevity, but environmental factors and mating were found to significantly influence both traits.

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“…For example, if monandry is adaptive for females, they could evolve structures that facilitate the deposition and storage of male-derived anti-aphrodisiacs, as in Heliconius butterflies ( Jiggins, 2017 ). On the other hand, if males impose monandry selection could favour the evolution of counter-adaptations, female traits that prevent or reduce male manipulation, as the anti-antiaphrodisiacs of the plant bug Lygus hesperus ( Brent, Byers & Levi-Zada, 2017 ). These examples show that understanding the proximate mechanisms preventing female remating sheds light on the ultimate causes of monandry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atypical functioning of female genitalia explains monandry in a butterfly

Xochipiltecatl

Baixeras

Cordero

2021

PeerJ

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Monandrous species are rare in nature, especially in animals where males transfer nutrients to females in the ejaculate. The proximate mechanisms responsible for monandry are poorly studied. In butterflies and moths, the male transfers a nutritious spermatophore into the corpus bursae (CB) of the female. The CB is a multifunctional organ that digests the spermatophore and has partial control of the post-mating sexual receptivity of the female. The spermatophore distends the CB and the post-mating sexual receptivity of the female is inversely proportional to the degree of distension. The CB of many butterfly species has a muscular sheath whose contractions mechanically contribute to digest the spermatophore. As the contents of the CB are absorbed, the degree of distension decreases and the female recovers receptivity. We studied the monandrous butterfly Leptophobia aripa (Boisduval, 1836) (Pieridae) and found that females do not digest the spermatophores. We investigated the structure of the CB and found that a muscular sheath is absent, indicating that in this butterfly females lack the necessary “apparatus” for the mechanical digestion of the spermatophore. We propose that female monandry in this species is result of its incapability to mechanically digest the spermatophore, which results in a constant degree of CB distension after mating and, thus, in the maintenance of the sexually unreceptive state of females. Hypotheses on the evolution of this mechanism are discussed.

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An insect anti-antiaphrodisiac

Cited by 12 publications

References 47 publications

Quantifying male and female pheromone-based mate choice in Caenorhabditis nematodes using a novel microfluidic technique

Quantifying male and female pheromone-based mate choice in Caenorhabditis nematodes using a novel microfluidic technique

Mating and social contact change egg production and longevity in adult females of the mirid Lygus hesperus

Atypical functioning of female genitalia explains monandry in a butterfly

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