Differences in Mating Propensity Between Immature Female Color Morphs in the Damselfly Ischnura elegans (Insecta: Odonata)

Abstract

Female-limited color polymorphisms occur in a variety of animal taxa where excessive male sexual harassment may explain the coexistence of multiple female color morphs. In the color polymorphic damselfly Ischnura elegans, mature and immature female color morphs coexist at the mating site where males are in search for suitable mating partners. Here, we study male preference and female mating propensity for the two immature female morphs. As would be expected, compared to mature morphs, both immature female morphs mate much less. Within immature females, one morph consistently mates more frequently compared to the other morph, a pattern that is similar for the ontogenetically corresponding mature female morphs. Preference experiments with the two differently colored immature female morphs, however, did not indicate male mate preference for either morph. Low mating frequencies of immature females at natural sites in combination with relatively high attractiveness of immature models in terms of male preference indicate that female behavior influences female mating success.

Reflectance spectra and mating patterns support intraspecific mimicry in the colour polymorphic damselfly Ischnura elegans

“…This possibility is supported by field observations that immature females are found in copula much less frequently as compared to mature females ( Fig. 1; see also Hammers et al 2009). From an evolutionary point of view, such apparent discrimination between mature and immature prospective mates makes intuitive sense.…”

“…For the second approach, we presented mature live models (andromorph, infuscans, rufescens-obsoleta and males) to focal males (for methodology, see also Hammers et al 2009;Ting et al 2009 and references therein) during the summer of 2008. These live models were glued (Uhu Power glue) with the anterior part of the ventral side of the thorax and the mandibles attached to the end of a thin wooden stick.…”

Male mate choice based on ontogenetic colour changes of females in the damselfly Ischnura senegalensis

“…Svensson et al 2005;Takahashi et al 2010). However, it is an indisputable fact that immature females repeatedly suffer male mating attempts in the wild (Hammers et al 2009). Because sexually immature andromorphs are predicted to be subject to more mating attempts by males compared with sexually immature gynomorphs due to male mate choice behaviour, each morph must pay a different cost during its sexually immature stage.…”

“…Due to their relatively long flying season, females at sexually immature and mature stages co-exist in the same grasslands near water, where sexually mature males search for suitable mating partners (Fincke 1987). Sexually mature females mate repeatedly throughout their reproductive stages (Robertson 1985;Takahashi and Watanabe 2009), while sexually immature females refuse male mating attempts (Hammers et al 2009). They might try to escape from the males or to show mate refusal posture in response to the males (Cordero et al 1998;Gosden and Svensson 2009).…”

Female polymorphism and colour variability inArgia oculata(Coenagrionidae: Zygoptera)

“…In one hand, mature gynochromes could mimic the immature colouration later on the day. Although they might become more conspicuous (due to the male preference for reflecting colourations; [29], this body colour could also signalise their unavailability to mate as has been suggested in other coenagrionids [59]. On the other hand, at the end of the day, some males showed the same colouration as old androchromes.…”