Different mating expenditure in response to sperm competition risk between generations in the bivoltine butterfly Pieris napi

Larsdotter-Mellström, Helena; Wiklund, Christer

doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1919-8

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 52 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similar results were obtained in the butterfly Pieris napi in which males increased the size of their transferred ejaculate under increased male density, with male sex pheromones being the cue used by males to asses male density and the associated risk of sperm competition [ 60 ]. Though the magnitude of ejaculate increase under high male density differed among generations, the general pattern remained [ 61 ]. Alternatively, unsuccessful males may have reduced their reproductive investment to save sperm for future mating opportunities when being faced with a higher number of females [ 62 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young male mating success is associated with sperm number but not with male sex pheromone titres

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIntraspecific communication is of crucial importance throughout the animal kingdom and may involve a combination of visual, gustatory, olfactory and acoustic cues. Variation in male sex pheromone amount and composition may convey important information to female conspecifics, for instance on species identity or age. However, whether increased male pheromone titres are associated with fitness benefits for the female, thus indicating a role as an honest signal, is under debate.ResultsAgainst this background, we tested in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana (1) whether young males being successful or unsuccessful in gaining a mating differed in sex pheromone titres and (2) for associations between male pheromone titres and spermatophore mass, eupyrene sperm number, and a variety of female and offspring life-history traits. Successful and unsuccessful males did not differ in pheromone titres, however eupyrene sperm number was much higher in successful males. Pheromone titres were not associated with any fitness-related female or offspring trait measured in our study, though correlation analyses yielded evidence for trade-offs among specific traits. Patterns did not differ among control and olfaction-blocked females.ConclusionTherefore, we suggest that in young B. anynana pheromone titres do not indicate male quality.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young male mating success is associated with sperm number but not with male sex pheromone titres

2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, male animals may invest more in sperm after they detect the presence of rivals to gain an advantage in sperm competition [2,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In insects, males fine-tune their sperm investment in response to sex specific cues experienced during the adult stage [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] or non-sex specific cues during the Insects 2021, 12, 679 2 of 9 larval stage [17][18][19][20][21]. Although insect pupae do not feed and crawl, they can communicate with each other using species-specific acoustic [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] or chemical cues [30][31][32][33][34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pupal Cues Increase Sperm Production but Not Testis Size in an Insect

Liu

Zheng

et al. 2021

Insects

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Theoretic and empirical studies show that social surroundings experienced by male insects during their larval or adult stage can influence their testicular investment in diverse ways. Although insect pupae do not feed and crawl, they can communicate using sex-specific and/or non-sex specific cues. Yet, it is unknown, in any insect, whether and how male pupae can fine-tune their resource allocation to sperm production and testis size in response to socio-sexual environments. We investigated this question using a moth, Ephestia kuehniella, which produces fertile eupyrene sperm and unfertile apyrene sperm. We held male pupae individually or in groups with different sex ratios, and dissected adults upon eclosion, measured their testis size, and counted both types of sperm. We demonstrated that after exposure to conspecific pupal cues regardless of sex, male pupae increased production of eupyrenes and apyrenes at the same rate but kept testis size unchanged. We suggest that testis size is fixed after pupation because most morphological traits are formed during the larval stage, allowing little room for pupae to adjust testis size. Like adults, male pupae with fully grown testes have sufficient resources to produce more sperm of both types according to the perceived increase in sperm competition risk.

show abstract

“…For example, male animals may invest more in sperm after they detect the presence of rivals to gain an advantage in sperm competition [2,[4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. In insects, males fine-tune their sperm investment in response to sex specific cues experienced during the adult stage [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] or non-sex specific cues during the larval stage [17][18][19][20][21]. Although insect pupae do not feed and crawl, they can communicate with each other using species-specific acoustic [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] or chemical cues [30][31][32][33][34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pupal Cues Increase Sperm Production but Not Testis Size in an Insect

Liu

Zheng

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Theoretic and empirical studies show that social surroundings experienced by male insects during their larval or adult stage can influence their testicular investment in diverse ways. Although insect pupae do not feed and crawl, they can communicate using sex-specific and/or non-sex specific cues. Yet, it is unknown, in any insect, whether and how male pupae can fine-tune their resource allocation to sperm production and testis size in response to socio-sexual environment. We investigated this question using a moth, Ephestia kuehniella, which produces fertile eupyrene sperm and unfertile apyrene sperm. We held male pupae individually or in groups with different sex ratios, and dissected adults upon eclosion, measured their testis size, and counted both types of sperm. We demonstrated that after exposure to conspecific pupal cues regardless of sex, male pupae increased production of eupyrenes and apyrenes at the same rate but kept testis size unchanged. We suggest that testis size is fixed after pupation because most morphological traits are formed during the larval stage, allowing little room for pupae to adjust testis size. Like adults, male pupae with fully grown testes have sufficient resources to produce more sperm of both types according to the perceived increase of sperm competition risk.

show abstract

Different mating expenditure in response to sperm competition risk between generations in the bivoltine butterfly Pieris napi

Cited by 9 publications

References 52 publications

Young male mating success is associated with sperm number but not with male sex pheromone titres

Young male mating success is associated with sperm number but not with male sex pheromone titres

Pupal Cues Increase Sperm Production but Not Testis Size in an Insect

Pupal Cues Increase Sperm Production but Not Testis Size in an Insect

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About