Male behavioural plasticity depends on maternal mating status in the two-spotted spider mite

Oku, Keiko; Beuken, Tom P. G. Van den

doi:10.1007/s10493-017-0127-9

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

(40 reference statements)

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“…The socio-sexual environment is an important stimulus for the expression of behavioural plasticity across different taxa (e.g. Han and Brooks, 2014; Dorset et al, 2017; Oku and van den Beuken, 2017). For example, information such as the number of rivals or mating opportunities can indicate to an individual the likely level of competition for resources and mates they will face (Davis et al, 2011; Bretman et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive plasticity in both sexes interacts to determine mating behaviour and fecundity

Leigh

Bretman

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Organisms alter their phenotype in response to variation in their environment by expressing phenotypic plasticity. Both sexes exhibit such plasticity in response to contrasting environmental and social cues, and this can reflect the influence of sexual conflict. However, theory predicts that plasticity expressed by both sexes may either maximise the sex-specific fitness of both, or of one sex at the expense of the other. Hence empirical tests of the predictions are sorely needed. Here we conducted novel tests of the fitness effects of interacting reproductive plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster. First, prior to mating, males were kept alone, or with same sex rivals, and females were kept alone, in same sex, or mixed sex groups. Second, we conducted matings between individuals from all these social treatments under choice and no choice scenarios. The results showed that males and females can both plastically respond to these socio-sexual environments to influence the expression of mating duration, mating latency, and fecundity. These plastic responses interacted significantly to determine mating latency and fecundity. Effects on mating latency were also observed under both choice and no-choice conditions, but in opposing directions. Variation in the outcome of interacting plasticity pivoted around the outcomes observed with focal females that had been maintained in same-sex environments prior to mating. However, not all fitness-related traits examined responded in the same way. Mating duration was determined largely by the social environment of the male. Our results show that the expression of some, but not all fitness-related reproductive traits can be determined by the outcome of interacting behavioural plasticity expressed by both sexes. This highlights the need for new predictive theory informed by these empirically-derived parameters. Overall, we conclude that variation in the expression of shared traits due to interacting plasticity represents an important and novel facet of sexual interactions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive plasticity in both sexes interacts to determine mating behaviour and fecundity

Leigh

Bretman

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Our focus here is on the biotic, and in particular on the increasing realization that how individuals alter their behavior in response to conspecifics of the same or opposite sex can be adaptive, and thus a key component of fitness (Bretman et al 2009(Bretman et al , 2011. Indeed, it is observed that the sociosexual environment is an important stimulus for the expression of behavioral plasticity across many different organisms (e.g., Dukas 2005;Petfield et al 2005;Kent et al 2008;Sarin and Dukas 2009;Davis et al 2011;Bailey and Zuk 2012;Billeter et al 2012;Oliveira 2012;Han and Brooks 2014;Dorset et al 2017;Oku and van den Beuken 2017). For example, variation in social experience can influence shoaling preferences in Gasterosteus sticklebacks (e.g., Kozak and Boughman 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…2012; Oliveira 2012; Han and Brooks 2014; Dorset et al. 2017; Oku and van den Beuken 2017). For example, variation in social experience can influence shoaling preferences in Gasterosteus sticklebacks (e.g., Kozak and Boughman 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

Plastic responses of males and females interact to determine mating behavior

et al. 2022

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Individuals can respond plastically to variation in their social environment. However, each sex may respond to different cues and contrasting aspects of competition. Theory suggests that the plastic phenotype expressed by one sex can influence evolutionary dynamics in the other, and that plasticity simultaneously expressed by both sexes can exert sex-specific effects on fitness. However, data are needed to test this theory base. Here, we examined whether the simultaneous expression of adaptive plasticity by both sexes of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies in response to their respective social environments interacts to determine the value of key reproductive traits (mating latency, duration, and fecundity). To vary social environments, males were kept alone, or with same sex rivals, and females were kept alone, in same-sex, or mixed-sex groups. Matings were then conducted between individuals from all of these five social treatments in all combinations, and the resulting reproductive traits measured in both "choice" and "no-choice" assays. Mating latency was determined by an interaction between the plastic responses of both sexes to their social environments. Interestingly, the mating latency response occurred in opposing directions in the different assays. In females exposed to same-sex social treatments, mating latency was more rapid with rival treatment males in the choice assays, but slower with those same males in no-choice assays. In contrast, mating duration was determined purely by responses of males to their social environments, and fecundity purely by responses of females. Collectively, the results show that plastic responses represent an important and novel facet of sexual interactions.

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“…Male grouping behaviour was more pronounced in sons from fertilized than unmated females but was unrelated to guarding behaviour. Oku and van den Beuken () observed differences in mate searching plasticity between sons from unmated and fertilized T. urticae females. In our study, males were apparently mutually attracted, and aggregated in the tested mate competition scenarios for rivalry and/or checking out each other's intentions to move towards a female.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parental effects of male alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) on ARTs of haploid sons

Schausberger

Sato

2019

Functional Ecology

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Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) represent distinct behavioural phenotypes to maximize reproductive success within the same sex, primarily males, and may be genetically and/or conditionally determined. Across animals, intragenerational determinants of conditional ARTs are relatively well understood but transgenerational (non‐genetic) effects of parental ARTs on filial ARTs are largely unknown. Here, we assessed parental effects of conditional male ARTs on sons' ARTs in arrhenotokous spider mites Tetranychus urticae. Arrhenotoky, that is, males arising from unfertilized and females from fertilized eggs, sets the stage for sexual and transgenerational conflicts between male mates and females and their sons. Male ARTs of T. urticae are dichotomous, fighting and sneaking, and apparent in male–male combat and pre‐copulatory guarding behaviour. Due to haplodiploidy, male ARTs can only exert non‐genetic effects on sons of their mates. We hypothesized that parental ART effects are likely to occur in T. urticae because maternal ART mating status (unmated, sneaker‐ or fighter‐mated) is indicative of the offspring' social environment and ART flexibility rather prevails in younger than older males. Fighter‐mated mothers produced more offspring than unmated mothers and had a more daughter‐biased offspring sex ratio than unmated and sneaker‐mated mothers. Sons of fighter‐mated mothers were more likely to guard and did so earlier than sons of unmated and sneaker‐mated mothers. Unmated and sneaker‐mated, but not fighter‐mated, mothers produced sneaker sons that were quicker to start guarding than were fighter sons. Proximately, parental ART effects on sons' ARTs were most likely mediated by differences in seminal fluids. Ultimately, observed alterations of sons' ARTs represent adaptive maternal responses to ART phenotypes rather than manipulation by male mates. Fighter‐mated mothers tuned filial ARTs to male‐competitive environments whereas unmated and sneaker‐mated mothers tuned them to benign environments. Observed alterations in reproductive traits of fighter‐mated mothers suggest adaptive manipulation by the fighter phenotype or aligned male and female interests. Overall, our study documents previously unknown transgenerational ART effects on haploid sons' ARTs. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

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Male behavioural plasticity depends on maternal mating status in the two-spotted spider mite

Cited by 5 publications

References 26 publications

Reproductive plasticity in both sexes interacts to determine mating behaviour and fecundity

Reproductive plasticity in both sexes interacts to determine mating behaviour and fecundity

Plastic responses of males and females interact to determine mating behavior

Parental effects of male alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) on ARTs of haploid sons

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