Male-specific Iridescent Coloration in the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is Used in Mate Choice by Females but not Sexual Discrimination by Males

Rutowski, Ronald L.; Rajyaguru, Parth K.

doi:10.1007/s10905-012-9348-2

Cited by 39 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In general, the results of the present study support the prediction that male coloration and mating success are related. However, Rutowski and Rajyaguru (2013) reported that the dorsal hindwings of successfully mated B. philenor males possessed more chromatic iridescence than those that failed to mate, rather than a different hue, as reported here. Such differences between field and laboratory study have also been reported by previous studies.…”

Section: Phenotypic Correlates Of Mating Success In Male B Philenor supporting

confidence: 70%

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Estimating the Mating Success of Male Butterflies in the Field

Sasaki

Konagaya

Watanabe

et al. 2017

Diversity and Evolution of Butterfly Wing Patterns

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Sexual dimorphism in wing coloration is pervasive in butterflies and has been attributed to the process of sexual selection. However, this view has rarely been tested, partly owing to difficulties in estimating the mating success of males in the field. In the present study, we describe a method for assessing the mating success of male pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) butterflies, based on the appearance of their reproductive tracts. Laboratory experiments indicated that, in response to mating, components of the males' reproductive tracts become shorter, decrease in mass, and change in appearance, irrespective of age; and these changes persist for at least 2 days. Using these indicators of recent mating, we examined the reproductive tracts of 68 field-caught males and found that the color of the dorsal hindwing, a feature that females use in mate choice, was significantly greener in males that had recently mated than in males that had not.

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Section: Phenotypic Correlates Of Mating Success In Male B Philenor supporting

confidence: 70%

“…Rutowski and Rajyaguru (2013) have reported that, in a captivity B. philenor, females use the dorsal hindwing coloration of males in mate choice.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Mating Success of Male Butterflies in the Field

Sasaki

Konagaya

Watanabe

et al. 2017

Diversity and Evolution of Butterfly Wing Patterns

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“…In addition, males have bright iridescent blue or blue-green coloration on the upper surface of the hindwings. Previous research has shown that ablation of this iridescence on males decreases their mating success (Rutowski & Rajyaguru, 2013). Males court females by flying in loops around them; they approach from behind, fly beneath the female, then fly up in front of her, and drop back behind her to restart the aerial manoeuvre (Rutowski et al, 1989; C. Mitra, personal observation).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of sodium puddling on male mating success, courtship and flight in a swallowtail butterfly

et al. 2016

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In many Lepidoptera species usually only males puddle for sodium. Two explanations have been offered for this: (1) neuromuscular activity: males need increased sodium for flight because they are more active flyers than females; and (2) direct benefits: sodium is a type of direct benefit provided by males to females via ejaculate during mating. Surprisingly, there is little direct experimental evidence for either of these. In this study, we examined both explanations using the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor L. If sodium increases neuromuscular activity, males consuming sodium should be better fliers than males without sodium. If males collect sodium for nuptial gifts that benefit their mates, males consuming sodium may have greater mating success than males without sodium. In that case, females then need an honest cue/signal of the quality of male-provided direct benefits that they can assess before mating. If sodium affects male courtship flight by increasing neuromuscular activity, how a male courts could serve as such a premating cue/signal of male benefit quality. Therefore, sodium may benefit males in terms of obtaining mates by increasing their neuromuscular activity. In this study we found that males that consumed sodium courted more vigorously and had greater mating success than males that consumed water. In addition, the courtship displays of males consuming sodium were significantly different from those of males consuming water, providing a possible honest cue/signal of male benefit quality that females can assess. Interestingly, we did not find evidence that sodium consumption affects male flight outside of courtship. That only aspects of male flight related to mating were affected by sodium, while aspects of general flight were not, is consistent with the idea that sodium may benefit males in terms of obtaining mates via effects on neuromuscular activity.

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“…We know of no such examples in butterflies, nor in any other animals. By contrast, males of some papilionid species fail to discriminate between the sexes until they sufficiently touch the static model (Yamashita, 1995;Rutowski & Rajyaguru, 2013). At present, we do not know of any selective pressure for display in butterfly contests.…”

Section: Butterfliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar results were obtained in other territorial butterflies, Asterocampa leilia (Rutowski, Mccoy & Demlong, 2001) and Pararge aegeria (Bergman & Wiklund, 2009). For example, males of the pipevine swallowtail butterfly Battus philenor, which show a characteristic courtship flight to a flying female (Rutowski et al, 1989), cannot discriminate the sex of model specimens before sufficient close contact (Rutowski & Rajyaguru, 2013). Of course, males may be able to discriminate the sex of flying conspecifics after they catch up with them.…”

Section: Butterfliesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The erroneous courtship hypothesis: do insects really engage in aerial wars of attrition?

Takeuchi

Yabuta

Tsubaki

2016

Biol. J. Linn. Soc.

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Males of various flying insects perform conspicuous aerial interactions around their mating stations. The broadly accepted interpretation of their aerial interaction is a war of attrition, where two contestants perform costly displays, and the one that reaches its cost threshold earlier gives up. The implicit but important requirement in this model is that some forces that match the intensity of display of the two contestants are necessary, and failure to enforce matching allows foul contestants that delay or stop their display to avoid paying contest costs. In addition, wars of attrition require flying insects to distinguish the sex of flying conspecifics because their aerial interactions begin when intruders fly into the territory. We investigated past research on the behaviour of odonates and butterflies aiming to clarify whether the two prerequisites of wars of attrition are fulfilled: (1) contestants can inflict substantial costs on nondisplaying opponents and (2) contestants can discriminate the sex of flying conspecifics. In odonates, we found an abundance of evidence suggesting that contests involve physical attack and that the ability of sexual discrimination is sufficient. Therefore, wars of attrition may occur in territorial odonates. In butterflies, however, we could not find any evidence that the two prerequisites are filled. The aerial interactions of butterflies are better interpreted as courtship between sexually active males (the erroneous courtship hypothesis). Based on these results, we discuss future directions of research on the aerial contests of flying insects.

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Male-specific Iridescent Coloration in the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor) is Used in Mate Choice by Females but not Sexual Discrimination by Males

Cited by 39 publications

References 29 publications

Estimating the Mating Success of Male Butterflies in the Field

Estimating the Mating Success of Male Butterflies in the Field

Effects of sodium puddling on male mating success, courtship and flight in a swallowtail butterfly

The erroneous courtship hypothesis: do insects really engage in aerial wars of attrition?

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