Mating Frequency and Fecundity in Insects

Abstract

Summary 1. The paper summarizes the published evidence on the relation between mating frequency and fecundity in insects. There is experimental evidence of varying quality for 63 species and non‐experimental evidence for about 60. 2. Repeated mating may be universally necessary for full fecundity and fertility in female insects (in species in which the females normally mate more than once). 3. The evidence is remarkably poor. We need more properly designed experiments (and not just observations of natural variation), with sufficient sample sizes and statistics, and measurements of the fecundities and fertilities of singly and multiply mated females, when the multiple matings are separated by many days or weeks. Most of the existing experiments of this sort are defective in some way. 4. In species with greater total fecundity and longevity, multiple mating may be more likely to enhance fertility than in species with small fecundity and short life span. 5. Females in naturally monandrous species do not show increased fecundity or fertility with repeated mating, whereas females of polyandrous species do. 6. There is no obvious connexion between paternal investment, in so far as we know about it, and the increase of fecundity by repeated mating. 7. There is a small tendency for females to breed more quickly and be shorter lived if they mate repeatedly.

The relative roles of predation and sperm competition on the duration of the post-copulatory association between the sexes in the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

“…However, the incidence of female multiple-mating was only 12.4% , suggesting that the male's presence effectively deters female remating and that sperm competition is not common. In contrast, most female insects mate with at least two males (Parker 1970a;Ridley 1988). The level of sperm competition may not be as high in blue crabs, because non-virgin females may be more difficult to find and mate with than virgins.…”

Nuptial food gifts influence female egg production in the scorpionfly Panorpa cognata

“…In many, if not the majority of insect species, females mate with multiple males ( Ridley, 1988( Ridley, , 1990, although in most cases the adaptive significance of multiple mating is not as apparent for female as for males ( Bateman, 1948 ). Nevertheless, in a recent meta-analysis of fitness consequences from polyandry in insects, Arnqvist and Nilsson (2000) demonstrated that the average direct female fitness gain from multiple mating is substantial.…”

“…This is a problem, as female direct benefits from multiple mating per se have been shown to be considerable ( Ridley, 1988;Arnqvist & Nilsson, 2000 ). For example, sperm replenishment may influence female reproductive output (e.g.…”

“…Parker, 1970;Ridley, 1990;Hunter et al , 1993;Eberhard, 1996 ). The adaptive significance of female polyandry has therefore been a recurrent subject of many recent studies in evolutionary biology (reviews in Ridley, 1988;Arnqvist & Nilsson, 2000;Jennions & Petrie, 2000;Zeh & Zeh, 2003;Simmons, 2005 ). However, the maintenance of female polyandry is easily understood if females are limited by the availability of viable sperm supply or obtain material benefits from males at mating ( Arnqvist & Nilsson, 2000 ).…”

Sperm competition in Odonata (Insecta): the evolution of female sperm storage and rivals' sperm displacement

“…It has been shown in different insect species that females may acquire increased fecundity as a by-product of multiple mating and sperm storage ability (reviewed by Ridley, 1988;Arnqvist & Nilsson, 2000). This may have different explanations but, in general, males may provide females with seminal substances that increase fertility, eggproduction rate and female life span (Arnqvist & Nilsson, 2000).…”