Variation in male and female mating behaviour among different populations of the two-spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

Abstract. Investigating the function of both male and female mating behaviours is essential in our attempts to understand the evolution of mating systems. Variation in mating behaviours among different populations within a species provides a useful opportunity to explore how behaviours may co-vary, although comparative studies are still rather few in number. Population variation in mating behaviour may also have important implications in terms of the evolution of reproductive isolation, the distribution of genetic diversity within and between populations, and the associated ability of those populations to adapt. Here we consider male and female mating behaviour in two populations of the two-spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata, from the UK and Russia. We find that male and female mating behaviours differ between the populations in terms of the length of female rejection behaviour and the duration of mating, and that this variation is independent of which population an individual's mating partner is from. Our data confirm that patterns of sexual selection and reproductive behaviour are likely to vary across populations in the two-spot ladybird. The extent to which this variation is due to current ecological factors or population history remains to be verified for this species, as for many others.

Effects of mating patterns on reproductive performance and offspring fitness in Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

“…Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an effective predator of mealybugs, and is widely used in biological control projects around the world (Jiang et al, 2009;Finlay-Doney & Walter, 2012). The mating behavior has been studied in some ladybird beetles (Haddrill et al, 2007(Haddrill et al, , 2013Omkar et al, 2010;Omkar & Jyotsna, 2012) but no information is available for C. montrouzieri.…”

Unbalanced polyandry in wild-caught ladybirds Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

“…Haddrill et al (2008) estimated only 2.5 weeks in the mating pool for A. bipunctata. Mating duration in H. axyridis was shorter (2-3 h) than in A. bipunctata (4 h; Haddrill et al 2013).…”

“…Finally, individual males of A. bipunctata can transfer a different number of spermatophores during one copulation (2-3; Haddrill et al 2013).…”

Sexual conflict and STIs: coevolution of sexually antagonistic host traits with a sexually transmitted infection

“…There are many well-known examples of STIs and sexual conflict but we are aware of no systems i where both are well studied. Evidence of sexual conflict and sexually transmitted diseases has been reported in ungulates (conflict: Bro-Jørgensen 2010; STI: Lockhart et al 1996), Drosophila (conflict: e.g., Rice et al 2006; STI: Knell and Webberley 2004), and the two-spot ladybird Adalia bipunctata (conflict: Haddrill et al 2013; STI: Webberley et al 2002; Ryder et al 2005). Studies of sexually antagonistic traits in populations infected with a viability- or reproduction-reducing STI should look for escalated or de-escalated trait values, respectively, compared to populations where the STI is absent.…”