Males exploit female sensory bias to secure mating: a case study of Callosobruchus chinensis and C. maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Chen, Hwei-Yen
Abstract
Mated females of Callosobruchus chinensis and their distant-related species, C. maculatus, Acanthoscelides obtectus and Zabrotes subfaciatus, show pre-existing sensory preference toward the odour of the host bean for oviposition. Females of these species that aggregate at host sites are capable of accepting further mating if males are present. Consequently, males that actively search for host sites enjoy increased chance of mating with gravid females. However, only males of C. chinensis, but not its ancestral species, are attracted by the host odour. This result indicates that the behavioral trait evolves from exploiting females’ pre-existing sensory bias. The establishment of male host-searching behavior may bring benefit to females. In detail analysis of mating behavior, C. chinensis females’ host-searching behavior is not affected by the presence of males, but they prefer to mate with males carried with the host odour regardless of age, body weight, or courtship performance. As there is no increase in fecundity in females that mate with males with host odour, the bias in mate choice may confer genetic advantage to females in term of ensuring her male offspring’s ability to locate host, and consequently, mates.
Subjects
Acanthoscelides obtectus
Zabrote subfasciatus
male host-searching behaviour
sensory exploitation
courtship performance
mate choice
Type
thesis
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