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Intensive male competition caused severity of trauma in female genital tracts predicts female reproductive success and longevity in strictly monandrous wolf spiders

<p>This is the raw data for the manuscript of Dr. Shichang Zhang from Hubei University entitled: <strong>Intensive male competition caused severity of trauma in female genital tracts predicts female reproductive success and longevity in strictly monandrous wolf spiders. </strong></p>

opencc-zeroDec 2023View details →

Experimental evolution under varying sex ratio and behavioral plasticity in response to perceived competitive environment independently affect calling effort in male crickets

<p>The operational sex ratio (OSR) is a key component influencing the magnitude of sexual selection driving the evolution of male sexual traits, but males often also retain the ability to plastically modulate trait expression depending on the current environment. Here we employed an experimental evolution approach to determine whether the OSR affects the evolution of male calling effort in decorated crickets, a costly sexual trait, and whether plasticity in calling effort is altered by the OSR under which males have evolved. Calling effort of males from two selection regimes maintained at different OSRs over 18–20 generations (male- versus female-biased) was recorded at two different levels of perceived competition, in the absence of rivals or in the presence of an experimentally muted competitor. The effect of the OSR on the evolution of male calling effort was modest and in the opposite direction predicted by theory. Instead, the immediate competitive environment strongly influenced male calling effort as males called more in the presence of a rival, revealing considerable plasticity in this trait. This increased calling effort came at a cost, however, as males confined with a muted rival experienced significantly higher mortality.</p>

Figures 1a–1f in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 1a–1f. Developing from the initial stage to the confronting stage. Figure 1a. Initial stage, showing a defensive posture (left, A1, right, A2). Figure 1b. Initial stage, tentative pinching when mutually touched (left, A1, right, A2). Figure 1c. Initial stage, showing a shielding posture (left, B1, right, B2). Figure 1d. Initial stage, one trying to suppress the other (left, B1, right, B2). Figure 1e. Initial stage, shielding collision (left, B1, right, B2). Figure 1f. Spanning pedipalps, developing into confronting stage (left, A1, right, A2).

Figure 5 in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figure 5. Duration of each round and that of arm-span competition occurred in each round (in seconds).

Figures 9a–9f in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 9a–9f. Examples of physical combat in genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908. Figures 9a–9c. Adult males of H. minusalta Vachon, 1959. Figure 9d. An adult pair of H. jayakari (Pocock, 1895). Figure 9e. An adult pair of H. franzwerneri (Birula, 1914). Figure 9f. An adult pair of H. buchariensis (Birula, 1897).

Figures 10a–10c in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 10a–10c. Examples of three types of behavior observed among several species of Heterometrinae. Figure 10a. Arm-span competition (Chersonesometrus tristis). Figure 10b. Shielding response (strictly defined as an easily triggered response; Heterometrus species do exhibit similar posture but happens only when their pedipalps are suppressed; Srilankametrus yaleensis). Figure 10c. Aggressive response (here shows a pre-posture before "pinching" or "punching"; Heterometrus spinifer).

Figures 7a–7d in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 7a–7d. Examples of physical combat in other scorpions. Figure 7a. Adult females of Androctonus gonneti Vachon, 1948 aiming at each other with their metasoma (the accompanied juddering behavior cannot be illustrated by the figure). Figure 7b. A pair of adult A. gonneti, the female is controlling the telson of the male. Figures 7c–7d. Adults of Hottentotta salei (Vachon, 1980) controlling the telson of the opponent: female and male (c), and two males (d).

Figures 3a–3b in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 3a–3b. Comparison of aggression between arm-span competition and stinging fighting behavior. Figure 3a. No fighting occurred after one was pulled over (left, A1, right, C). Figure 3b. Violent fighting occurred at the initial stage when both individuals were infuriated (left, A1, right, B1).

Figures 8a–8f in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 8a–8f. Examples of physical combat in other scorpions. Figures 8a–8c. Juveniles of Hadrurus arizonensis Ewing, 1928, performing the typical deterrent posture. Figures 8d–8f. Leiurus spp., performing the intimidation behavior: adult males of Leiurus jordanensis Lourenço et al., 2002 and L. haenggii Lowe et al., 2014 (d), adult males of L. jordanensis and L. quinquestriatus (Ehrenberg, 1828) (e), and an adult pair of L. jordanensis (f; male on the left).

Figures 6a–6d in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 6a–6d. Examples of similar behavior observed between two adult males in other Heterometrinae species. Figure 6a. Heterometrus minotaurus (above) and Heterometrus thorellii (below) (photo: V. Tang). Figure 6b. Chersonesometrus tristis (photo: V. Tang). Figure 6c. H. thorellii (photo: Gentia). Figure 6d. H. thorellii (below) and Heterometrus longimanus (above) (photo: Gentia).

Figures 2a–2f. Confronting stage. Figure 2a in Non-aggressive competition between males of Srilankametrus yaleensis (Kovařík et al., 2019) (Scorpionidae), and other types of agonistic behavior observed in scorpions

Figures 2a–2f. Confronting stage. Figure 2a. Spreading the pedipalps, lateral view (left, A2, right, A1). Figure 2b. Spreading the pedipalps, posterior view (distal, A1, proximal, C). Figure 2c. Metasoma of the two males entangling with each other (left, C, right, A1). Figure 2d. One being lifted up by the "metasomal hook" (left, C, right, A1). Figure 2e. Lifting, lateral view (left, A1, right, C). Figure 2f. Lifting, posterior view (proximal, A1, distal, C).

opencc-zeroSep 2022View details →

Black and orange coloration predict success during male-male competition in the guppy

<p>Investigating how both intrasexual competition and intersexual mate choice act within a single system is crucial to understanding the maintenance and diversity of sexually-dimorphic traits. These two processes can act in concert by selecting for the same trait, or in opposition by selecting for different extremes of the same trait; they can also act on different traits, potentially increasing overall trait complexity. We asked whether male-male competition and female mate choice act on the same male traits using Trinidadian guppies, which exhibit complex male-limited color patterns and sexual size dimorphism. We used behavioral assays to assess the relationship between color and male competitive success and then compared our results to the plethora of data on female choice and male color in our study population. We found that males initiated more contests if they were larger than their competitor. Males won contests more often if they had more black coloration than their competitor, and the effect of black was stronger when the male had less orange than his competitor. Additionally, males won more often if they had either more structural color (iridescence) and more orange, or less structural color and less orange than their competitor, suggesting multiple combinations of color traits predict success. Females from our study population exhibit strong preferences for orange coloration. Thus, traits favored in male contests differ from those favored by intersexual selection in this population. Our results suggest that mate choice and male-male competition together promote increased color pattern complexity in this species.</p>

opencc-by-4.0Mar 2019View details →

Fig. 3 in A review of Dendrocephalus (Dendrocephalinus) (Crustacea: Anostraca) with the first records of male-male anostracan aggressive competition

Fig. 3. Dendrocephalus proeliator sp. nov, male-male aggressive interactions. A. Encounter. B. Circling. C. Head to head attack. D. Broadside attack. E–F. Chasing.

opencc-by-4.0Mar 2019View details →

Fig. 2 in A review of Dendrocephalus (Dendrocephalinus) (Crustacea: Anostraca) with the first records of male-male anostracan aggressive competition

Fig. 2. Dendrocephalus proeliator sp. nov. Paratypes; Florida, Dade County; FLMNH Type 9041. A. Male head, anterior view. B. Female, right lateral view. C. Right limb V, anterior view. D. Two examples of the egg. Abbreviations: 1V = first ventral branch; 2A = apical branch; 2D = dorsal branch (terminology follows Pereira 1983). Scale bar: A = 2 mm; B = 7 mm; C = 1 mm; D = 1.5 mm.

opencc-by-4.0Mar 2019View details →

Fig. 1. Dendrocephalus spec. A in A review of Dendrocephalus (Dendrocephalinus) (Crustacea: Anostraca) with the first records of male-male anostracan aggressive competition

Fig. 1. Dendrocephalus spec. A. Dendrocephalus acacioidea, male head, left side, anterior view. B. Dendrocephalus alachua, male head, left side, anterior view. C. Dendrocephalus lithacus, male head, left side, anterior view. D. Dendrocephalus acacioidea, brood pouch, right, lateral view. E. Dendrocephalus alachua, brood pouch, right, lateral view. F. Dendrocephalus lithacus, brood pouch, right, lateral view. G. Dendrocephalus lithacus, male, labrum, ventral view. H. Dendrocephalus lithacus, gonopods, right, lateral view. Scale bar: A–C = 1 mm; D–F, H = 4 mm; G = 0.25 mm.

opencc-zeroJul 2023View details →

Male sexual signaling and expected effects of hatchery-induced sperm competition vary with water depth at which whitefish are caught

<div> <div> <div> <div> <p>Salmonids like whitefish (<em>Coregonus</em> spp.) are often propagated in supportive breeding. Spawners are caught from their spawning locations, their gametes mixed, and the resulting offspring reared in a protected environment before being released into the wild. This procedure can affect sexual selection, for example, by enhancing the importance of sperm competition or by reducing the relevance of sexual signals. While it is often unclear how sperm competitiveness is affected by a male's overall genetic quality, there is accumulating evidence that sexual signals reveal good genes and that mate choice based on such signals can increase offspring viability (Auld et al. 2019). Therefore, supportive breeding may affect the genetic variance and the mean genetic quality of next generations. We sampled whitefish from various locations along a depth gradient to test how male characteristics that are likely to affect sexual selection under natural conditions correlate with characteristics that affect hatchery-induced sperm competition. Whitefish are external fertilizers, and multi-male spawning and hence sperm competition is common under natural conditions. Mate choice is not sufficiently understood but could be based on breeding tubercles. These are small conical structures that grow on scales before the breeding sea- son and fall off shortly afterwards. The size of breeding tubercles varies much among males and has repeatedly been found to correlate positively with offspring viability (Wedekind et al. 2001; Keka ̈la ̈inen et al. 2010). Male dominance is typically depend- ent on body size (Auld et al. 2019) and could also be relevant in whitefish. Body size itself can reflect individual inbreeding coefficients (Su et al. 1996) and be an indicator of heritable genetic quality in small or structured populations (Neff and Pitcher 2008). In another fish with a somewhat comparable mating system, the size of breeding tubercles and male size was not correlated but could both be used to predict male reproductive success under close to natural conditions (Jacob et al. 2009). We study whitefish from Lake Hallwil (Switzerland). This lake has suffered so much from anthropogenic eutrophication that it is being artificially aerated since 1985. Three hatcheries around the lake are likely to have played a key role in maintaining the whitefish population, as concluded also from a recent mark–recapture experiment (Vonlanthen 2015). However, eutrophication combined with possible hybridization in hatcheries can have led to a speciation reversal (Vonlanthen et al. 2012) and may thereby have destroyed any genetic structure linked to water depth. Hatchery protocols now focus on maintaining over-all genetic variance by pooling milt of many males before adding the mix to eggs of multiple females. Milt volume varies among sires, for example, because males often lose milt when being pulled up from deep locations (Figure 1), an effect that likely depends on how much the swim bladder is inflated by the change in pressure. This variance in milt volume is likely to affect the genetic variance that, in combination with the average genetic quality, may then affect the long-term survival of a population. The extent to which hatchery protocols affect genetic quality can be estimated by the correlations between male quality indicators and traits that affect hatchery-induced sperm competition, that is, sperm number, velocity, and longevity (summarized here as "milt potency," see also Supplementary Material). Many breeding protocols are likely to promote genetic quality if male attractiveness or dominance are positively correlated to milt potency. If there are no such correlations or negative ones because of life-history trade-offs, hatchery-induced sperm competition is likely to reduce the average genetic quality in future generations. We sampled fish from various depths and determined their age, size, breeding ornamentation, and milt potency (see methods in the Supplementary Material) to test whether and how different male characteristics affect reproductive success in supportive breeding in a heavily managed population.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

opencc-zeroAug 2023View details →

Data from: The role of male body size in mating success and male-male competition in a false widow spider

<p>In many animals, body size is correlated with reproductive success. Selection sometimes generates striking differences in body size between males and females (i.e., sexual size dimorphism, SSD). SSD is common in spiders (Araneae), and is typically explained by selection for larger, more fecund females, and rapidly maturing, and consequently smaller males. Within a species males and females also often vary in body size. In the false widow spider (<em>Steatoda grossa</em>), females are larger than males and males trade off body size for rapid development and early maturation. Moreover, males exhibit considerable variation in body size, suggesting that under certain conditions there may be advantages to large size. Here, we tested the role of male body size on mating success under non-competitive and competitive mating conditions (i.e., male-male competition) in <em>S. grossa</em>. We found that body size did not influence mating success or copulation duration under non-competitive conditions, but that larger males were more successful at obtaining access to females under competitive mating conditions. Additionally, we found that total copulation duration was significantly lower when a rival male was present. Our results show a large male advantage under male-male competition, which we suggest may contribute to the high variation in male body size observed in <em>S. grossa</em>. We further suggest that the reduced copulation duration observed under competitive mating conditions may have potential ramifications for male and female reproductive success, and discuss how patterns of selection acting on male body size might limit the extent of SSD in this species.</p>

publicSep 2022View details →

Black and orange coloration predict success during male-male competition in the guppy

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publicDec 2023View details →

Experimental evolution under varying sex ratio and behavioral plasticity in response to perceived competitive environment independently affect calling effort in male crickets

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