Find research datasets worth reusing

opencc-zeroMay 2024View details →

Explaining dimorphism polymorphism: Stronger interspecific sexual differences may be favored when females search for mates in the presence of congeners

<p>Why are some species sexually dimorphic while other closely related species are not? While all females in genus <em>Strauzia</em> share a multiply-banded wing pattern typical of many other true fruit flies, males of four species have noticeably elongated wings with banding patterns "coalesced" into a continuous dark streak across much of the wing. We take an integrative phylogenetic approach to explore the evolution of this dimorphism and develop general hypotheses underlying the evolution of wing dimorphism in flies. We find that the origin of coalesced and other darkened male wing patterns correlate with the inferred origin of host plant sharing in <em>Strauzia.</em> While wing shape among non-host-sharing species tended to be conserved across the phylogeny, shapes of male wings for <em>Strauzia</em> species sharing the same host plant were more different from one another than expected under Brownian models of evolution and overall rates of wing shape change differed between non-host-sharing species and host-sharing species. A survey of North American Tephritidae finds just three other genera with specialist species that share host plants. Host-sharing species in these genera also have wing patterns unusual for each genus. Only genus <em>Eutreta </em>is like<em> Strauzia </em>in<em> </em>having the unusual wing patterns only in males, and of genera that have multiple species sharing hosts, only in <em>Eutreta </em>and <em>Strauzia</em> do males hold territories while females search for mates. We hypothesize that in species that share host plants, those where females actively search for males<em> </em>in the presence of congeners may be more likely to evolve sexually dimorphic wing patterns.</p>

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Simulated data for: Long-term persistence of exaggerated ornaments under Fisherian runaway despite costly mate search

<p><span>This repository contains simulated datasets relating to:</span></p> <p><span>Anna Waffender, Jonathan M. Henshaw</span></p> <p><span>"Long-term persistence of </span><span>exaggerated ornaments under Fisherian runaway despite costly mate search"</span></p> <p><span> </span></p> <p><span>We simulate the evolution of male ornaments and female preferences under Fisherian runaway. We include costly mate search effort, reducing female fecundity. </span></p> <p><span>Datasets are organized into CSV files named after the corresponding figure in the publication. For further information see the publication and the file README.md in this repository.</span></p>

publicDec 2022View details →

Simulated data for: Long-term persistence of exaggerated ornaments under Fisherian runaway despite costly mate search

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicMay 2024View details →

Explaining dimorphism polymorphism: Stronger interspecific sexual differences may be favored when females search for mates in the presence of congeners

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicSep 2024View details →

Weathering the storm for love? The mate-searching behaviour of wild male Sydney funnel-web spiders (Atrax robustus)

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

Mate searching context of prey influences predator-prey space race

<p>Predation risk is a strong driver of prey distribution and movement. However, fitness-influencing behaviours, such as mating, can alter risk and influence predator-prey space-use dynamics. In tree crickets, <i>Oecanthus henryi</i>, mate searching involves acoustic signalling by immobile males and phonotactic movement by females. Space-use patterns in tree crickets relative to their primary predators, green lynx spiders (<i>Peucetia viridans</i>), should therefore depend on their current mate-searching state; whether males are calling or non-calling and whether females are phonotactic or non-phonotactic. We first measured the degree of spatial anchoring of crickets to specific bushes in the field, and whether that influenced the probability of broad-scale spatial overlap with spiders. In the absence of spiders, all crickets, independent of sex or male calling status, were found to be spatially anchored to specific types of bushes and not uniformly distributed on the landscape. At the broad spatial scale, spiders were more likely to be found on bushes with female crickets, and to a lesser degree, calling male crickets. At a finer spatial scale within a bush, movement strategies of crickets not only varied depending on the presence or absence of a spider, but also on their current mate searching state. Phonotactic females showed clear predator avoidance, whereas calling and non-calling males moved towards the spider instead of away, similar to predator-inspection behaviour seen in many taxa. As the strongly-selected sex, males are more likely to undertake risky mate searching activities, which includes inspection of predator positions. Overall, we found that all crickets were predictably anchored at the landscape scale, but their sex and mate seeking behaviour influenced the degree of overlap with predators, and their antipredator movement strategies. Reproductive strategies within a prey species, therefore, can alter predator-prey space race at multiple spatial scales.</p>

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Males, but not females, perform strategic mate searching movements between host plants in a leaf beetle with scramble competition polygyny

1. Mate searching is assumed to be performed mostly by males, but when females benefit from multiple mating or are under risk of failing to mate, they may also perform mate searching. This is especially important in scramble competition polygynies, in which mate searching is the main mechanism of mate competition. Typically, more mobile individuals are expected to achieve higher mating success because mobility increases their probability of finding mates. 2. If we assume individual movements are mainly explained by mate searching in scramble competition polygynies, we can investigate searching strategies by asking when individuals should leave their location and where they should go. We hypothesize that individuals will leave their locations when mating opportunities are scarce and will seek spatially close sites with better mating opportunities. 3. We tested these hypotheses for males and females of Leptinotarsa undecimlineata, a leaf beetle with scramble competition polygyny in which both sexes are promiscuous. Individuals mate and feed exclusively on Solanum plants, thus individual movements can be described as switches between plants. 4. Females were less likely than males to leave isolated plants, and both males and females moved preferentially to neighbouring plants. Males were more likely to leave when the local number of females was low, and the number of males was high. They moved to plants with more females, a behaviour consistent with a mate searching strategy. Females were more likely to move to plants with fewer males and many females, a behaviour consistent with male harassment avoidance. 5. Strategic movement is widely considered in foraging context, but seldom in a mate searching context. Considering that selection to minimize searching costs, maximize mating success, and minimize harassment may be ubiquitous in nature, we argue that strategic movements by mate searching individuals are likely to occur in many species.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble competition polygyny: evidence for trade-offs between foraging and mate-search

1. Patterns of male reproductive allocation provide insight into life-history characteristics. The trade-offs associated with resource and female group defense are well-defined. However, less is understood about trade-offs in species that practice scramble-competition polygyny, where successful strategies may favor competitive mate-searching rather than contest competition and fighting. 2. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) practice scramble-competition polygyny where solitary males search for and assess receptivity of females scattered across the landscape. Physically mature males are expected to do most of the breeding because of the high energetic costs of reproduction and high social status. However, young males may collectively sire one-third of offspring. To gain a better understanding of trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny, we quantified metrics associated with reproductive effort and success. 3. We quantified changes in body mass of harvested males, energetic costs of locomotion based on movements of GPS radio-collared males, and timing of reproduction via temporal genetic parentage assignments. 4. Young males (1.5 and 2.5 years old) sired offspring, but their mating success was mainly limited to peak rut, when most females were in estrus. Furthermore, multiple paternity was common, indicating opportunistic reproduction. Reproductive effort, indexed by body mass loss, was highest in prime-age males (5.5-6.5 years old). Surprisingly, young and post-prime males also exhibited significant body mass loss, indicative of investment in reproductive effort. Movement rates increased 2 to 4-fold during rut as a function of mate-search activities, but cost of locomotion would cause only about one-third of observed body mass loss. Because males are capital breeders, we infer most of body mass loss is due to reduced foraging. 5. In scramble-competition polygyny, the repeated location of potential mates and assessment of their estrous status appear to be important constituents of male mating strategies. Therefore mating success may be influenced by time management and spatial memory, and not based solely on social dominance. Thus, reproductive effort should be greater for individuals capable of reducing time foraging. For those that cannot, opportunistic mating opportunities may arise when operative adult sex ratios are low. Our analyses reveal valuable insight into the trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny.

opencc-zeroJul 2019View details →

Data from: Male black widows parasitize mate-searching effort of rivals to find females faster

Mate-searching success is a critical precursor to mating, but there is a dearth of research on traits and tactics that confer a competitive advantage in finding potential mates. Theory and available empirical evidence suggest that males locate mates using mate-attraction signals produced by receptive females (personal information) and avoid inadvertently-produced cues from rival males (social information) that indicate a female has likely already mated. Here we show that western black widow males use both kinds of information to find females efficiently, parasitizing the searching effort of rivals in a way that guarantees competition over mating after reaching a female's web. This tactic may be adaptive because female receptivity is transient, and we show that (a) mate searching is risky (88% mortality) and (b) a strongly male-biased operational sex ratio (from 1.2:1 to >10:1) makes competition inevitable. Males with access to rivals' silk trails moved at higher speeds than those with only personal information, and located females even when personal information was unreliable or absent. We show that following rivals can increase the potential for sexual selection on females as well as males and argue it may be more widespread in nature than is currently realized.

publicApr 2019View details →

Data from: Males, but not females, perform strategic mate searching movements between host plants in a leaf beetle with scramble competition polygyny

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicJul 2019View details →

Data from: Male black widows parasitize mate-searching effort of rivals to find females faster

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicSep 2020View details →

Mate searching context of prey influences predator-prey space race

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

publicJul 2019View details →

Data from: Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble competition polygyny: evidence for trade-offs between foraging and mate-search

Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.

opencc-zeroDec 2019View details →

Identification of seminal proteins related to the inhibition of mate searching in female crickets

<p>In response to the reduction in fitness associated with sperm competition, males are expected to evolve tactics that hinder female remating. For example, females often display a post-mating reduction in their sexual receptivity that has been shown to be mediated by proteins contained in a male's seminal fluid (sfps). However, although there has been comprehensive research on sfps in genetically well characterized species, few non-model species have been studied in such detail. We initially confirm that female Australian field crickets, <i>Teleogryllus oceanicus</i>, do display a significant reduction in their mate searching behavior 24 hours after mating. This effect was still apparent three days after mating but was entirely absent after one week. We then attempted to identify the sfps that might play a role in inducing this behavioral response. We identified two proteins, ToSfp022 and ToSfp011, that were associated with the alteration in female post-mating behavior. The knockdown of both proteins resulted in mated females that displayed a significant increase in their mate searching behaviors compared with females mated to males having the full compliment of seminal fluid proteins in their ejaculate. Our results indicate that the female refractory period in <i>T. oceanicus</i> likely reflects a sperm competition avoidance tactic by males, achieved through the action of male seminal fluid proteins.</p>

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Spatio-temporal dynamics of field cricket calling behaviour: implications for female mate search and mate choice

Amount of calling activity (calling effort) is a strong determinant of male mating success in species such as orthopterans and anurans that use acoustic communication in the context of mating behaviour. While many studies in crickets have investigated the determinants of calling effort, patterns of variability in male calling effort in natural choruses remain largely unexplored. Within-individual variability in calling activity across multiple nights of calling can influence female mate search and mate choice strategies. Moreover, calling site fidelity across multiple nights of calling can also affect the female mate sampling strategy. We therefore investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of acoustic signaling behaviour in a wild population of the field cricket species Plebeiogryllus guttiventris. We first studied the consistency of calling activity by quantifying variation in male calling effort across multiple nights of calling using repeatability analysis. Callers were inconsistent in their calling effort across nights and did not optimize nightly calling effort to increase their total number of nights spent calling. We also estimated calling site fidelity of males across multiple nights by quantifying movement of callers. Callers frequently changed their calling sites across calling nights with substantial displacement but without any significant directionality. Finally, we investigated trade-offs between within-night calling effort and energetically expensive calling song features such as call intensity and chirp rate. Calling effort was not correlated with any of the calling song features, suggesting that energetically expensive song features do not constrain male calling effort. The two key features of signaling behaviour, calling effort and call intensity, which determine the duration and spatial coverage of the sexual signal, are therefore uncorrelated and function independently.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Anthropogenic noise disrupts mate searching in Gryllus bimaculatus

Many animals use acoustic communication as a means of sending important biological information, such as their location, to potential receivers. However, anthropogenic noise is known to affect the ability of some species to either produce or receive signals, which may influence their reproductive success. In this study, we investigate the effect of anthropogenic noise on the mate searching behaviors of the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. To accomplish this, phonotaxis trials were conducted with female field crickets under different acoustic conditions, and their ability to detect and move towards conspecific male calls was assessed. The presence of traffic noise reduced the likelihood that the female would approach the male calls and also reduced the time that the female spent attending to the calling stimulus before making her decision. However, the presence of white noise did not reduce the likelihood of approaching the calling speaker, indicating that the average amplitude of anthropogenic noise is, alone, not important in this conflict, but frequency and fluctuations in the stimulus or other characteristic might be. This study supports the hypothesis that anthropogenic noise does indeed influence the detectability of acoustic mate location signals, thus disrupting mate searching behavior.

opencc-zeroOct 2021View details →

Data from: Strategic pheromone signalling by mate searching females of the sexually cannibalistic spider Argiope bruennichi

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Reproduction often requires finding a mating partner. To this end, females of many arthropods advertise their presence to searching males via volatile chemical signals. Such pheromones are considered low-cost signals, although this notion is based on little evidence and has recently been challenged. Even when utilizing comparatively low-cost signals, females should signal as little as possible to minimize costs while still ensuring mate attraction. Here we test the strategic-signalling hypothesis using <i>Argiope bruennichi</i>. In this orb-weaving spider, egg maturation commences with adult moult and females that do not attract a male in time will lay a large batch of unfertilized eggs approximately three weeks after maturation. Using GC-MS analyses, we show that virgin females enhance their signalling effort, i.e. pheromone quantity per unit body weight, with increasing age and approaching oviposition. We further demonstrate that pheromone release is condition dependent, suggesting the occurrence of physiological costs. Mate choice assays revealed that pheromone quantity is the only predictor of female attractiveness for males. In support of the strategic- signalling hypothesis, pheromone signals by female <i>A. bruennichi</i> become stronger with increased need as well as body weight, and might thus also qualify as an honest signal of female quality.</p>