Interspecific Cross-Mating Between Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Laboratory Strains: Implication of Population Density on Mating Behaviors.

PubMed

Marcela, P; Hassan, A Abu; Hamdan, A; Dieng, H; Kumara, T K

2015-12-01

Mating behavior between Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, established colony strains were examined under laboratory conditions (30-cm(3) screened cages) for 5 consecutive days. The effect of selected male densities (30, 20, 10) and female density (20) on the number of swarming, mating pairs, eggs produced, and inseminated females were evaluated. Male densities significantly increased swarming behavior, mating pairs, and egg production of heterospecific females, but female insemination was reduced. Aedes aegypti males mate more readily with heterospecific females than do Ae. albopictus males. The current study suggests that Ae. aegypti males were not species-specific in mating, and if released into the field as practiced in genetically modified mosquito techniques, they may mate with both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus females, hence reducing populations of both species by producing infertile eggs.

Drinking High Amounts of Alcohol as a Short-Term Mating Strategy: The Impact of Short-Term Mating Motivations on Young Adults' Drinking Behavior.

PubMed

Vincke, Eveline

2017-01-01

Previous research indicates that drinking large quantities of alcohol could function as a short-term mating strategy for young adults in mating situations. However, no study investigated whether this is actually the case. Therefore, in this article, the link between short-term mating motivations and drinking high amounts of alcohol is tested. First, a survey study ( N = 345) confirmed that young adults who engage in binge drinking are more short-term oriented in their mating strategy than young adults who never engage in binge drinking. Also, the more short-term-oriented young adults were in their mating strategy, the more often binge drinking behavior was conducted. In addition, an experimental study ( N = 229) empirically verified that short-term mating motivations increase young adults' drinking behavior, more so than long-term mating motivations. Results of the experiment clearly showed that young men and young women are triggered to drink more alcoholic beverages in a short-term mating situation compared to a long-term mating situation. Furthermore, the mating situation also affected young adults' perception of drinking behavior. Young adults in a short-term mating context perceived a higher amount of alcoholic beverages as heavy drinking compared to peers in a long-term mating context. These findings confirm that a high alcohol consumption functions as a short-term mating strategy for both young men and young women. Insights gained from this article might be of interest to institutions aimed at targeting youth alcohol (ab)use.

Nutrition quality, body size and two components of mating behavior in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Pavković-Lucić, Sofija; Kekić, Vladimir

2010-01-01

Two components of mating behavior, mating latency and duration of copulation, were investigated in Drosophila melanogaster males from three different "nutritional" strains, reared for more than 35 generations on banana, tomato and cornmeal-agar-yeast substrates. Males from different strains did not differ according to mating latency and duration of copulation. Also, the sizes of males from different strains did not contribute to these behavioral traits.

Evidence for mate guarding behavior in the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly

Treesearch

Victoria J. Bennett; Winston P. Smith; Matthew G. Betts

2011-01-01

Discerning the intricacies of mating systems in butterflies can be difficult, particularly when multiple mating strategies are employed and are cryptic and not exclusive. We observed the behavior and habitat use of 113 male Taylor's checkerspot butterflies (Euphydryas editha taylori). We confirmed that two distinct mating strategies were...

Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression.

PubMed

Versteven, Marijke; Vanden Broeck, Lies; Geurten, Bart; Zwarts, Liesbeth; Decraecker, Lisse; Beelen, Melissa; Göpfert, Martin C; Heinrich, Ralf; Callaerts, Patrick

2017-02-21

Aggression is a universal social behavior important for the acquisition of food, mates, territory, and social status. Aggression in Drosophila is context-dependent and can thus be expected to involve inputs from multiple sensory modalities. Here, we use mechanical disruption and genetic approaches in Drosophila melanogaster to identify hearing as an important sensory modality in the context of intermale aggressive behavior. We demonstrate that neuronal silencing and targeted knockdown of hearing genes in the fly's auditory organ elicit abnormal aggression. Further, we show that exposure to courtship or aggression song has opposite effects on aggression. Our data define the importance of hearing in the control of Drosophila intermale aggression and open perspectives to decipher how hearing and other sensory modalities are integrated at the neural circuit level.

Hearing regulates Drosophila aggression

PubMed Central

Versteven, Marijke; Vanden Broeck, Lies; Geurten, Bart; Zwarts, Liesbeth; Decraecker, Lisse; Beelen, Melissa; Göpfert, Martin C.; Heinrich, Ralf; Callaerts, Patrick

2017-01-01

Aggression is a universal social behavior important for the acquisition of food, mates, territory, and social status. Aggression in Drosophila is context-dependent and can thus be expected to involve inputs from multiple sensory modalities. Here, we use mechanical disruption and genetic approaches in Drosophila melanogaster to identify hearing as an important sensory modality in the context of intermale aggressive behavior. We demonstrate that neuronal silencing and targeted knockdown of hearing genes in the fly’s auditory organ elicit abnormal aggression. Further, we show that exposure to courtship or aggression song has opposite effects on aggression. Our data define the importance of hearing in the control of Drosophila intermale aggression and open perspectives to decipher how hearing and other sensory modalities are integrated at the neural circuit level. PMID:28115690

Paced mating behavior is affected by clitoral-vaginocervical lidocaine application in combination with sexual experience.

PubMed

Meerts, Sarah H; Strnad, Helen K; Schairer, Rosemary S

2015-03-01

The present study tested the effects of lidocaine anesthetic ointment applied to the vaginocervical (Experiment 1) or clitoral-vaginocervical (Experiment 2) areas on the display of paced mating behavior over the course of five weekly tests in ovariectomized, hormone-primed, Long-Evans rats. Experiment 3 tested whether rats that acquired sexual experience without ointment application would exhibit altered paced mating behavior on a fifth test under clitoral-vaginocervical lidocaine or vehicle application. Although rats in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 exhibited shorter contact-return latencies after intromission and reduced likelihood of leaving the male compartment following mounts and intromissions after gaining sexual experience, only rats that received clitoral-vaginocervical lidocaine exhibited altered paced mating behavior relative to vehicle. Specifically, clitoral-vaginocervical lidocaine resulted in shorter contact-return latency to ejaculation and greater percentage of time with the male. Paced mating behavior of sexually experienced rats in Experiment 3 was not disrupted when tested after clitoral-vaginocervical lidocaine treatment. Together, these studies suggest that the sensory input during repeated mating encounters affects the pattern of paced mating behavior that develops with sexual experience. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mating and Parental Care in Lake Tanganyika's Cichlids

PubMed Central

Sefc, Kristina M.

2011-01-01

Cichlid fishes of Lake Tanganyika display a variety of mating and parental care behaviors, including polygamous and monogamous mouthbrooding and substrate breeding, cooperative breeding, as well as various alternative reproductive tactics such as sneaking and piracy. Moreover, reproductive behaviors sometimes vary within species both in space and in time. Here, I survey reports on mating and parenting behaviors of Lake Tanganyika cichlid species and address the evolution of mating and parental care patterns and sexual dimorphism. Notes on measures of sexual selection intensity and the difficulties of defining mating systems and estimating selection intensities at species level conclude the essay. PMID:21822482

An Essential Role of the Arginine Vasotocin System in Mate-Guarding Behaviors in Triadic Relationships of Medaka Fish (Oryzias latipes)

PubMed Central

Yokoi, Saori; Okuyama, Teruhiro; Kamei, Yasuhiro; Naruse, Kiyoshi; Taniguchi, Yoshihito; Ansai, Satoshi; Kinoshita, Masato; Young, Larry J.; Takemori, Nobuaki; Kubo, Takeo; Takeuchi, Hideaki

2015-01-01

To increase individual male fitness, males of various species remain near a (potential) mating partner and repel their rivals (mate-guarding). Mate-guarding is assumed to be mediated by two different types of motivation: sexual motivation toward the opposite sex and competitive motivation toward the same sex. The genetic/molecular mechanisms underlying how mate presence affects male competitive motivation in a triadic relationship has remained largely unknown. Here we showed that male medaka fish prominently exhibit mate-guarding behavior. The presence of a female robustly triggers male-male competition for the female in a triadic relationship (2 males and 1 female). The male-male competition resulted in one male occupying a dominant position near the female while interfering with the other male's approach of the female. Paternity testing revealed that the dominant male had a significantly higher mating success rate than the other male in a triadic relationship. We next generated medaka mutants of arginine-vasotocin (avt) and its receptors (V1a1, V1a2) and revealed that two genes, avt and V1a2, are required for normal mate-guarding behavior. In addition, behavioral analysis of courtship behaviors in a dyadic relationship and aggressive behaviors within a male group revealed that avt mutant males displayed decreased sexual motivation but showed normal aggression. In contrast, heterozygote V1a2 mutant males displayed decreased aggression, but normal mate-guarding and courtship behavior. Thus, impaired mate-guarding in avt and V1a2 homozygote mutants may be due to the loss of sexual motivation toward the opposite sex, and not to the loss of competitive motivation toward rival males. The different behavioral phenotypes between avt, V1a2 heterozygote, and V1a2 homozygote mutants suggest that there are redundant systems to activate V1a2 and that endogenous ligands activating the receptor may differ according to the social context. PMID:25719383

Consideration of Cosmetic Surgery As Part of Women’s Benefit-Provisioning Mate Retention Strategy

PubMed Central

Atari, Mohammad; Barbaro, Nicole; Sela, Yael; Shackelford, Todd K.; Chegeni, Razieh

2017-01-01

Individuals perform mate retention behaviors to minimize the risk of partner infidelity and relationship dissolution. The current study investigates whether consideration of cosmetic surgery can be conceptualized as part of a broader strategy of mate retention for women, but not men. We hypothesized that women’s consideration of cosmetic surgery would be positively associated with performance frequencies of Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. We recruited 203 individuals (54% women) in committed heterosexual relationships from Tehran, Iran. Results indicate a positive association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Benefit-Provisioning mate retention behaviors for women, but not men. There was no association between consideration of cosmetic surgery and Cost-Inflicting mate retention behaviors. Women therefore may consider cosmetic surgery to improve their physical attractiveness as part of a Benefit-Provisioning strategy to retain a long-term mate. We discuss limitations of the study and highlight future directions for research from an evolutionary perspective. PMID:28855884

The effect of female wings on male courtship behavior in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itoh, Masanori; Murakami, Shio

2002-03-01

Sexual dimorphism exists in the shape and the structure of the forewings of the cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus). However, the functional significance of the wings in the G. bimaculatus female has been unclear. In common blue butterflies (Polyommatus icarus), wings in females have been suggested as being important for attracting males. To test whether female crickets need wings for conspecific males to recognize them and initiate mating behavior, we removed all wings from females and observed the behavior of males towards them. Most males (87.5%) showed mating behavior towards the wingless females: they produced courtship song and transferred spermatophores to the wingless females. Similarly, 88.5% of the males showed mating behavior towards intact females. When males were placed with both a wingless female and an intact female, no significant difference was detected in male mate choice. The findings demonstrate that the wing of the G. bimaculatus female is not necessary for female recognition by conspecific males and the initiation of male mating behavior, and that it is not important in male mate choice.

Reproductive behavior in the squid Sepioteuthis australis from South Australia: interactions on the spawning grounds.

PubMed

Jantzen, Troy M; Havenhand, Jon N

2003-06-01

Squid behavior is synonymous with distinctive body patterns, postures, and movements that constitute a complex visual communication system. These communications are particularly obvious during reproduction. They are important for sexual selection and have been identified as a potential means of species differentiation. Here we present a detailed account of copulation, mating, and egg deposition behaviors from in situ observations of the squid Sepioteuthis australis from South Australia. We identified four mating types from 85 separate mating attempts: "Male-upturned mating" (64% of mating attempts); "Sneaker mating" (33%); "Male-parallel" (2%); and "Head-to-head" (1%). Intervals between successive egg deposition behaviors were clearly bimodal, with modes at 2.5 s and 70.0 s. Ninety-three percent of egg capsules contained 3 or 4 eggs (mean = 3.54), and each egg cluster contained between 218 and 1922 egg capsules (mean = 893.9). The reproductive behavior of S. australis from South Australia was different from that described for other cephalopod species. More importantly, comparison between these results and those for other populations of S. australis suggests that behavior may differ from one population to another.

Does Predation Risk Affect Mating Behavior? An Experimental Test in Dumpling Squid (Euprymna tasmanica)

PubMed Central

Franklin, Amanda M.; Squires, Zoe E.; Stuart-Fox, Devi

2014-01-01

Introduction One of the most important trade-offs for many animals is that between survival and reproduction. This is particularly apparent when mating increases the risk of predation, either by increasing conspicuousness, reducing mobility or inhibiting an individual's ability to detect predators. Individuals may mitigate the risk of predation by altering their reproductive behavior (e.g. increasing anti-predator responses to reduce conspicuousness). The degree to which individuals modulate their reproductive behavior in relation to predation risk is difficult to predict because both the optimal investment in current and future reproduction (due to life-history strategies) and level of predation risk may differ between the sexes and among species. Here, we investigate the effect of increased predation risk on the reproductive behavior of dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica). Results Females, but not males, showed a substantial increase in the number of inks (an anti-predator behavior) before mating commenced in the presence of a predator (sand flathead Platycephalus bassensis). However, predation risk did not affect copulation duration, the likelihood of mating, female anti-predator behavior during or after mating or male anti-predator behavior at any time. Conclusions Inking is a common anti-predator defense in cephalopods, thought to act like a smokescreen, decoy or distraction. Female dumpling squid are probably using this form of defense in response to the increase in predation risk prior to mating. Conversely, males were undeterred by the increase in predation risk. A lack of change in these variables may occur if the benefit of completing mating outweighs the risk of predation. Prioritizing current reproduction, even under predation risk, can occur when the chance of future reproduction is low, there is substantial energetic investment into mating, or the potential fitness payoffs of mating are high. PMID:25551378

Variation in mating systems of salamanders: mate guarding or territoriality?

PubMed

Deitloff, Jennifer; Alcorn, Michael A; Graham, Sean P

2014-07-01

Two of the most common mating tactics in vertebrates are mate guarding and territoriality, yet much of the research on these strategies has focused on mating systems in birds, despite novel insights gained from studying less traditional systems. North American stream salamanders that comprise the Eurycea bislineata complex represent an excellent nontraditional system for comparing mating strategies because these species exhibit a continuum of male morphologies, diverse habitat associations, and various potential mating strategies. We studied two species within this complex that exhibit the extremes of this continuum, Eurycea aquatica (robust morph) and Eurycea cirrigera (slender morph). The larger head in males of E. aquatica is due to larger musculature around the jaw and may be associated with aggressive behavior. Therefore, we hypothesized that the robust morphology exhibited by males of E. aquatica provides benefits during either territorial defense or mate defense and that males of E. cirrigera would not exhibit aggression in either scenario. We found that neither species exhibited aggressive behavior to defend a territory. However, in the presence of a female, males of E. aquatica were significantly more aggressive toward intruding males than were males of E. cirrigera. Therefore, mate-guarding behavior occurs in E. aquatica, and the enlarged head of males likely aids in deterring rivals. This is the first demonstration of mate-guarding behavior in a plethodontid, the most speciose family of salamanders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Social behavior impairment in offspring exposed to maternal seizures in utero.

PubMed

Novaes, Gisane Faria; Amado, Debora; Scorza, Fulvio Alexandre; Cysneiros, Roberta Monterazzo

2012-06-01

Human and animal models have demonstrated that maternal seizures in utero could be deleterious to the development of the offspring. This study focused on the social behavior of offspring exposed to seizures in utero. A pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy was induced in female Wistar rats that were mated after the first spontaneous seizure. Early after birth, pups from an epileptic mother were reared by a control mother. To evaluate the influence of the adoption process, two other groups were added: rat pups from control mothers cross-fostered with other control mothers, and rat pups reared by their birth mother. Animals exposed to seizures in utero showed impaired social behavior with no signs of anxiety-like behavior. This study demonstrated that epileptic seizures during pregnancy could be harmful to brain development and may increase the risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. The mechanisms underlying the abnormalities of social behavior are not well understood, and further studies in this field are warranted.

PDF-1 neuropeptide signaling modulates a neural circuit for mate-searching behavior in C. elegans.

PubMed

Barrios, Arantza; Ghosh, Rajarshi; Fang, Chunhui; Emmons, Scott W; Barr, Maureen M

2012-12-01

Appetitive behaviors require complex decision making that involves the integration of environmental stimuli and physiological needs. C. elegans mate searching is a male-specific exploratory behavior regulated by two competing needs: food and reproductive appetite. We found that the pigment dispersing factor receptor (PDFR-1) modulates the circuit that encodes the male reproductive drive that promotes male exploration following mate deprivation. PDFR-1 and its ligand, PDF-1, stimulated mate searching in the male, but not in the hermaphrodite. pdf-1 was required in the gender-shared interneuron AIM, and the receptor acted in internal and external environment-sensing neurons of the shared nervous system (URY, PQR and PHA) to produce mate-searching behavior. Thus, the pdf-1 and pdfr-1 pathway functions in non-sex-specific neurons to produce a male-specific, goal-oriented exploratory behavior. Our results indicate that secretin neuropeptidergic signaling is involved in regulating motivational internal states.

Effects of Microgravity and Hypergravity on Invertebrate Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miquel, J.

1985-01-01

Data suggest that abnormal gravity loads do not increase the rate of mutations in lower animals. Insects such as Drosophila melanogaster and Tribolium confusum have been able to reproduce aboard unmanned and manned space satellites, though no precise quantitative data have been obtained on mating competence and various aspects of development. Research with Drosophila flown on Cosmos spacecraft suggests that flight behavior is seriously disturbed in insects exposed to microgravity, which is reflected in increased oxygen utilization and concomitant life shortening. The decrease in longevity was less striking when the flies were enclosed in space, which suggests that they could adapt to the altered gravitational environment when maturation of flight behavior took place in microgravity. The reviewed data suggest that further research on the development of invertebrates in space is in order for clarification of the metabolic and behavioral effects of microgravity and of the development and function of the orientation and gravity sensing mechanisms of lower animals.

The mating behavior of Iguana iguana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodda, G.H.

1992-01-01

Over a 19 month period I observed the social behaviors of individually recognized green iguanas, Iguana iguana, at three sites in the llanos of Venezuela. The behavior of iguanas outside the mating season differed from that seen during the mating season in three major ways: (1) during normal waking hours outside the breeding season, adult iguanas spent the majority of time immobile, apparently resting; (2) their interactions involved fewer high intensity displays; and (3) their day to day movements were often nomadic. During the mating season, one site was watched continuously during daylight hours (iguanas sleep throughout the night), allowing a complete count of all copulation attempts (N = 250) and territorial interactions. At all sites, dominant males controlled access to small mating territories. Within the territories there did not appear to be any resources needed by females or their offspring. Thus, females could choose mates directly on the basis of male phenotype. Females aggregated in the mating territories of the largest males and mated preferentially with them. Territorial males copulated only once per day, although on several occasions more than one resident female was receptive on the same day. A few small nonterritorial males exhibited pseudofemale behavior (i.e., they abstained from sexual competition), but most nonterritorial males stayed on the periphery of mating territories and attempted to force copulations on unguarded females (peripheral male behavior). Uncooperative females were mounted by as many as three males simultaneously. Females resisted 95% of the 200 observed mating attempts by peripheral males, but only 56% of the attempts by territorial males (N = 43). The selectivity of the females probably increased the genetic representation of the territorial males in the next generation. During the mating season females maintained a dominance hierarchy among themselves. Low ranked females tended to be excluded from preferred mating territories. In this system, both sexes may be subjected to sexual selection. I hypothesize that the ecological factors responsible for the unusual mating system are related to the lack of defendable resources, the iguana's folivory, and the high density of iguanas present in preferred mating areas.

Seasonal variation in internet keyword searches: a proxy assessment of sex mating behaviors.

PubMed

Markey, Patrick M; Markey, Charlotte N

2013-05-01

The current study investigated seasonal variation in internet searches regarding sex and mating behaviors. Harmonic analyses were used to examine the seasonal trends of Google keyword searches during the past 5 years for topics related to pornography, prostitution, and mate-seeking. Results indicated a consistent 6-month harmonic cycle with the peaks of keyword searches related to sex and mating behaviors occurring most frequently during winter and early summer. Such results compliment past research that has found similar seasonal trends of births, sexually transmitted infections, condom sales, and abortions.

Methyl farnesoate levels in male spider crabs exhibiting active reproductive behavior.

PubMed

Sagi, A; Ahl, J S; Danaee, H; Laufer, H

1994-09-01

The concentration of methyl farnesoate (MF) in the hemolymph and its synthesis by the mandibular organs (MOs) were investigated to determine whether this compound is related to the differences in the size of the reproductive system and the mating behavior among male morphotypes of the spider crab, Libinia emarginata. Large-claw abraded males displayed mating behavior under competitive conditions. They have the largest reproductive systems, their MOs synthesize large amounts of MF in vitro, and the concentration of MF in their hemolymph is high. Small-claw abraded males displayed mating behavior with receptive females only when isolated. These smaller crabs have intermediate-sized reproductive systems, their MOs synthesize the most MF, and they have the highest circulating level of MF relative to their body size. The unabraded males did not display mating behavior; their reproductive systems are smaller; their MO activity is low, as is their circulating level of MF. The strong relationship between MF levels and the intensity of reproductive behavior suggests that MF may be one of the driving forces behind mating behavior in Crustacea.

Fitness Benefits of Mate Choice for Compatibility in a Socially Monogamous Species

PubMed Central

Ihle, Malika; Kempenaers, Bart; Forstmeier, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

Research on mate choice has primarily focused on preferences for quality indicators, assuming that all individuals show consensus about who is the most attractive. However, in some species, mating preferences seem largely individual-specific, suggesting that they might target genetic or behavioral compatibility. Few studies have quantified the fitness consequences of allowing versus preventing such idiosyncratic mate choice. Here, we report on an experiment that controls for variation in overall partner quality and show that zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) pairs that resulted from free mate choice achieved a 37% higher reproductive success than pairs that were forced to mate. Cross-fostering of freshly laid eggs showed that embryo mortality (before hatching) primarily depended on the identity of the genetic parents, whereas offspring mortality during the rearing period depended on foster-parent identity. Therefore, preventing mate choice should lead to an increase in embryo mortality if mate choice targets genetic compatibility (for embryo viability), and to an increase in offspring mortality if mate choice targets behavioral compatibility (for better rearing). We found that pairs from both treatments showed equal rates of embryo mortality, but chosen pairs were better at raising offspring. These results thus support the behavioral, but not the genetic, compatibility hypothesis. Further exploratory analyses reveal several differences in behavior and fitness components between “free-choice” and “forced” pairs. PMID:26366558

Mate Value Discrepancy and Mate Retention Behaviors of Self and Partner.

PubMed

Sela, Yael; Mogilski, Justin K; Shackelford, Todd K; Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; Fink, Bernhard

2017-10-01

This study investigated the relationship between perceived mate value discrepancy (i.e., the difference between an individual's mate value and their partner's mate value) and perceived frequency of mate retention performed by an individual relative to his or her partner. In two studies, participants in long-term, exclusive, sexual, heterosexual relationships reported their own, and their partner's, mate value and mate retention. Samples included 899 community members (Study 1) and 941 students and community members (Study 2). In Study 1, we documented that individuals with higher self-perceived short-term mate value, and who perceive their partner to have lower (vs. higher) short-term mate value, perform less frequent Benefit-Provisioning mate retention, controlling for the partner's Benefit-Provisioning mate retention. In Study 2, we documented that individuals who perceive that they could less easily replace their partner, and who perceive their partner could more (vs. less) easily replace them, perform more frequent mate retention (Benefit-Provisioning and Cost-Inflicting), controlling for the partner's mate retention. These results highlight the importance of assessing perceived discrepancies in mate value (notably, regarding the replaceability of self and partner with another long-term mate) and perceived mate retention behaviors of self, relative to partner, between men and women in long-term relationships. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Role of DLPFC in the Learning Process of Human Mate Copying

PubMed Central

Zhuang, Jin-Ying; Xie, Jiajia; Hu, Die; Fan, Mingxia; Zheng, Li

2016-01-01

In the current study, we conducted a behavioral experiment to test the mate coping effect and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment to test the neural basis involved in the social learning process of mate copying. In the behavioral experiment, participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of isolated opposite-sex (potential mates) facial photographs, then shown the targets associating with a neutral-faced model with textual cues indicating the models’ attitude (interested vs. not-interested) toward the potential mates, and then asked to re-evaluate the potential mates’ attractiveness. Using a similar procedure as the behavioral experiment, participants were scanned while observing the compound images in the fMRI experiment. The mate copying effect was confirmed in the behavioral experiment –greater increase in attractiveness ratings was observed for opposite-sex photographs in the interested than in the not-interested condition. The fMRI results showed that the dorsolateral prefrontal gyrus (DLPFC) was significantly active in the comparison of interested > not-interested condition, suggesting that a cognitive integration and selection function may be involved when participants process information from conditions related to mate copying. PMID:27148151

Engaging in paced mating, but neither exploratory, anti-anxiety, nor social behavior, increases 5α-reduced progestin concentrations in midbrain, hippocampus, striatum, and cortex

PubMed Central

Frye, Cheryl A; Paris, Jason J; Rhodes, Madeline E

2010-01-01

Sequential actions of 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the hypothalamus and the P4 metabolite, 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP), in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) respectively mediate the initiation and intensity of lordosis of female rats and mayalso modulate anxiety and social behaviors, through actions in these, and/or other brain regions. Biosynthesis of E2, P4, and 3α,5α-THP can also occur in brain, independent of peripheral gland secretion, in response to environmental/behavioral stimuli. The extent to which engaging in tasks related to reproductive behaviors and/or mating increased E2 or progestin concentrations in brain was investigated. In Experiment 1, proestrous rats were randomly assigned to be tested in individual tasks, including the open field, elevated plus maze, partner preference, social interaction, or no test control, in conjunction with paced mating or no mating. Engaging in paced mating, but not other behaviors, significantly increased dihydroprogesterone (DHP) and 3α,5α-THP levels in midbrain, hippocampus, striatum, and cortex. In Experiment 2, proestrous rats were tested in the combinations of the above tasks (open field and elevated plus maze, partner preference, and social interaction) with or without paced mating. As in Experiment 1, only engaging in paced mating increased DHP and 3α,5α-THP concentrations in midbrain, hippocampus, striatum, and cortex. Thus, paced mating enhances concentrations of 5α-reduced progestins in brain areas associated with reproduction (midbrain), as well as exploration/anxiety (hippocampus and striatum) and social behavior (cortex). PMID:17379660

Male but not female olfaction is crucial for intermolt mating in European lobsters (Homarus gammarus L.).

PubMed

Skog, Malin

2009-02-01

Chemical signals are common in most crustacean social interactions and are often perceived via chemosensory (olfactory) organs on the first antenna. Intermolt courtship behaviors and mating were investigated in size-matched pairs of intermolt European lobsters (Homarus gammarus) where the olfactory receptors of either the male or the female were lesioned with distilled water (olfactory ablation) or seawater (control). Matings or advanced male courtship behaviors (mounting and turning) were common in seawater controls and olfactory-ablated females. In contrast, when male olfaction was ablated with distilled water, there was not a single mating, and the only male courtship behaviors seen were a few very brief and unsuccessful mounting attempts. Individual females mated up to 5 times with different males, showing that previously inseminated females were still attractive to males. Thus, male but not female olfaction is crucial for intermolt mating in H. gammarus, indicating the presence of a female sex pheromone during the entire female molt cycle, not only at the time of molting. Female sex discrimination may be based on other cues from the male in combination with typical male behaviors.

Post-mating interactions and their effects on fitness of female and male Echinothrips americanus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a new insect pest in China.

PubMed

Li, Xiao-Wei; Jiang, Hong-Xue; Zhang, Xiao-Chen; Shelton, Anthony M; Feng, Ji-Nian

2014-01-01

Post-mating, sexual interactions of opposite sexes differ considerably in different organisms. Post-mating interactions such as re-mating behavior and male harassment can affect the fitness of both sexes. Echinothrips americanus is a new insect pest in Mainland China, and little is known about its post-mating interactions. In this study, we observed re-mating frequency and male harassment frequency and their effects on fitness parameters and offspring sex ratios of E. americanus females. Furthermore, we tested the impact of mating and post-mating interactions on fitness parameters of males. Our results revealed that the re-mating frequency in female adults was extremely low during a 30-day period. However, post-mating interactions between females and males, consisting mainly of male harassment and female resistance, did occur and significantly reduced female longevity and fecundity. Interestingly, increased access to males did not affect the ratio of female offspring. For males, mating dramatically reduced their longevity. However, post-mating interactions with females had no effects on the longevity of mated males. These results enrich our basic knowledge about female and male mating and post-mating behaviors in this species and provide important information about factors that may influence population regulation of this important pest species.

Vomeronasal organ removal before sexual experience impairs male hamster mating behavior.

PubMed

Meredith, M

1986-01-01

Removal of vomeronasal chemoreceptors before sexual experience in male hamsters resulted in complete failure to mate in some animals but removal of these receptors after sexual experience had no effect. Animals were tested for mating behavior with intact behaviorally receptive females and also with anesthetized males scented with vaginal fluid. The two tests produced essentially the same result. Histological analysis of the lesions and radioimmunoassay of androgen levels showed no group differences, other than vomeronasal organ removal, that could account for the results. The behavioral data suggest that the vomeronasal system may be concerned with the production of preprogrammed behavior.

Methamphetamine enhances sexual behavior in female rats.

PubMed

Winland, Carissa; Haycox, Charles; Bolton, Jessica L; Jampana, Sumith; Oakley, Benjamin J; Ford, Brittany; Ornelas, Laura; Burbey, Alexandra; Marquette, Amber; Frohardt, Russell J; Guarraci, Fay A

2011-06-01

The present study evaluated the effects of methamphetamine (MA) on sexual behavior in female rats. In Experiment 1, ovariectomized, hormone-primed rats were injected with MA (1.0mg/kg, i.p.) or saline prior to a test for mate choice wherein females could mate with two males simultaneously. Female rats treated with saline returned to their preferred mate faster after receiving intromissions and visited their preferred mate at a higher rate than their non-preferred mate. In contrast, MA-treated female rats spent a similar amount of time with their preferred and non-preferred mate and failed to return to their preferred mate faster than to their non-preferred mate following intromissions. Two weeks later, the females received the same drug treatment but were tested for partner preference wherein females could spend time near a male or female stimulus rat. All subjects spent more time near the male stimulus than the female stimulus. However, the MA-treated rats visited the male stimulus more frequently and spent less time near the female stimulus than the saline-treated rats. Similar to Experiment 1, female rats in Experiment 2 were tested for mate choice and then two weeks later tested for partner preference; however, females received three daily injections of MA (1.0mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. Females treated chronically with MA returned to both males faster following intromissions than females treated with saline, independent of preference (i.e., preferred mate and non-preferred mate). Furthermore, MA-treated rats were more likely to leave either male (i.e., preferred or non-preferred mate) than saline-treated rats after receiving sexual stimulation. Although MA-treated subjects spent more time near the male stimulus than the female stimulus, they spent less time near either when compared to saline-treated subjects. The present results demonstrate that MA affects sexual behavior in female rats partly by increasing locomotion and partly by directly affecting sexual behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Navigating Monogamy: Nonapeptide Sensitivity in a Memory Neural Circuit May Shape Social Behavior and Mating Decisions.

PubMed

Ophir, Alexander G

2017-01-01

The role of memory in mating systems is often neglected despite the fact that most mating systems are defined in part by how animals use space. Monogamy, for example, is usually characterized by affiliative (e.g., pairbonding) and defensive (e.g., mate guarding) behaviors, but a high degree of spatial overlap in home range use is the easiest defining feature of monogamous animals in the wild. The nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin have been the focus of much attention for their importance in modulating social behavior, however this work has largely overshadowed their roles in learning and memory. To date, the understanding of memory systems and mechanisms governing social behavior have progressed relatively independently. Bridging these two areas will provide a deeper appreciation for understanding behavior, and in particular the mechanisms that mediate reproductive decision-making. Here, I argue that the ability to mate effectively as monogamous individuals is linked to the ability to track conspecifics in space. I discuss the connectivity across some well-known social and spatial memory nuclei, and propose that the nonapeptide receptors within these structures form a putative "socio-spatial memory neural circuit." This purported circuit may function to integrate social and spatial information to shape mating decisions in a context-dependent fashion. The lateral septum and/or the nucleus accumbens, and neuromodulation therein, may act as an intermediary to relate socio-spatial information with social behavior. Identifying mechanisms responsible for relating information about the social world with mechanisms mediating mating tactics is crucial to fully appreciate the suite of factors driving reproductive decisions and social decision-making.

Social inclusion facilitates risky mating behavior in men.

PubMed

Sacco, Donald F; Brown, Christina M; Young, Steven G; Bernstein, Michael J; Hugenberg, Kurt

2011-07-01

Although past research has reliably established unique effects of social exclusion on human cognition and behavior, the current research focuses on the unique effects of social inclusion. Recent evidence indicates that social inclusion leads to enhanced prioritization of reproductive interests. The current study extends these findings by showing that the pursuit of these inclusion-induced reproductive goals occurs in sex-specific ways. Across three experiments, social inclusion led men, but not women, to endorse riskier, more aggressive mating strategies compared to control and socially excluded participants. Specifically, included men were more likely to endorse sexual aggression (Experiment 1), high-risk mate poaching behaviors (Experiment 2), and high-risk mate retention tactics (Experiment 3). These results demonstrate that the experience of social inclusion can affect sex-differentiated preferences for risky mating strategies. © 2011 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc

Size and competitive mating success in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Smith, Carl; Pomiankowski, Andrew; Greig, Duncan

2014-03-01

In unicellular organisms like yeast, mating with the right partner is critical to future fitness because each individual can only mate once. Because cell size is important for viability, mating with a partner of the right size could be a significant advantage. To investigate this idea, we manipulated the size of unmated yeast cells and showed that their viability depended on environmental conditions; large cells do better on rich medium and small cells do better on poor medium. We also found that the fitness of offspring is determined by the size of their parents. Finally, we demonstrated that when a focal cell of one mating type was placed with a large and a small cell of the opposite mating type, it was more likely to mate with the cell that was closer to the optimum size for growth in a given environment. This pattern was not generated by differences in passive mating efficiency of large and small cells across environments but by competitive mating behavior, mate preference, or both. We conclude that the most likely mechanism underlying this interesting behavior is that yeast cells compete for mates by producing pheromone signals advertising their viability, and cells with the opportunity to choose prefer to mate with stronger signalers because such matings produce more viable offspring.

Size-assortative mating and sexual size dimorphism are predictable from simple mechanics of mate-grasping behavior

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A major challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand the typically complex interactions between diverse counter-balancing factors of Darwinian selection for size assortative mating and sexual size dimorphism. It appears that rarely a simple mechanism could provide a major explanation of these phenomena. Mechanics of behaviors can predict animal morphology, such like adaptations to locomotion in animals from various of taxa, but its potential to predict size-assortative mating and its evolutionary consequences has been less explored. Mate-grasping by males, using specialized adaptive morphologies of their forelegs, midlegs or even antennae wrapped around female body at specific locations, is a general mating strategy of many animals, but the contribution of the mechanics of this wide-spread behavior to the evolution of mating behavior and sexual size dimorphism has been largely ignored. Results Here, we explore the consequences of a simple, and previously ignored, fact that in a grasping posture the position of the male's grasping appendages relative to the female's body is often a function of body size difference between the sexes. Using an approach taken from robot mechanics we model coercive grasping of females by water strider Gerris gracilicornis males during mating initiation struggles. We determine that the male optimal size (relative to the female size), which gives the males the highest grasping force, properly predicts the experimentally measured highest mating success. Through field sampling and simulation modeling of a natural population we determine that the simple mechanical model, which ignores most of the other hypothetical counter-balancing selection pressures on body size, is sufficient to account for size-assortative mating pattern as well as species-specific sexual dimorphism in body size of G. gracilicornis. Conclusion The results indicate how a simple and previously overlooked physical mechanism common in many taxa is sufficient to account for, or importantly contribute to, size-assortative mating and its consequences for the evolution of sexual size dimorphism. PMID:21092131

Personality differentially affects individual mate choice decisions in female and male Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis).

PubMed

Chen, Bo-Jian; Liu, Kai; Zhou, Lin-Jun; Gomes-Silva, Guilherme; Sommer-Trembo, Carolin; Plath, Martin

2018-01-01

Consistent individual differences in behavioral tendencies (animal personality) can affect individual mate choice decisions. We asked whether personality traits affect male and female mate choice decisions similarly and whether potential personality effects are consistent across different mate choice situations. Using western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as our study organism, we characterized focal individuals (males and females) twice for boldness, activity, and sociability/shoaling and found high and significant behavioral repeatability. Additionally, each focal individual was tested in two different dichotomous mate choice tests in which it could choose between computer-animated stimulus fish of the opposite sex that differed in body size and activity levels, respectively. Personality had different effects on female and male mate choice: females that were larger than average showed stronger preferences for large-bodied males with increasing levels of boldness/activity (i.e., towards more proactive personality types). Males that were larger than average and had higher shoaling tendencies showed stronger preferences for actively swimming females. Size-dependent effects of personality on the strength of preferences for distinct phenotypes of potential mating partners may reflect effects of age/experience (especially in females) and social dominance (especially in males). Previous studies found evidence for assortative mate choice based on personality types or hypothesized the existence of behavioral syndromes of individuals' choosiness across mate choice criteria, possibly including other personality traits. Our present study exemplifies that far more complex patterns of personality-dependent mate choice can emerge in natural systems.

Mate Choice in Mus musculus Is Relative and Dependent on the Estrous State

PubMed Central

Zinck, Léa; Lima, Susana Q.

2013-01-01

Mate choice is a critical behavioral decision process with profound impact on evolution. However, the mechanistic basis of mate choice is poorly understood. In this study we focused on assortative mate choice, which is known to contribute to the reproductive isolation of the two European subspecies of house mouse, Mus musculus musculus and Mus musculus domesticus. To understand the decision process, we developed both full mating and limited-contact paradigms and tested musculus females' preference for musculus versus domesticus males, mimicking the natural musculus/domesticus contact zone. As hypothesized, when allowed to mate we found that sexually receptive musculus females exhibited a robust preference to mate with musculus males. In contrast, when non-receptive, females did not exhibit a preference and rather alternated between males in response to male mount attempts. Moreover in a no-choice condition, females mated readily with males from both subspecies. Finally, when no physical contact was allowed, and therefore male's behavior could not influence female's behavior, female's preference for its own subspecies was maintained independently of the estrous state. Together, our results suggest that the assortative preference is relative and based on a comparison of the options available rather than on an absolute preference. The results of the limited-contact experiments highlight the interplay between female's internal state and the nature of the interaction with prospective mates in the full mating conditions. With these experiments we believe we established an assortative mate preference assay that is appropriate for the investigation of its underlying substrates. PMID:23762466

Navigating Monogamy: Nonapeptide Sensitivity in a Memory Neural Circuit May Shape Social Behavior and Mating Decisions

PubMed Central

Ophir, Alexander G.

2017-01-01

The role of memory in mating systems is often neglected despite the fact that most mating systems are defined in part by how animals use space. Monogamy, for example, is usually characterized by affiliative (e.g., pairbonding) and defensive (e.g., mate guarding) behaviors, but a high degree of spatial overlap in home range use is the easiest defining feature of monogamous animals in the wild. The nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin have been the focus of much attention for their importance in modulating social behavior, however this work has largely overshadowed their roles in learning and memory. To date, the understanding of memory systems and mechanisms governing social behavior have progressed relatively independently. Bridging these two areas will provide a deeper appreciation for understanding behavior, and in particular the mechanisms that mediate reproductive decision-making. Here, I argue that the ability to mate effectively as monogamous individuals is linked to the ability to track conspecifics in space. I discuss the connectivity across some well-known social and spatial memory nuclei, and propose that the nonapeptide receptors within these structures form a putative “socio-spatial memory neural circuit.” This purported circuit may function to integrate social and spatial information to shape mating decisions in a context-dependent fashion. The lateral septum and/or the nucleus accumbens, and neuromodulation therein, may act as an intermediary to relate socio-spatial information with social behavior. Identifying mechanisms responsible for relating information about the social world with mechanisms mediating mating tactics is crucial to fully appreciate the suite of factors driving reproductive decisions and social decision-making. PMID:28744194

Sexual dimorphism in stature (SDS), jealousy and mate retention.

PubMed

Brewer, Gayle; Riley, Charlene

2010-10-02

Previous research has investigated the manner in which absolute height impacts on jealousy and mate retention. Although relative height is also important, little information exists about the potential influence of sexual dimorphism in stature (SDS) within established relationships. The current study investigated the relationship between SDS and the satisfaction, jealousy and mate retention behaviors reported by men and women. Heterosexual men (n = 98) and women (n = 102) completed a questionnaire. Men in high SDS relationships reported the lowest levels of cognitive and behavioral jealousy, although the impact of SDS on relationship satisfaction was less clear. SDS was not associated with the overall use of mate retention strategies; SDS did however affect the use of three specific strategies (vigilance, monopolization of time, love and care). SDS did not affect women's relationship satisfaction, jealousy (cognitive, behavioral, or emotional) or the use of mate retention strategies (with the exception of resource display).

The dance of male Anopheles gambiae in mating swarms

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mating behavior of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae is of great interest from a fundamental and applied perspective. One of the most important elements of mating in this species is the crepuscular mating aggregation (swarm) composed almost entirely of males, where most coupling and inseminat...

Dyeing Insects for Behavioral Assays: the Mating Behavior of Anesthetized Drosophila

PubMed Central

Verspoor, Rudi L.; Heys, Chloe; Price, Thomas A. R.

2015-01-01

Mating experiments using Drosophila have contributed greatly to the understanding of sexual selection and behavior. Experiments often require simple, easy and cheap methods to distinguish between individuals in a trial. A standard technique for this is CO2 anaesthesia and then labelling or wing clipping each fly. However, this is invasive and has been shown to affect behavior. Other techniques have used coloration to identify flies. This article presents a simple and non-invasive method for labelling Drosophila that allows them to be individually identified within experiments, using food coloring. This method is used in trials where two males compete to mate with a female. Dyeing allowed quick and easy identification. There was, however, some difference in the strength of the coloration across the three species tested. Data is presented showing the dye has a lower impact on mating behavior than CO2 in Drosophila melanogaster. The impact of CO2 anaesthesia is shown to depend on the species of Drosophila, with D. pseudoobscura and D. subobscura showing no impact, whereas D. melanogaster males had reduced mating success. The dye method presented is applicable to a wide range of experimental designs. PMID:25938821

Experimental tests of light-pollution impacts on nocturnal insect courtship and dispersal.

PubMed

Firebaugh, Ariel; Haynes, Kyle J

2016-12-01

Though a number of effects of artificial light pollution on behavior and physiology have been described, there is little understanding of their consequences for the growth and distribution of populations. Here, we document impacts of light pollution on aspects of firefly population ecology and underlying mating behaviors. Many firefly species have a unique communication system whereby bioluminescent flashes are used in courtship displays to find and attract mates. We performed a series of manipulative field experiments in which we quantified the effects of adding artificial nighttime lighting on abundances and total flashing activity of fireflies, courtship behaviors and mating between tethered females and free-flying males, and dispersal distances of marked individuals. We show that light pollution reduces flashing activities in a dark-active firefly species (Photuris versicolor) by 69.69 % and courtship behavior and mating success in a twilight-active species (Photinus pyralis). Though courtship behavior and mating success of Photinus pyralis was reduced by light pollution, we found no effects of light pollution on male dispersal in this species. Our findings suggest that light pollution is likely to adversely impact firefly populations, and contribute to wider discussions about the ecological consequences of sensory pollution.

Sexual conflict over mating in a spider: increased fecundity does not compensate for the costs of polyandry.

PubMed

Maklakov, Alexei A; Lubin, Yael

2004-05-01

Female multiple mating (polyandry) is a widespread but costly behavior that remains poorly understood. Polyandry may arise when whatever benefits females accrue from multiple mating outweigh the costs, or males manipulate females against the females' best interests. In a polyandrous spider Stegodyphus lineatus females may mate with up to five males, but behave aggressively toward additional males after the first mating. Female aggressiveness may act to select for better quality males. Alternatively, females may try to avoid superfluous matings. To test these alternatives, we allocated females into single-mating (SM) and double-mating treatments. Double-mated females either accepted (DM) or rejected (RE) the second male. DM females laid more eggs, but did not produce more offspring than SM and RE females. Offspring of DM females were smaller at dispersal than offspring of SM and RE females. Also, nest failure was significantly more common in DM females. Paternal variables did not influence female reproductive success, whereas maternal body condition explained much of the variation. We show that polyandry is costly for females despite the production of larger clutches and suggest that multiple mating results from male manipulation of female remating behavior.

Effect of repeated collection on semen characteristics of alpacas.

PubMed

Bravo, P W; Flores, D; Ordoñez, C

1997-09-01

Semen characteristics of alpacas were studied after repeated collections. Twelve adult males were divided into three groups of four each for semen collection once, twice, or three times every other day. The duration of copulation; volume of ejaculate; pH; motility; sperm concentration (number of sperm/milliliter semen); total number of sperm per ejaculate; and percentages of live, normal, and abnormal spermatozoa were analyzed by regression analysis. Semen color and consistency were analyzed by the chi-square test. Between the first, second, and third ejaculations, there were differences (p < 0.05) in sperm concentration; percentages of normal spermatozoa and abnormal spermatozoa; sperm with abnormal heads and abnormal tails; and consistency (viscous, viscous, and semi-viscous). There were no differences (p > 0.05) in ejaculated volume, percentage of live spermatozoa, pH, percentage of cytoplasmic droplets, and duration of copulation. Some males from which semen was collected on the three-mating schedule ejaculated only seminal plasma during the second and third copulation starting on Day 10 of the study. There were differences between males (p < 0.05) for most of the characteristics studied. In sum, frequency of mating affected some semen characteristics that may be important determinants of the fertility of male alpacas.

An assessment of dairy herd bulls in southern Australia: 1. Management practices and bull breeding soundness evaluations.

PubMed

Hancock, A S; Younis, P J; Beggs, D S; Mansell, P D; Stevenson, M A; Pyman, M F

2016-12-01

In the pasture-based, seasonally calving dairy herds of southern Australia, the mating period usually consists of an initial artificial insemination period followed by a period of natural service using herd bulls. Bull breeding soundness evaluations (BBSE) were performed on 256 bulls from 32 dairy herds in southwest Victoria, using guidelines produced by the Australian Cattle Veterinarians, before and immediately after a single natural mating period. At the same time, herd managers were questioned regarding the management of the bulls. The objectives of this study were to describe the management practices of dairy herd bulls; to describe the causes of increased risk of reduced fertility in dairy herd bulls, as measured by a standard BBSE; and to describe the reasons for bull removal by herd managers during mating. At the premating BBSE, 19.5% of bulls were classified as high risk of reduced fertility, mostly due to physical abnormalities and reduced semen quality. At the postmating BBSE, 36.5% of bulls were classified as high risk of reduced fertility, mostly due to physical abnormalities, primarily lameness. Of the bulls used, 15.9% were removed from normal mating use by the herd manager, predominantly due to lameness and injuries. A premating BBSE is recommended in dairy herd bulls to identify bulls at risk of reduced fertility. Lameness is the most common problem in dairy herd bulls during the natural mating period, and risk factors associated with lameness in these bulls should be identified to better manage herd bulls. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female Choice or Male Sex Drive? The Advantages of Male Body Size during Mating in Drosophila Melanogaster.

PubMed

Jagadeeshan, Santosh; Shah, Ushma; Chakrabarti, Debarti; Singh, Rama S

2015-01-01

The mating success of larger male Drosophila melanogaster in the laboratory and the wild has been traditionally been explained by female choice, even though the reasons are generally hard to reconcile. Female choice can explain this success by virtue of females taking less time to mate with preferred males, but so can the more aggressive or persistent courtships efforts of large males. Since mating is a negotiation between the two sexes, the behaviors of both are likely to interact and influence mating outcomes. Using a series of assays, we explored these negotiations by testing for the relative influence of male behaviors and its effect on influencing female courtship arousal threshold, which is the time taken for females to accept copulation. Our results show that large males indeed have higher copulation success compared to smaller males. Competition between two males or an increasing number of males had no influence on female sexual arousal threshold;-females therefore may have a relatively fixed 'arousal threshold' that must be reached before they are ready to mate, and larger males appear to be able to manipulate this threshold sooner. On the other hand, the females' physiological and behavioral state drastically influences mating; once females have crossed the courtship arousal threshold they take less time to mate and mate indiscriminately with large and small males. Mating quicker with larger males may be misconstrued to be due to female choice; our results suggest that the mating advantage of larger males may be more a result of heightened male activity and relatively less of female choice. Body size per se may not be a trait under selection by female choice, but size likely amplifies male activity and signal outputs in courtship, allowing them to influence female arousal threshold faster.

"Nice guys finish last": influence of mate choice on reproductive success in Long-Evans rats.

PubMed

Winland, C; Bolton, J L; Ford, B; Jampana, S; Tinker, J; Frohardt, R J; Guarraci, F A; Zewail-Foote, M

2012-02-01

The present study was designed to determine if male physiology and male reproductive behavior predict reproductive success in Long-Evans rats. Mating behavior was observed in sexually naïve, naturally cycling female rats during behavioral estrous that were given the opportunity to mate with two males simultaneously. DNA analysis of offspring born following these mating encounters was used to identify the paternity of each pup. In order to assess the effect of mate choice during these mating encounters on reproductive success, one male rat in each pair was categorized as the preferred mate if the female spent more time (>50%) with him during the mating test of the present study. Furthermore, each male in the pairs was categorized as "attractive" or "non-attractive" by computing the number of females that preferred each male across many mating tests. Similar to results reported in Lovell et al. (2007), during 76% of these mating tests the same male rat in each pair was preferred by different female rats. Overall attractiveness of individual male rats predicted reproductive success in the present study. Interestingly, "attractive" males sired significantly FEWER pups than "non-attractive" males. Neither behavioral (e.g., latency to first sexual stimulation, number of sexual stimulations) nor physiological measures (e.g., body weight, urinary testosterone levels) of male rats predicted their reproductive success. In conclusion, the present results indicate that certain features of some males are more attractive to females, but attractive males are at a reproductive disadvantage (as measured by the number of pups sired). Although basal urinary testosterone levels did not differ between males that sired the majority of pups in a litter and males that sired few or none of the pups in a litter, aggression and/or other physiological measures of fertility (e.g., penile reflexes) may differ between males that are attractive to females and those that have a reproductive advantage. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavior and Body Patterns of the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus.

PubMed

Caldwell, Roy L; Ross, Richard; Rodaniche, Arcadio; Huffard, Christine L

2015-01-01

Over thirty years ago anecdotal accounts of the undescribed Larger Pacific Striped Octopus suggested behaviors previously unknown for octopuses. Beak-to-beak mating, dens shared by mating pairs, inking during mating and extended spawning were mentioned in publications, and enticed generations of cephalopod biologists. In 2012-2014 we were able to obtain several live specimens of this species, which remains without a formal description. All of the unique behaviors listed above were observed for animals in aquaria and are discussed here. We describe the behavior, body color patterns, and postures of 24 adults maintained in captivity. Chromatophore patterns of hatchlings are also shown.

Behavior and Body Patterns of the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus

PubMed Central

Caldwell, Roy L.; Ross, Richard; Rodaniche, Arcadio; Huffard, Christine L.

2015-01-01

Over thirty years ago anecdotal accounts of the undescribed Larger Pacific Striped Octopus suggested behaviors previously unknown for octopuses. Beak-to-beak mating, dens shared by mating pairs, inking during mating and extended spawning were mentioned in publications, and enticed generations of cephalopod biologists. In 2012–2014 we were able to obtain several live specimens of this species, which remains without a formal description. All of the unique behaviors listed above were observed for animals in aquaria and are discussed here. We describe the behavior, body color patterns, and postures of 24 adults maintained in captivity. Chromatophore patterns of hatchlings are also shown. PMID:26266543

Mating behavior of a flower-visiting longhorn beetle Zorion guttigerum (Westwood) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qiao; Chen, Li-Yuan

2005-05-01

Long-range sex pheromones have been demonstrated for several cerambycid beetle species. Our field study on the mating behavior of Zorion guttigerum, on the basis of its temporal and spatial distributions on mating and feeding sites (flowers), and longevity, however, suggests that such pheromones are not used by this species. Plant characteristics rather than long-range sex pheromones may play an important role in bringing both sexes together. Adult activities on flowers occur exclusively during the day with two peaks, one around midday and the other in the late afternoon. Overall operational sex ratio is male-biased (≈1 ♀:1.5 ♂) but it becomes very highly male-biased (≈1 ♀:9 ♂) when mating and feeding activities decrease to the minimum in mid-afternoon, suggesting that females leave flowers to oviposit during that period of time. For cerambycid species whose females oviposit alone, and in which mating and oviposition occur on different plants or different plant parts, the operational sex ratio appears to vary significantly over time on the mating sites. The number and duration of pair-bondings also vary over time for Z. guttigerum. Fewer and shorter pair-bondings in the morning may suggest a strong sexual selection process. After ≈2 h of selection, both sexes tend to engage in longer pair-bondings and mate more times before females leave the mating sites in mid-afternoon. Details of the mating behavior are described here.

Mating behavior of a flower-visiting longhorn beetle Zorion guttigerum (Westwood) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae).

PubMed

Wang, Qiao; Chen, Li-Yuan

2005-05-01

Long-range sex pheromones have been demonstrated for several cerambycid beetle species. Our field study on the mating behavior of Zorion guttigerum, on the basis of its temporal and spatial distributions on mating and feeding sites (flowers), and longevity, however, suggests that such pheromones are not used by this species. Plant characteristics rather than long-range sex pheromones may play an important role in bringing both sexes together. Adult activities on flowers occur exclusively during the day with two peaks, one around midday and the other in the late afternoon. Overall operational sex ratio is male-biased ( approximately 1 female symbol:1.5 male symbol) but it becomes very highly male-biased ( approximately 1 female symbol:9 male symbol) when mating and feeding activities decrease to the minimum in mid-afternoon, suggesting that females leave flowers to oviposit during that period of time. For cerambycid species whose females oviposit alone, and in which mating and oviposition occur on different plants or different plant parts, the operational sex ratio appears to vary significantly over time on the mating sites. The number and duration of pair-bondings also vary over time for Z. guttigerum. Fewer and shorter pair-bondings in the morning may suggest a strong sexual selection process. After approximately 2 h of selection, both sexes tend to engage in longer pair-bondings and mate more times before females leave the mating sites in mid-afternoon. Details of the mating behavior are described here.

Cuticular lipids and odors induce sex-specific behaviors in the male cricket Gryllus bimaculatus.

PubMed

Iwasaki, Masazumi; Katagiri, Chihiro

2008-03-01

Male crickets display sex-specific (e.g., mating and agonistic) behaviors towards conspecific individuals. One of the key signals for these behaviors is the chemical substance on the cricket body surface. In the present study, we analyzed female and male cuticular substances in behavioral assays. Antennal contact stimulation using female forewings elicited a mating behavior in males, while that using male forewings elicited an agonistic behavior in males. Thin-layer-chromatographic and other techniques analysis showed that saturated cuticular lipids were present in both female and male cuticles and that unsaturated lipids were present only in the male cuticle. Filter papers soaked with saturated or unsaturated cuticular lipids were applied to antennae of male crickets. Males showed mating behavior in response to stimulation with saturated lipids from both females and males but showed avoidance behavior in response to stimulation with male unsaturated lipids. Because cuticular lipids did not induce agonistic behavior in males, we collected odors from male crickets and found that these odors induced agonistic behavior in males. Therefore, we concluded that the key signals for mating, avoidance and agonistic behaviors of male crickets are comprised of at least three different components, saturated and unsaturated cuticular lipids and male odors, respectively.

Hotshots, hotspots, and female preference in the organization of lek mating systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beehler, B.M.; Foster, M.S.

1988-01-01

We critically review the female-preference and hotspot models, the two most widely accepted recent explanations of lek organization. On the basis of what we believe are the inadequacies of these models-too great a reliance on the presumed acuity of female discrimination, the assumption that females have full freedom of choice within the lek, and insufficient recognition of the importance of male-male interactions-we develop an alternative set of hypotheses, which we call the hotshot model, to explain the development and maintenance of lek behavior. Our model attributes strong male mating skew to the interaction between (1) simplified and conservative mating rules of females and (2) social dominance among males. We demonstrate the importance of male-male dominance relationships in lek and non-lek court mating systems. We then argue that a strong mating skew among males forces novice males entering a population to adopt a long-term mating strategy that involves delayed breeding (floating) and subordinate lek behavior. The structure of leks is created by a complex of malemale interactions, with conflict between hotshots (who attempt to control lek mating) and subordinates, who may benefit from disrupting lek activities. Explanations for the number of males in an arena and inter-arena distances are based on modifications of the hotspot and female-preference models. We suggest specific field tests to help distinguish which hypothesis best models the behavioral interactions that produce lek mating.

Effects of a parasitic nematode on male mate choice in a livebearing fish with a coercive mating system (western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis).

PubMed

Deaton, Raelynn

2009-01-01

I examined the effects of the parasitic larval nematode, Eustrongylides ignotus, on male mate choice in the western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. I hypothesized that parasite presence influences male mate choice either directly (via reduction in male mating behavior due to presence of parasite in females) or indirectly (via reduction in male mating behavior due to reduced condition of infected females). Specifically, I tested the predictions that (1) males would mate preferentially with uninfected over infected females (scoring both mating attempts and association time with females); (2) parasitized females would be in poorer condition than non-parasitized females (measured as soluble fat stores); and (3) parasitized females would have reduced fecundity (measured as number of developing embryos). Males preferred to mate with non-parasitized over parasitized females, but showed no differences in association time between females. The nematode did not decrease female body condition, but did decrease female mass, and appeared to decrease female fecundity via reduction in broods (# embryos). Results support that parasites affect male mate choice in mosquitofish; however, the mechanisms used by males to differentiate between parasitized and non-parasitized females remain untested. This study provides the first empirical evidence of parasite affects on male mate choice in livebearing fishes, and suggest a potentially important role for parasite-mediated sexual selection in organisms that use coercive mating as the primary mechanism of obtaining mates.

Sending Nudes: Sex, Self-Rated Mate Value, and Trait Machiavellianism Predict Sending Unsolicited Explicit Images

PubMed Central

March, Evita; Wagstaff, Danielle L.

2017-01-01

Modern dating platforms have given rise to new dating and sexual behaviors. In the current study, we examine predictors of sending unsolicited explicit images, a particularly underexplored online sexual behavior. The aim of the current study was to explore the utility of dark personality traits (i.e., narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism) and self-rated mate value in predicting attitudes toward and behavior of sending unsolicited explicit images. Two hundred and forty participants (72% female; Mage = 25.96, SD = 9.79) completed an online questionnaire which included a measure of self-rated mate value, a measure of dark personality traits, and questions regarding sending unsolicited explicit images (operationalized as the explicit image scale). Men, compared to women, were found to have higher explicit image scale scores, and both self-rated mate value and trait Machiavellianism were positive predictors of explicit image scale scores. Interestingly, there were no significant interactions between sex and these variables. Further, Machiavellianism mediated all relationships between other dark traits and explicit image scale scores, indicating this behavior is best explained by the personality trait associated with behavioral strategies. In sum, these results provide support for the premise that sending unsolicited explicit images may be a tactic of a short-term mating strategy; however, future research should further explore this claim. PMID:29326632

Social interactions predict genetic diversification: an experimental manipulation in shorebirds.

PubMed

Cunningham, Charles; Parra, Jorge E; Coals, Lucy; Beltrán, Marcela; Zefania, Sama; Székely, Tamás

2018-01-01

Mating strategy and social behavior influence gene flow and hence affect levels of genetic differentiation and potentially speciation. Previous genetic analyses of closely related plovers Charadrius spp. found strikingly different population genetic structure in Madagascar: Kittlitz's plovers are spatially homogenous whereas white-fronted plovers have well segregated and geographically distinct populations. Here, we test the hypotheses that Kittlitz's plovers are spatially interconnected and have extensive social interactions that facilitate gene flow, whereas white-fronted plovers are spatially discrete and have limited social interactions. By experimentally removing mates from breeding pairs and observing the movements of mate-searching plovers in both species, we compare the spatial behavior of Kittlitz's and white-fronted plovers within a breeding season. The behavior of experimental birds was largely consistent with expectations: Kittlitz's plovers travelled further, sought new mates in larger areas, and interacted with more individuals than white-fronted plovers, however there was no difference in breeding dispersal. These results suggest that mating strategies, through spatial behavior and social interactions, are predictors of gene flow and thus genetic differentiation and speciation. Our study highlights the importance of using social behavior to understand gene flow. However, further work is needed to investigate the relative importance of social structure, as well as intra- and inter-season dispersal, in influencing the genetic structures of populations.

Mating behavior as a possible cause of bat fatalities at wind turbines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cryan, Paul M.

2008-01-01

Bats are killed by wind turbines in North America and Europe in large numbers, yet a satisfactory explanation for this phenomenon remains elusive. Most bat fatalities at turbines thus far occur during late summer and autumn and involve species that roost in trees. In this commentary I draw on existing literature to illustrate how previous behavioral observations of the affected species might help explain these fatalities. I hypothesize that tree bats collide with turbines while engaging in mating behaviors that center on the tallest trees in a landscape, and that such behaviors stem from 2 different mating systems (resource defense polygyny and lekking). Bats use vision to move across landscapes and might react to the visual stimulus of turbines as they do to tall trees. This scenario has serious conservation and management implications. If mating bats are drawn to turbines, wind energy facilities may act as population sinks and risk may be hard to assess before turbines are built. Researchers could observe bat behavior and experimentally manipulate trees, turbines, or other tall structures to test the hypothesis that tree bats mate at the tallest trees. If this hypothesis is supported, management actions aimed at decreasing the attractiveness of turbines to tree bats may help alleviate the problem.

Correlates of androgens in wild male Barbary macaques: Testing the challenge hypothesis.

PubMed

Rincon, Alan V; Maréchal, Laëtitia; Semple, Stuart; Majolo, Bonaventura; MacLarnon, Ann

2017-10-01

Investigating causes and consequences of variation in hormonal expression is a key focus in behavioral ecology. Many studies have explored patterns of secretion of the androgen testosterone in male vertebrates, using the challenge hypothesis (Wingfield, Hegner, Dufty, & Ball, 1990; The American Naturalist, 136(6), 829-846) as a theoretical framework. Rather than the classic association of testosterone with male sexual behavior, this hypothesis predicts that high levels of testosterone are associated with male-male reproductive competition but also inhibit paternal care. The hypothesis was originally developed for birds, and subsequently tested in other vertebrate taxa, including primates. Such studies have explored the link between testosterone and reproductive aggression as well as other measures of mating competition, or between testosterone and aspects of male behavior related to the presence of infants. Very few studies have simultaneously investigated the links between testosterone and male aggression, other aspects of mating competition and infant-related behavior. We tested predictions derived from the challenge hypothesis in wild male Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), a species with marked breeding seasonality and high levels of male-infant affiliation, providing a powerful test of this theoretical framework. Over 11 months, 251 hr of behavioral observations and 296 fecal samples were collected from seven adult males in the Middle Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Fecal androgen levels rose before the onset of the mating season, during a period of rank instability, and were positively related to group mating activity across the mating season. Androgen levels were unrelated to rates of male-male aggression in any period, but higher ranked males had higher levels in both the mating season and in the period of rank instability. Lower androgen levels were associated with increased rates of male-infant grooming during the mating and unstable periods. Our results generally support the challenge hypothesis and highlight the importance of considering individual species' behavioral ecology when testing this framework. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Divorce and infidelity are associated with skewed adult sex ratios in birds.

PubMed

Liker, András; Freckleton, Robert P; Székely, Tamás

2014-04-14

Adult sex ratio (ASR) is a fundamental concept in population demography, and recent theory suggests that ASR plays a central role in social behavior, mating systems, and parental care. Unbalanced ASRs are predicted to influence pair-bond and mating behavior, since the rarer sex in the population has more potential partners to mate with than the more common sex. Here we use phylogenetic comparative analyses to test whether ASR is related to three major aspects of mating behavior: divorce, social polygamy, and pair-bond infidelity. ASR is strongly correlated with long-term pair bonds, since the divorce rate is higher in species with a female-biased sex ratio, indicating that mate change by pair members and/or breaking of pair bonds by unmated individuals is more frequent when females outnumber males. Short-term pair bonds are also associated with unbalanced ASRs: males are more commonly polygamous when females outnumber males, and conversely, females are more polygamous when males outnumber females. Furthermore, infidelity increases with male-biased ASR in socially monogamous birds, suggesting that male coercion and/or female willingness to cheat the partner are facilitated by male-biased ASR. Our results provide the first comprehensive support for the proposition that ASR influences multiple aspects of pair-bond and mating behavior in wild populations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mate choice screening in captive solitary carnivores: The role of male behavior and cues on mate preference and paternity in females of a model species, American mink (Neovison vison).

PubMed

Noer, Christina Lehmkuhl; Balsby, Thorsten Johannes Skovbjerg; Anistoroaei, Razvan; Stelvig, Mikkel; Dabelsteen, Torben

2017-12-01

Mate choice studies suggest that choosy females benefit from increased fecundity, litter size, and offspring survival. Thus, providing females with the opportunity to choose among potential mates, deemed genetically suitable based on studbook data, might improve breeding management in production and zoo animals and thereby the sustainability of captive populations. Investigating mate preference via odor from potential mates before animal transfer is a proposed strategy for incorporating mate choice into breeding management. In this study, we test whether olfactory cues and signals from males can be used to assess and measure female mate preference in American mink. Eighteen females were subjected to a 4-day stimulus test in which females showed a preference for one of two males' urine and feces. Subsequently, each female was subjected to a 10-day mate preference test involving the same two males of the first test. Paternity tests revealed that 13 females had offspring, which could be assigned to only one male, suggesting that these females performed a mate choice. In nine of these females preference during the stimulus test was directed toward the male that fathered their offspring. Our results suggest that even though there was a preference difference in scent stimulus trials from potential mates this preference was not predictive of eventual mate preference or paternity. Other factors such as aspects of male behavior seem to play a role, when the mates are introduced. Our study supports that mate preference and mate choice are complex matters influenced by multiple cues and signals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Testosterone positively associated with both male mating effort and paternal behavior in savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

PubMed Central

Onyango, Patrick Ogola; Gesquiere, Laurence R.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

2012-01-01

Testosterone (T) is often positively associated with male sexual behavior and negatively associated with paternal care. These associations have primarily been demonstrated in species where investment in paternal care begins well after mating activity is complete, when offspring are hatched or born. Different patterns may emerge in studies of species where investment in mating and paternal care overlap temporally, for instance in non-seasonal breeders in which males mate with multiple females sequentially and may simultaneously have multiple offspring of different ages. In a 9-year data set on levels of T in male baboons, fecal concentrations of T (fT) were positively associated with both mate guarding (“consortship”) – a measure of current reproductive activity – and with the number of immature offspring a male had in his social group – a measure of past reproductive activity and an indicator of likely paternal behavior. To further examine the relationship between T and potential paternal behavior, we next drew on an intensive 8-month study of male behavior, and found that fathers were more likely to be in close proximity to their offspring than expected by chance. Because male baboons are known to provide paternal care, and because time in proximity to offspring would facilitate such care, this suggests that T concentrations in wild male baboons may be associated with both current reproductive activity and with current paternal behavior. These results are consistent with the predicted positive association between T a mating effort but not nd with a negative association between T a paternal care; in male baboons, high levels of nd T occur in males that are differentially associating with their offspring. PMID:23206991

Still and Moving Image Evidences for Mating of Echinococcus granulosus Reared in Culture Media.

PubMed

Mohammadzadeh, Tahereh; Sadjjadi, Seyed Mahmoud; Rahimi, Hamidreza

2014-03-01

Echinococcus granulosus cultivation is very important for improvement of different aspect of medical and veterinary researches. Despite many advances in this case, there is a missing link for in vitro life cycle of adult worms and it is fertilization. Regarding the researchers' observations, self-fertilization can be done in worms living in dog intestine, but despite all sorts of experimental techniques, this phenomenon has never been observed in reared worms in culture media. Furthermore, cross fertilization has not been observed in vitro and even in parasites with dog intestinal origin; although it theoretically is possible. During a follow-up of cultivated adult worms, evidences of behaviors similar to self-mating (Type 2) and cross-mating were observed in our lab which will be presented here. Protoscoleces were aseptically removed from sheep hydatid cysts, washed twice with PBS and then cultivated in S.10E.H culture medium. The stages of parasite growth were observed using an inverted microscope for two months and all stages and behaviors were microscopically photographed. Different movies have also been made from these behavioral features. After around 55 days post cultivation, some evidences of behaviors similar to self-mating (Type 2) and cross-mating were observed in some of the mature adult worms. However, fertile eggs in these parasites have never been observed. Regarding the above observations, these parasites show tendency to unsuccessful self-mating/fertilization (type 2) which failure could be due to anatomical position and physiological maturation. Also lack of suitable conditions for self-fertilization causes the worms try to do unsuccessful cross- mating/fertilization in culture media.

Disrupting mating behavior of Diaphorina citri (Liviidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Severe economic damage from citrus greening disease, caused by ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ bacteria, has stimulated development of methods to reduce mating and reproduction in populations of its insect vector, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Male D. citri find mating partners by walk...

The Role of Cuticular Pheromones in Courtship Conditioning of "Drosophila" Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siwicki, Kathleen K.; Riccio, Paul; Ladewski, Lisa; Marcillac, Fabrice; Dartevelle, Laurence; Cross, Stephanie A.; Ferveur, Jean-Francois

2005-01-01

Courtship conditioning is an associative learning paradigm in "Drosophila melanogaster," wherein male courtship behavior is modified by experience with unreceptive, previously mated females. While the training experience with mated females involves multiple sensory and behavioral interactions, the authors hypothesized that female cuticular…

Maladaptive Sexual Behavior Following Concurrent Methamphetamine and Sexual Experience in Male Rats is Associated with Altered Neural Activity in Frontal Cortex.

PubMed

Kuiper, Lindsey B; Frohmader, Karla S; Coolen, Lique M

2017-09-01

The use of psychostimulants is often associated with hypersexuality, and psychostimulant users have identified the effects of drug on sexual behavior as a reason for further use. It was previously demonstrated in male rats that methamphetamine (Meth), when administered concurrently with sexual behavior results in impairment of inhibition of sexual behavior in a conditioned sex aversion (CSA) paradigm where mating is paired with illness. This is indicative of maladaptive sex behavior following Meth and sex experience. The present study examined the neural pathways activated during inhibition of sexual behavior in male rats and the effects of concurrent Meth and sexual behavior on neural activity, using ERK phosphorylation (pERK). First, exposure to conditioned aversive stimuli in males trained to inhibit sexual behavior in the CSA paradigm increased pERK expression in medial prefrontal (mPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and areas in striatum and amygdala. Second, effects of concurrent Meth and sex experience were tested in males that were exposed to four daily sessions of concurrent Meth (1 mg/kg) or saline and mating and subsequently exposed to CSA one week after last treatment. Meth and mating-treated males showed significant impairment of inhibition of mating, higher pERK expression under baseline conditions, and disrupted pERK induction by exposure to the conditioned aversive stimuli in mPFC and OFC. These alterations of pERK occurred in CaMKII-expressing neurons, suggesting changes in efferent projections of these areas. Altogether, these data show that concurrent Meth and mating experience causes maladapative sexual behavior that is associated with alterations in neural activation in mPFC and OFC.

Multiple roles of a male-specific compound in the sexual behavior of the dried bean beetle, Acanthoscelides obtectus.

PubMed

Vuts, József; Powers, Stephen J; Caulfield, John C; Pickett, John A; Birkett, Michael A

2015-03-01

Males of Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) emit methyl (E,R)-2,4,5-tetradecatrienoate that attracts females for mating. This study identified further roles for this compound in the sexual behavior of A. obtectus. Earlier observations revealed that males touched females with their antennae while tandem-running with them and initiated mounting and copulation, whereas they showed no such behavior toward other males. A series of subsequent laboratory choice tests were set up to establish if certain cuticular compounds aid contact sex recognition in A. obtectus. Males chose virgin females over other males. The activity toward females could be eliminated by rinsing with hexane, but was regained by application of female extract onto previously rinsed females. Gas chromatographic (GC) comparison of hexane extracts revealed the presence of two male-specific compounds, methyl (E,R)-2,4,5-tetradecatrienoate and octadecanal, which were absent from the behaviorally active female samples. Of the two compounds, methyl (E,R)-2,4,5-tetradecatrienoate was found to be responsible for the inhibition of male sexual behavior, similar to that observed with crude male extracts applied to virgin females. Furthermore, males preferred virgin over mated females. GC analyses revealed the presence of methyl (E,R)-2,4,5-tetradecatrienoate in mated females in amounts sufficient to curtail mating attempts. It appears that methyl (E,R)-2,4,5-tetradecatrienoate, besides being a male-produced sex pheromone, acts as a male-recognition signal in A. obtectus. Males also transfer it onto females during mating, resulting in mated females being avoided by courting males.

The physiology of cooperative breeding in a rare social canid; sex, suppression and pseudopregnancy in female Ethiopian wolves.

PubMed

van Kesteren, Freya; Paris, Monique; Macdonald, David W; Millar, Robert; Argaw, Kifle; Johnson, Paul J; Farstad, Wenche; Sillero-Zubiri, Claudio

2013-10-02

Ethiopian wolves, Canis simensis, differ from other cooperatively breeding canids in that they combine intense sociality with solitary foraging, making them a suitable species in which to study the physiology of cooperative breeding. The reproductive physiology of twenty wild female Ethiopian wolves (eleven dominant and nine subordinate) in Ethiopia's Bale Mountains National Park was studied non-invasively through the extraction and assaying of estradiol, progesterone and glucocorticoids in collected fecal samples using enzyme and radioimmunoassays. All dominant females showed increased estradiol concentrations and/or mating behavior during the annual mating season. In contrast, none of the subordinate females showed increased estradiol concentrations or mating behavior during the mating season. However, two subordinate females came into estrus outside of the mating season. Both dominant and subordinate females had higher average progesterone concentrations during the dominant female's pregnancy than at other times of the year, and two subordinate females allosuckled the dominant female's pups. No statistically significant differences in glucocorticoid concentrations were found between dominant and subordinate females. These results suggest that subordinate females are reproductively suppressed during the annual mating season, but may ovulate outside of the mating season and become pseudopregnant. No evidence was found to suggest that reproductive suppression in subordinate females was regulated through aggressive behaviors, and no relationship was found between fecal glucocorticoids and dominance status. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic versus census estimators of the opportunity for sexual selection in the wild.

PubMed

Dunn, Stacey J; Waits, Lisette P; Byers, John A

2012-04-01

Abstract The existence of a direct link between intensity of sexual selection and mating-system type is widely accepted. However, the quantification of sexual selection has proven problematic. Several measures of sexual selection have been proposed, including the operational sex ratio (OSR), the breeding sex ratio (BSR), and the opportunity for sexual selection (I(mates)). For a wild population of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), we calculated OSR and BSR. We estimated I(mates) from census data on the spatial and temporal distribution of receptive females in rut and from a multigenerational genetic pedigree. OSR and BSR indicated weak sexual selection on males, but census and pedigree I(mates) suggested stronger sexual selection on males than on females. OSR and BSR correlated with census but not pedigree estimates of I(mates), and census I(mates) did not correlate with pedigree estimates. This suggests that the behavioral mating system, as deduced from the spatial and temporal distribution of females, does not predict the genetic mating system of pronghorn. The differences we observed between estimators were primarily due to female mate sampling and choice and to the sex ratio. For most species, behavioral data are not perfectly accurate and therefore will be an insufficient alternative to using multigenerational pedigrees to quantify sexual selection.

SEXUAL SELECTION THROUGH FEMALE CHOICE IN LAWES' PAROTIA, A LEK-MATING BIRD OF PARADISE.

PubMed

Pruett-Jones, S G; Pruett-Jones, M A

1990-05-01

We studied sexual selection in Lawes' Parotia, a lek-mating bird of paradise, during 1981-1983 in Papua New Guinea. There was a high variance in mating success among males, with fewer than half of the individuals mating in any one year. This variance was independent of male-male interactions and disruptions. A role of female choice in sexual selection was suggested by the patterns of female visitation to courts and statistical correlations across males between phenotypic traits and mating success. Females repeatedly visited most males in their home ranges and began visiting males up to six weeks before mating. In one or more years, six aspects of male behavior and one morphological variable were positively correlated with mating success, but the probability values were not significant using a simultaneous inference test. Calculation of combined probability values across all three years revealed that one aspect of male display behavior, the probability of display, positively and significantly influenced mating status. The probability of display was also significantly correlated with relative mating success among males. Females showed strong fidelity to mates, both within and between seasons. Display sites of male Lawes' Parotia are variably dispersed, but mating success did not differ for grouped and solitary males. These data confirm an important role of female choice in sexual selection in birds of paradise but also suggest that female choice may be unrelated to the process of lek-initiation in this species. © 1990 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Fighting experience affects fruit fly behavior in a mating context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teseo, Serafino; Veerus, Liisa; Mery, Frédéric

2016-06-01

In animals, correlations exist among behaviors within individuals, but it is unclear whether experience in a specific functional context can affect behavior across different contexts. Here, we use Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the effects of conflict-induced behavioral modifications on male mating behavior. In D. melanogaster, males fight for territories and experience a strong winner-loser effect, meaning that winners become more likely to win subsequent fights compared to losers, who continue to lose. In our protocol, males were tested for courtship intensity before and after fighting against other males. We show that male motivation to copulate before fights cannot predict the fight outcomes, but that, afterwards, losers mate less than before and less than winner and control males. Contrarily, winners show no differences between pre- and post-fight courtship intensity, and do not differ from control males. This suggests that the physiological modifications resulting from fight outcomes indirectly affect male reproductive behavior.

The display of sexual behaviors by female rats administered ICI 182,780.

PubMed

Clark, Ann S; Guarraci, Fay A; Megroz, Alison B; Porter, Donna M; Henderson, Leslie P

2003-04-01

ICI 182,780 (ICI) is a pure antiestrogen that when administered systemically does not cross the blood-brain barrier, thus its actions are limited to the periphery. Four experiments were conducted to test the effects of ICI on the display of sexual behaviors in ovariectomized rats. Experiment 1 examined the effects of three doses of ICI (250, 500, and 750 micro g/rat) on sexual receptivity and paced mating behavior in rats primed with estradiol benzoate (EB) in combination with progesterone (P). Experiments 2 and 3 compared the display of sexual behaviors in rats primed with EB+P or EB alone and administered either 250 micro g ICI (Experiment 2) or 500 micro g ICI (Experiment 3). Experiment 4 tested the effects of ICI (250 and 500 micro g) on the expression of estrogen-induced progestin receptors in the uterus. ICI did not affect the display of sexual receptivity in any experiment. In rats primed with EB+P, paced mating behavior was altered by the 500 and 750 micro g, but not the 250 micro g, doses of ICI. The lowest (250 micro g) dose of ICI did alter paced mating behavior in rats primed with EB alone. The effects of ICI on paced mating behavior were manifested by a substantial lengthening of contact-return latencies following intromissions and ejaculations. The percentage of exits were not affected by ICI. Estrogen stimulation of uterine weight and induction of uterine progestin receptors was suppressed by ICI (250 and 500 micro g). ICI effects on paced mating behavior in hormone-primed female rats are likely to reflect antiestrogenic actions in the periphery, including interference with the estrogen induction of progestin receptors.

Environmental factors, epigenetics, and developmental origin of reproductive disorders.

PubMed

Ho, Shuk-Mei; Cheong, Ana; Adgent, Margaret A; Veevers, Jennifer; Suen, Alisa A; Tam, Neville N C; Leung, Yuet-Kin; Jefferson, Wendy N; Williams, Carmen J

2017-03-01

Sex-specific differentiation, development, and function of the reproductive system are largely dependent on steroid hormones. For this reason, developmental exposure to estrogenic and anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is associated with reproductive dysfunction in adulthood. Human data in support of "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease" (DOHaD) comes from multigenerational studies on offspring of diethylstilbestrol-exposed mothers/grandmothers. Animal data indicate that ovarian reserve, female cycling, adult uterine abnormalities, sperm quality, prostate disease, and mating behavior are susceptible to DOHaD effects induced by EDCs such as bisphenol A, genistein, diethylstilbestrol, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, phthalates, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Mechanisms underlying these EDC effects include direct mimicry of sex steroids or morphogens and interference with epigenomic sculpting during cell and tissue differentiation. Exposure to EDCs is associated with abnormal DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications, as well as altered expression of genes important for development and function of reproductive tissues. Here we review the literature exploring the connections between developmental exposure to EDCs and adult reproductive dysfunction, and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental Factors, Epigenetics, and Developmental Origin of Reproductive Disorders

PubMed Central

Ho, Shuk-Mei; Cheong, Ana; Adgent, Margaret A.; Veevers, Jennifer; Suen, Alisa A.; Tam, Neville N.C.; Leung, Yuet-Kin; Jefferson, Wendy N.; Williams, Carmen J.

2016-01-01

Sex-specific differentiation, development, and function of the reproductive system are largely dependent on steroid hormones. For this reason, developmental exposure to estrogenic and anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is associated with reproductive dysfunction in adulthood. Human data in support of “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) comes from multigenerational studies on offspring of diethylstilbestrol-exposed mothers/grandmothers. Animal data indicate that ovarian reserve, female cycling, adult uterine abnormalities, sperm quality, prostate disease, and mating behavior are susceptible to DOHaD effects induced by EDCs such as bisphenol A, genistein, diethylstilbestrol, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, phthalates, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Mechanisms underlying these EDC effects include direct mimicry of sex steroids or morphogens and interference with epigenomic sculpting during cell and tissue differentiation. Exposure to EDCs is associated with abnormal DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications, as well as altered expression of genes important for development and function of reproductive tissues. Here we review the literature exploring the connections between developmental exposure to EDCs and adult reproductive dysfunction, and the mechanisms underlying these effects. PMID:27421580

Low Mate Encounter Rate Increases Male Risk Taking in a Sexually Cannibalistic Praying Mantis

PubMed Central

Brown, William D.; Muntz, Gregory A.; Ladowski, Alexander J.

2012-01-01

Male praying mantises are forced into the ultimate trade-off of mating versus complete loss of future reproduction if they fall prey to a female. The balance of this trade-off will depend both on (1) the level of predatory risk imposed by females and (2) the frequency of mating opportunities for males. We report the results of a set of experiments that examine the effects of these two variables on male risk-taking behavior and the frequency of sexual cannibalism in the praying mantis Tenodera sinensis. We experimentally altered the rate at which males encountered females and measured male approach and courtship behavior under conditions of high and low risk of being attacked by females. We show that male risk taking depends on prior access to females. Males with restricted access to females showed greater risk-taking behavior. When males were given daily female encounters, they responded to greater female-imposed risk by slowing their rate of approach and remained a greater distance from a potential mate. In contrast, males without recent access to mates were greater risk-takers; they approached females more rapidly and to closer proximity, regardless of risk. In a second experiment, we altered male encounter rate with females and measured rates of sexual cannibalism when paired with hungry or well-fed females. Greater risk-taking behavior by males with low mate encounter rates resulted in high rates of sexual cannibalism when these males were paired with hungry females. PMID:22558146

Neuronal regulation of ascaroside response during mate response behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Small-molecule signaling plays an important role in the biology of Caenorhabditis elegans. We have previously shown that ascarosides, glycosides of the dideoxysugar ascarylose regulate both development and behavior in C. elegans The mating signal consists of a synergistic blend of three dauer-induc...

Effects of atmospheric pressure trends on calling, mate-seeking, and phototaxis of Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Insects and other animals sometimes modify behavior in response to changes in atmospheric pressure, an environmental cue that can provide warning of potentially injurious windy and rainy weather. To determine if Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) calling, mate-seeking, and phototaxis behaviors w...

The role of olfactory cues in short-range mate finding by the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

Treesearch

Deepa S. Pureswaran; Therese M. Poland

2009-01-01

We investigated the relative importance of olfaction versus vision in the mate-finding behavior of Agrilus planipennis. When coupled in male-female, male-male and female-female pairs, attempts to mate occurred only in the male-female pairs, suggesting that beetles can identify the opposite sex before attempting to mate. In a set of sensory...

Observation and Quantification of Mating Behavior in the Pinewood Nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

PubMed

Zhu, Najie; Bai, Liqun; Schütz, Stefan; Liu, Baojun; Liu, Zhenyu; Zhang, Xingyao; Yu, Hongshi; Hu, Jiafu

2016-12-25

A method for observing and quantifying the mating behavior of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, was established under a stereomicroscope. To improve the mating efficiency of B. Xylophilus and to increase the chances of mating observation, virgin adults were cultured and used for the investigation. Eggs were obtained by keeping the nematodes in water and allowing the females to lay eggs for 10 min. The second-stage juveniles (J2) were synchronized by incubating the eggs for 24 h at 25 °C in the dark, and the early J4 were obtained by culturing the J2 with grey mold, Botrytis cinerea, for another 52 h. At this time point, most J4 nematodes could be clearly distinguished as being male or female using their genital morphology. The male and female J4 were collected and cultured separately in two different Petri dishes for 24 h to get virgin adult nematodes. A virgin male and a virgin female were paired in a drop of water in the well of a concave slide. The mating behavior was filmed with a video recorder under a stereomicroscope. The whole period of the mating process was 82.8 ±3.91 min (mean ±SE) and could be divided into 4 different phases: searching, contacting, copulating, and lingering. The mean minutes of duration were 21.8 ± 2.0, 28.0 ± 1.9, 25.8 ± 0.7 and 7.2 ± 0.5, respectively. Eleven sub-behaviors were described: cruising, approaching, encountering, touching, hooping, locating, attaching, ejaculating, separating, quiescence, and roaming. Interestingly, obvious intra-sexual competition was observed when one female was grouped with 3 males or one male with 3 females. This protocol is useful and valuable, not only in investigating the mating behavior of B. xylophilus, but also in acting as a reference for ethological studies of other nematodes.

The C. elegans male exercises directional control during mating through cholinergic regulation of sex-shared command interneurons.

PubMed

Sherlekar, Amrita L; Janssen, Abbey; Siehr, Meagan S; Koo, Pamela K; Caflisch, Laura; Boggess, May; Lints, Robyn

2013-01-01

Mating behaviors in simple invertebrate model organisms represent tractable paradigms for understanding the neural bases of sex-specific behaviors, decision-making and sensorimotor integration. However, there are few examples where such neural circuits have been defined at high resolution or interrogated. Here we exploit the simplicity of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to define the neural circuits underlying the male's decision to initiate mating in response to contact with a mate. Mate contact is sensed by male-specific sensilla of the tail, the rays, which subsequently induce and guide a contact-based search of the hermaphrodite's surface for the vulva (the vulva search). Atypically, search locomotion has a backward directional bias so its implementation requires overcoming an intrinsic bias for forward movement, set by activity of the sex-shared locomotory system. Using optogenetics, cell-specific ablation- and mutant behavioral analyses, we show that the male makes this shift by manipulating the activity of command cells within this sex-shared locomotory system. The rays control the command interneurons through the male-specific, decision-making interneuron PVY and its auxiliary cell PVX. Unlike many sex-shared pathways, PVY/PVX regulate the command cells via cholinergic, rather than glutamatergic transmission, a feature that likely contributes to response specificity and coordinates directional movement with other cholinergic-dependent motor behaviors of the mating sequence. PVY/PVX preferentially activate the backward, and not forward, command cells because of a bias in synaptic inputs and the distribution of key cholinergic receptors (encoded by the genes acr-18, acr-16 and unc-29) in favor of the backward command cells. Our interrogation of male neural circuits reveals that a sex-specific response to the opposite sex is conferred by a male-specific pathway that renders subordinate, sex-shared motor programs responsive to mate cues. Circuit modifications of these types may make prominent contributions to natural variations in behavior that ultimately bring about speciation.

The C. elegans Male Exercises Directional Control during Mating through Cholinergic Regulation of Sex-Shared Command Interneurons

PubMed Central

Sherlekar, Amrita L.; Janssen, Abbey; Siehr, Meagan S.; Koo, Pamela K.; Caflisch, Laura; Boggess, May; Lints, Robyn

2013-01-01

Background Mating behaviors in simple invertebrate model organisms represent tractable paradigms for understanding the neural bases of sex-specific behaviors, decision-making and sensorimotor integration. However, there are few examples where such neural circuits have been defined at high resolution or interrogated. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we exploit the simplicity of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to define the neural circuits underlying the male’s decision to initiate mating in response to contact with a mate. Mate contact is sensed by male-specific sensilla of the tail, the rays, which subsequently induce and guide a contact-based search of the hermaphrodite’s surface for the vulva (the vulva search). Atypically, search locomotion has a backward directional bias so its implementation requires overcoming an intrinsic bias for forward movement, set by activity of the sex-shared locomotory system. Using optogenetics, cell-specific ablation- and mutant behavioral analyses, we show that the male makes this shift by manipulating the activity of command cells within this sex-shared locomotory system. The rays control the command interneurons through the male-specific, decision-making interneuron PVY and its auxiliary cell PVX. Unlike many sex-shared pathways, PVY/PVX regulate the command cells via cholinergic, rather than glutamatergic transmission, a feature that likely contributes to response specificity and coordinates directional movement with other cholinergic-dependent motor behaviors of the mating sequence. PVY/PVX preferentially activate the backward, and not forward, command cells because of a bias in synaptic inputs and the distribution of key cholinergic receptors (encoded by the genes acr-18, acr-16 and unc-29) in favor of the backward command cells. Conclusion/Significance Our interrogation of male neural circuits reveals that a sex-specific response to the opposite sex is conferred by a male-specific pathway that renders subordinate, sex-shared motor programs responsive to mate cues. Circuit modifications of these types may make prominent contributions to natural variations in behavior that ultimately bring about speciation. PMID:23577128

Mate-choice copying, social information processing, and the roles of oxytocin.

PubMed

Kavaliers, Martin; Matta, Richard; Choleris, Elena

2017-01-01

Social and sexual behaviors, including that of mate choice, are dependent on social information. Mate choice can be modified by prior and ongoing social factors and experience. The mate choice decisions of one individual can be influenced by either the actual or potential mate choice of another female or male. Such non-independent mate choice, where individuals gain social information and socially learn about and recognizes potential mates by observing the choices of another female or male, has been termed "mate-choice copying". Here we first briefly review how, why, and under what circumstances individuals engage in mate-choice copying. Secondly, we review the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mate-choice copying. In particular, we consider the roles of the nonapeptide, oxytocin, in the processing of social information and the expression of mate-choice copying. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological aspects and mating behavior of Leucothyreus albopilosus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

PubMed

Ferreira, Kleyton Rezende; Gomes, Elias Soares; Rodrigues, Sérgio Roberto

2016-06-01

The genus Leucothyreus has been linked to some commercial plant crop pests. Eventhough several species have been described for this genus, information about this group is still scarce. This study investigated some biological aspects and mating behavior in Leucothyreus albopilosus. Studies were conducted at the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the municipalities of Aquidauana and Cassilândia, MS, Brazil. For biological studies, adults were collected with light traps from February 2011 to February 2012, and for behavior analyses from September to December 2014. Biological studies were undertaken every three days and included the eggs inspection, and the separation of the newly hatched larvae to observe and describe their developmental stages; to monitor larval growth and differentiate larval instars, we measured the larvae cephalic capsule. Life cycle was determined starting from the newly laid eggs until adult death. For mating behavior studies, adults obtained with light traps were taken to the laboratory. As soon as they started flying in the evening, couples were formed and copulation steps were recorded. In the field, we observed that adults were mostly collected during warmer and wetter periods (from August to March). Our results showed that the embryonic period of L. albopilosus lasted 20.5 days, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars lasted 31.0, 33.1 and 85.6 days, respectively. The pupal stage lasted 20 days, and the egg to adult period was completed in 185.5 days; these results suggest that L. albopilosus can be characterized as a univoltine species. Observations of mating behavior in the laboratory showed that, after the sunset, adults projected a small portion of clypeus near the soil surface and flew off seeking a female to mate. The female could accept or reject the male for mating. When the female accepted the male, copulation occurred from 19:00 to 23:00 hours, and lasted 19.45 minutes on average. Sometimes females refused to mate, probably because the male or female were not sexually mature to perform copulation, and there might be a chemical communication between the adults. Adults were observed feeding on ripe bananas (Musa sp., Musaceae) and on mangaba flowers (Hancornia speciosa, Apocynaceae) in the laboratory. With this work we contributed with the description of mating behavior in the genus Leucothyreus and concluded that the biological cycle was completed in less than 200 days.

Male irradiation affects female remating behavior in Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae).

PubMed

Landeta-Escamilla, Anais; Hernández, Emilio; Arredondo, José; Díaz-Fleischer, Francisco; Pérez-Staples, Diana

2016-02-01

Female remating in target pest species can affect the efficacy of control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) but very little is known about the postcopulatory mating behavior of these pests. In this study, we investigated the remating behavior of female Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae), an oligophagous pest of Sapotaceae. First, we tested how long the sexual refractory period of females lasted after an initial mating. Second, we tested the effect of male and female sterility, female ovipositing opportunities and male density on female propensity to remate. Lastly, we tested if the amount of sperm stored by females was correlated to the likelihood of females to remate. We found that receptivity of mass-reared A. serpentina females had a bimodal response, with up to 16% of mass-reared A. serpentina females remating five days after the initial copulation, decreasing to 2% at 10 and 15 days and increasing to 13% after 20 days. Compared to fertile males, sterile males were less likely to mate and less likely to inhibit females from remating. Copula duration of sterile males was shorter compared to fertile males. Remating females were less likely to mate with a sterile male as a second mate. Sterile females were less likely to mate or remate compared to fertile females. Opportunity to oviposit and male density had no effect on female remating probability. Sperm numbers were not correlated with female likelihood to remate. Information on the post-copulatory behavior of mass-reared A. serpentina will aid fruit fly managers in improving the quality of sterile males. We discuss our results in terms of the differences this species presents in female remating behavior compared to other tephritids. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boosting beauty in an economic decline: mating, spending, and the lipstick effect.

PubMed

Hill, Sarah E; Rodeheffer, Christopher D; Griskevicius, Vladas; Durante, Kristina; White, Andrew Edward

2012-08-01

Although consumer spending typically declines in economic recessions, some observers have noted that recessions appear to increase women's spending on beauty products--the so-called lipstick effect. Using both historical spending data and rigorous experiments, the authors examine how and why economic recessions influence women's consumer behavior. Findings revealed that recessionary cues--whether naturally occurring or experimentally primed--decreased desire for most products (e.g., electronics, household items). However, these cues consistently increased women's desire for products that increase attractiveness to mates--the first experimental demonstration of the lipstick effect. Additional studies show that this effect is driven by women's desire to attract mates with resources and depends on the perceived mate attraction function served by these products. In addition to showing how and why economic recessions influence women's desire for beauty products, this research provides novel insights into women's mating psychology, consumer behavior, and the relationship between the two.

Monogamy versus Consensual Non-Monogamy: Alternative Approaches to Pursuing a Strategically Pluralistic Mating Strategy.

PubMed

Mogilski, Justin K; Memering, Stacy L; Welling, Lisa L M; Shackelford, Todd K

2017-02-01

This study examined the frequency of partner-directed mate retention behaviors and several self- and partner-rated romantic relationship evaluations (i.e., sociosexuality, relationship satisfaction, mate value, and partner ideal measures) within monogamous and consensually non-monogamous (CNM) relationships. Measures were compared (1) between monogamous and CNM participants and (2) between two concurrent partners within each CNM relationship (i.e., primary and secondary partners). We found that individuals in currently monogamous relationships (n = 123) performed more mate retention behaviors compared to those currently in CNM relationships (n = 76). Within CNM relationships, participants reported engaging in more mate retention behaviors with primary partners compared to secondary partners. Likewise, CNM participants reported talking about their extra-dyadic sexual experiences and downplaying these sexual experiences more often with their primary partner compared to their secondary partner. There were no significant differences between ratings of monogamous and primary partners in participants' overall relationship satisfaction. However, monogamous participants reported less satisfaction with the amount of communication and openness they had with their partner compared to CNM participants' reports of their primary partner, but not secondary partner. By comparison, CNM participants reported higher overall relationship satisfaction with primary compared to secondary partners and considered their primary partner to be more desirable as a long-term mate than their secondary partner. We interpret these results within the context of previous research on monogamous and CNM relationships and hypothesize that these relationship configurations are alternative strategies for pursuing a strategically pluralistic mating strategy.

Oxytocin receptor density is associated with male mating tactics and social monogamy.

PubMed

Ophir, Alexander G; Gessel, Ana; Zheng, Da-Jiang; Phelps, Steven M

2012-03-01

Despite its well-described role in female affiliation, the influence of oxytocin on male pairbonding is largely unknown. However, recent human studies indicate that this nonapeptide has a potent influence on male behaviors commonly associated with monogamy. Here we investigated the distribution of oxytocin receptors (OTR) throughout the forebrain of the socially monogamous male prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Because males vary in both sexual and spatial fidelity, we explored the extent to which OTR predicted monogamous or non-monogamous patterns of space use, mating success and sexual fidelity in free-living males. We found that monogamous males expressed higher OTR density in the nucleus accumbens than non-monogamous males, a result that mirrors species differences in voles with different mating systems. OTR density in the posterior portion of the insula predicted mating success. Finally, OTR in the hippocampus and septohippocampal nucleus, which are nuclei associated with spatial memory, predicted patterns of space use and reproductive success within mating tactics. Our data highlight the importance of oxytocin receptor in neural structures associated with pairbonding and socio-spatial memory in male mating tactics. The role of memory in mating systems is often neglected, despite the fact that mating tactics impose an inherently spatial challenge for animals. Identifying mechanisms responsible for relating information about the social world with mechanisms mediating pairbonding and mating tactics is crucial to fully appreciate the suite of factors driving mating systems. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Analysis of natural female post-mating responses of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii unravels similarities and differences in their reproductive ecology.

PubMed

Thailayil, Janis; Gabrieli, Paolo; Caputo, Beniamino; Bascuñán, Priscila; South, Adam; Diabate, Abdoulaye; Dabire, Roch; Della Torre, Alessandra; Catteruccia, Flaminia

2018-04-26

Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii, the two most important malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa, are recently radiated sibling species that are reproductively isolated even in areas of sympatry. In females from these species, sexual transfer of male accessory gland products, including the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), induces vast behavioral, physiological, and transcriptional changes that profoundly shape their post-mating ecology, and that may have contributed to the insurgence of post-mating, prezygotic reproductive barriers. As these barriers can be detected by studying transcriptional changes induced by mating, we set out to analyze the post-mating response of An. gambiae and An. coluzzii females captured in natural mating swarms in Burkina Faso. While the molecular pathways shaping short- and long-term mating-induced changes are largely conserved in females from the two species, we unravel significant inter-specific differences that suggest divergent regulation of key reproductive processes such as egg development, processing of seminal secretion, and mating behavior, that may have played a role in reproductive isolation. Interestingly, a number of these changes occur in genes previously shown to be regulated by the sexual transfer of 20E and may be due to divergent utilization of this steroid hormone in the two species.

Understanding The Role of Mate Selection Processes in Couples' Pair-Bonding Behavior.

PubMed

Horwitz, Briana N; Reynolds, Chandra A; Walum, Hasse; Ganiban, Jody; Spotts, Erica L; Reiss, David; Lichtenstein, Paul; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

2016-01-01

Couples are similar in their pair-bonding behavior, yet the reasons for this similarity are often unclear. A common explanation is phenotypic assortment, whereby individuals select partners with similar heritable characteristics. Alternatively, social homogamy, whereby individuals passively select partners with similar characteristic due to shared social backgrounds, is rarely considered. We examined whether phenotypic assortment and/or social homogamy can contribute to mate similarity using a twin-partner design. The sample came from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden, which included 876 male and female monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twins plus their married or cohabitating partners. Results showed that variance in pair-bonding behavior was attributable to genetic and nonshared environmental factors. Furthermore, phenotypic assortment accounted for couple similarity in pair-bonding behavior. This suggests that individuals' genetically based characteristics are involved in their selection of mates with similar pair-bonding behavior.

Desire and ability: hormones and the regulation of female sexual behavior.

PubMed

Wallen, K

1990-01-01

The distinction between the ability to copulate and the desire to copulate is used to understand species differences in hormonal regulation of female sexual behavior. Evidence is presented demonstrating that ovarian hormones modulate female sexual motivation in both rodent and primate females. The thesis is developed that rodent females differ from primate females primarily in their dependence upon hormones for the ability to mate. Thus, apparent differences between the two groups of females in the extent to which hormones control copulatory behavior does not stem from differences in hormonal regulation of female sexual motivation but from the physical ability of primate, but not rodent, females to mate without hormonal stimulation. This emancipation of the ability to copulate from hormonal influence makes female sexual motivation the primary regulator of mating in primates. Dependence upon female sexual motivation means that the copulatory behavior of primate females is easily influenced by their physical and social environment. Because primate females can mate without hormonal input, female sexual initiation, not copulation, is argued to be the only valid indicator of female sexual motivation.

Acute withdrawal but not long-term withdrawal from methamphetamine affects sexual behavior in female rats.

PubMed

Thibodeau, Rachel B; Ornelas, Laura C; Romero, Jordan; Memos, Nicoletta; Scheible, Matthew; Avila, Alfred; Schumacher, Abby; Navarro, April; Zimmermann, Karen; Cuenod, Bethany A; Frohardt, Russell J; Guarraci, Fay A

2013-02-01

The present study was designed to investigate the long-term effects of repeated methamphetamine (MA) exposure on sexual motivation in female rats tested after a period of drug abstinence. In Experiment 1, female subjects received three injections of MA (1.0mg/kg/day, every other day) or saline and were tested for paced mating behavior (where females could control the receipt of sexual stimulation from one male rat) 21 days after their last injection. In Experiment 2, female subjects received 12 consecutive injections of MA (1.0mg/kg/day) or saline and were tested for mate choice (where females could control the receipt of sexual stimulation from two male rats simultaneously) 6 days after their last injection. Experiment 3 was identical to Experiment 2 except that female subjects received no baseline mating test and were tested for mate choice 24h and 6 days after their last injection. Open field tests were conducted in each experiment to measure locomotor activity after repeated exposure to MA. Although repeated MA exposure increased locomotor activity, mating behavior was not facilitated after either a short (6 days) or long (21 days) period of drug abstinence. Nevertheless, sexual behavior was disrupted during the 24h acute withdrawal period. Therefore, although the present study found no evidence of cross-sensitization between female sexual behavior and MA after either a short or a long period of drug abstinence, sexual behavior in sexually naïve female rats is sensitive to the depressive state associated with acute withdrawal from MA. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that MA acts differently from other psychomotor stimulants, and that the effects of MA withdrawal on sexual behavior differ between male and female rats. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

c-Fos expression in the paternal mouse brain induced by communicative interaction with maternal mates.

PubMed

Zhong, Jing; Liang, Mingkun; Akther, Shirin; Higashida, Chiharu; Tsuji, Takahiro; Higashida, Haruhiro

2014-09-11

Appropriate parental care by fathers greatly facilitates health in human family life. Much less is known from animal studies regarding the factors and neural circuitry that affect paternal behavior compared with those affecting maternal behavior. We recently reported that ICR mouse sires displayed maternal-like retrieval behavior when they were separated from pups and caged with their mates (co-housing) because the sires receive communicative interactions via ultrasonic and pheromone signals from the dams. We investigated the brain structures involved in regulating this activity by quantifying c-Fos-immunoreactive cells as neuronal activation markers in the neural pathway of male parental behavior. c-Fos expression in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) was significantly higher in sires that exhibited retrieval behavior (retrievers) than those with no such behavior (non-retrievers). Identical increased expression was found in the mPOA region in the retrievers stimulated by ultrasonic vocalizations or pheromones from their mates. Such increases in expression were not observed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAcc) or ventral palladium (VP). On the following day that we identified the families of the retrievers or non-retrievers, c-Fos expression in neuronal subsets in the mPOA, VTA, NAcc and VP was much higher in the retriever sires when they isolated together with their mates in new cages. This difference was not observed in the singly isolated retriever sires in new cages. The non-retriever sires did not display expression changes in the four brain regions that were assessed. The mPOA neurons appeared to be activated by direct communicative interactions with mate dams, including ultrasonic vocalizations and pheromones. The mPOA-VTA-NAcc-VP neural circuit appears to be involved in paternal retrieval behavior.

Azadirachtin impact on mate choice, female sexual receptivity and male activity in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

PubMed

Aribi, N; Oulhaci, M C; Kilani-Morakchi, S; Sandoz, J C; Kaiser, L; Denis, B; Joly, D

2017-11-01

Azadirachtin, a neem compound (Azadirachta indica) with medical and anti-insect properties, is one the most successful botanical pesticides in agricultural use. However, its controversial impact on non-targeted species and its mechanism of action need to be clarified. In addition, Azadirachtin impact on pre- and post-mating traits remains largely undocumented. The current study examined the effects of Azadirachtin on Drosophila melanogaster as a non-target and model species. Azadirachtin was applied topically at its LD 50 (0.63μg) on the day of adult emergence and its effect was evaluated on several traits of reproductive behavior: mate choice, male activity, female sexual receptivity, sperm storage and female sterility. In choice and no choice conditions, only male treatment reduced mating probability. Female treatment impaired mating probability only when males had the choice. Males' mating ability may have been impaired by an effect of the treatment on their mobility. Such an effect was observed in the actimeter, which revealed that treated males were less active than untreated ones, and this effect persisted over 8days. Azadirachtin treatment had, however, no effect on the nycthemeral rhythm of those males. Even when mating occurred, Azadirachtin treatment impaired post-mating responses especially when females or both sexes were treated: remating probability increases and female fertility (presence of larvae) decreases. No impairment was observed on the efficiency of mating, evaluated by the presence of sperm in the spermatheca or the ventral receptacle. Male treatment only had no significant effect on these post-mating responses. These findings provide clear evidence that Azadirachtin alters the reproductive behavior of both sexes in D. melanogaster via mating and post-mating processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Mating System and Sex-Biased Dispersal in Mammals and Birds: A Phylogenetic Analysis

PubMed Central

Mabry, Karen E.; Shelley, Erin L.; Davis, Katie E.; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Van Vuren, Dirk H.

2013-01-01

The hypothesis that patterns of sex-biased dispersal are related to social mating system in mammals and birds has gained widespread acceptance over the past 30 years. However, two major complications have obscured the relationship between these two behaviors: 1) dispersal frequency and dispersal distance, which measure different aspects of the dispersal process, have often been confounded, and 2) the relationship between mating system and sex-biased dispersal in these vertebrate groups has not been examined using modern phylogenetic comparative methods. Here, we present a phylogenetic analysis of the relationship between mating system and sex-biased dispersal in mammals and birds. Results indicate that the evolution of female-biased dispersal in mammals may be more likely on monogamous branches of the phylogeny, and that females may disperse farther than males in socially monogamous mammalian species. However, we found no support for a relationship between social mating system and sex-biased dispersal in birds when the effects of phylogeny are taken into consideration. We caution that although there are larger-scale behavioral differences in mating system and sex-biased dispersal between mammals and birds, mating system and sex-biased dispersal are far from perfectly associated within these taxa. PMID:23483957

Barriers to gene exchange in hybridizing field crickets: the role of male courtship effort and cuticular hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Maroja, Luana S; McKenzie, Zachary M; Hart, Elizabeth; Jing, Joy; Larson, Erica L; Richardson, David P

2014-03-28

Pre-zygotic barriers often involve some form of sexual selection, usually interpreted as female choice, as females are typically the choosier sex. However, males typically show some mate preferences, which are increasingly reported. Here we document previously uncharacterized male courtship behavior (effort and song) and cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles in the hybridizing crickets Gryllus firmus and G. pennsylvanicus. These two species exhibit multiple barriers to gene exchange that act throughout their life history, including a behavioral barrier that results in increased time to mate in heterospecific pairs. We demonstrated that male mate choice (as courtship effort allocation) plays a more important role in the prezygotic behavioral barrier than previously recognized. In gryllids females ultimately decide whether or not to mate, yet we found males were selective by regulating courtship effort intensity toward the preferred (conspecific) females. Females were also selective by mating with more intensely courting males, which happened to be conspecifics. We report no differences in courtship song between the two species and suggest that the mechanism that allows males to act differentially towards conspecific and heterospecific females is the cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) composition. CHC profiles differed between males and females of both species, and there were clear differences in CHC composition between female G. firmus and G. pennsylvanicus but not between the males of each species. Although many barriers to gene exchange are known in this system, the mechanism behind the mate recognition leading to reduced heterospecific mating remains unknown. The CHC profiles might be the phenotypic cue that allow males to identify conspecifics and thus to adjust their courtship intensity accordingly, leading to differential mating between species.

Do Bumble Bee, Bombus impatiens, Queens Signal their Reproductive and Mating Status to their Workers?

PubMed

Amsalem, Etya; Padilla, Mario; Schreiber, Paul M; Altman, Naomi S; Hefetz, Abraham; Grozinger, Christina M

2017-06-01

Reproduction in social insect societies reflects a delicate balance between cooperation and conflict over offspring production, and worker reproduction is widespread even in species showing strong reproductive skew in favor of the queen. To navigate these conflicts, workers are predicted to develop the means to estimate the queen's fecundity - potentially through behavioral and/or chemical cues - and to adjust their reproduction to maximize their fitness. Here, we introduced bumble bee, Bombus impatiens, workers to queens of different mating and reproductive status and examined worker reproduction and expression levels of two genes which were previously shown to be sensitive to the presence of the queen, vitellogenin and Krüppel-homolog 1. We further explored whether the queen's chemical secretion alone is sufficient to regulate worker reproduction, aggression and gene expression. We found that worker ovary activation was inhibited only in the presence of egg-laying queens, regardless of their mating status. Workers reared in the presence of newly-mated queens showed intermediate vitellogenin expression levels relative to workers reared with mated egg-laying and virgin queens. However, none of the whole-body chemical extracts of any of the queen treatment groups affected ovary activation, aggressive behavior, or gene expression in workers. Our findings indicate that only the presence of a freely-behaving, egg-laying queen can fully inhibit worker reproduction. It remains to be determined if workers detect differences in queen mating status and fecundity through differences in the queens' behavior alone or through the queen's behavior in concert with fertility signals.

Azadirachtin effects on mating success, gametic abnormalities and progeny survival in Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera).

PubMed

Oulhaci, Chemseddine M; Denis, Béatrice; Kilani-Morakchi, Samira; Sandoz, Jean-Christophe; Kaiser, Laure; Joly, Dominique; Aribi, Nadia

2018-01-01

Azadirachtin is a prominent natural pesticide and represents an alternative to conventional insecticides. It has been successfully used against insect pests. However, its effects on reproduction require further analysis. Here we investigated lethal and sublethal effects of azadirachtin, on treated adults in a model insect, Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen). Dose-mortality relationships as well as several parameters of reproduction (mating, spermatogenesis, oogenesis and fertility) were examined. Neem-Azal, a commercial formulation of azadirachtin, applied topically on newly emerged adults, increased mortality with a positive dose-dependent relationship. The LD 50 (0.63 μg) was determined 24 h after treatment using a non-linear regression. Adults surviving this dose had a mating success that was divided by 3 and a progeny production reduced by half when males were treated, and even more when females were treated. When combining probability of survival, of mating and reduced progeny, it appeared that LD 50 induced a 98% reduction in reproductive rates. Reduced progeny was partially explained by the effect of adult treatment on gametes number and abnormalities. The number of cysts and the apical nuclei positions within the cysts decreased by 29.7% and 20%, respectively, in males. In females, the number of oocytes per ovary and the volume of basal oocytes also decreased by 16.1% and 32.4%, respectively. Azadirachtin causes significant toxic effects in both sexes and decreases the fecundity and fertility of D. melanogaster. Females are more sensitive to azadirachtin. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effects of lead on the male mouse as investigated by in vitro fertilization and blastocyst culture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johansson, L.; Sjoeblom, P.; Wide, M.

1987-02-01

Long-term exposure of male mice to inorganic lead (lead chloride, 1 g/liter) in the drinking water reduces their fertility. The cause of this reduction, expressed as a decrease in the number of mated females showing inplantations, was investigated, using an in vivo fertilization method. It was found that spermatozoa from lead-exposed males had a significantly lower ability to fertilize mouse eggs than those from unexposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males. Preimplantation embryos, isolated from uterine horns of mice mated with lead-exposed males, were examined. No morphologically abnormal embryos were found. However, whenmore » cultured in vitro over the implantation period, blastocysts of the group mated with lead-exposed males showed an increased frequency of delayed hatching from the zona pellucida or an inability to hatch. Among blastocysts from this group a decreased frequency of inner cell mass development was also found.« less

Host plants impact courtship vibration transmission and mating success of a parasitoid wasp, Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Host plants provide food, shelter and mating habitats for herbivorous and parasitoid insects. Yet each plant species is a distinct microhabitat and insects must adapt to its chemical and physical attributes in order to survive, mate and reproduce. Behavioral and genetic divergence between insect pop...

Eavesdropping to Find Mates: The Function of Male Hearing for a Cicada-Hunting Parasitoid Fly, Emblemasoma erro (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

PubMed Central

Stucky, Brian J.

2016-01-01

Females of several species of dipteran parasitoids use long-range hearing to locate hosts for their offspring by eavesdropping on the acoustic mating calls of other insects. Males of these acoustic eavesdropping parasitoids also have physiologically functional ears, but so far, no adaptive function for male hearing has been discovered. I investigated the function of male hearing for the sarcophagid fly Emblemasoma erro Aldrich, an acoustic parasitoid of cicadas, by testing the hypothesis that both male and female E. erro use hearing to locate potential mates. I found that both male and nongravid female E. erro perform phonotaxis to the sounds of calling cicadas, that male flies engage in short-range, mate-finding behavior once they arrive at a sound source, and that encounters between females and males at a sound source can lead to copulation. Thus, cicada calling songs appear to serve as a mate-finding cue for both sexes of E. erro. Emblemasoma erro’s mate-finding behavior is compared to that of other sarcophagid flies, other acoustic parasitoids, and nonacoustic eavesdropping parasitoids. PMID:27382133

Love, Sex, and Personality Pathology: A Life History View of Personality Pathologies and Sociosexuality.

PubMed

Jonason, Peter K; Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; Hashmani, Talia

2018-05-24

Love and sex are fundamental needs of most people, yet little research has examined such aspects of life in relation to personality pathologies. We examined the associations between pathological personality traits (i.e., negative affectivity, disinhibition, antagonism, psychoticism, and detachment) and sociosexuality (i.e., short-term mating orientation, long-term mating orientation, and sexual behavior) among 702 university students. In addition, we examined the mediating role of life history speed and tested whether sex moderated the associations that these pathological personality traits had with sociosexuality. Detachment, antagonism, disinhibition, and psychoticism had positive associations with short-term mating interests and negative associations with long-term mating interests. Life history speed mediated the associations that detachment and disinhibition had with short-term mating orientation and long-term mating orientation. Although sex did moderate the association that negative affectivity had with previous sexual behavior, we found no evidence that these mediational processes differed between men and women. Results are discussed in terms of the way personality traits shape the sociosexuality of men and women using a life history paradigm.

cdc-25.4, a Caenorhabditis elegans Ortholog of cdc25, Is Required for Male Mating Behavior

PubMed Central

Oh, Sangmi; Kawasaki, Ichiro; Park, Jae-Hyung; Shim, Yhong-Hee

2016-01-01

Cell division cycle 25 (cdc25) is an evolutionarily conserved phosphatase that promotes cell cycle progression. Among the four cdc25 orthologs in Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that cdc-25.4 mutant males failed to produce outcrossed progeny. This was not caused by defects in sperm development, but by defects in male mating behavior. The cdc-25.4 mutant males showed various defects during male mating, including contact response, backing, turning, and vulva location. Aberrant turning behavior was the most prominent defect in the cdc-25.4 mutant males. We also found that cdc-25.4 is expressed in many neuronal cells throughout development. The turning defect in cdc-25.4 mutant males was recovered by cdc-25.4 transgenic expression in neuronal cells, suggesting that cdc-25.4 functions in neurons for male mating. However, the neuronal morphology of cdc-25.4 mutant males appeared to be normal, as examined with several neuronal markers. Also, RNAi depletion of wee-1.3, a C. elegans ortholog of Wee1/Myt1 kinase, failed to suppress the mating defects of cdc-25.4 mutant males. These findings suggest that, for successful male mating, cdc-25.4 does not target cell cycles that are required for neuronal differentiation and development. Rather, cdc-25.4 likely regulates noncanonical substrates in neuronal cells. PMID:27770028

cdc-25.4, a Caenorhabditis elegans Ortholog of cdc25, Is Required for Male Mating Behavior.

PubMed

Oh, Sangmi; Kawasaki, Ichiro; Park, Jae-Hyung; Shim, Yhong-Hee

2016-12-07

Cell division cycle 25 (cdc25) is an evolutionarily conserved phosphatase that promotes cell cycle progression. Among the four cdc25 orthologs in Caenorhabditis elegans, we found that cdc-25.4 mutant males failed to produce outcrossed progeny. This was not caused by defects in sperm development, but by defects in male mating behavior. The cdc-25.4 mutant males showed various defects during male mating, including contact response, backing, turning, and vulva location. Aberrant turning behavior was the most prominent defect in the cdc-25.4 mutant males. We also found that cdc-25.4 is expressed in many neuronal cells throughout development. The turning defect in cdc-25.4 mutant males was recovered by cdc-25.4 transgenic expression in neuronal cells, suggesting that cdc-25.4 functions in neurons for male mating. However, the neuronal morphology of cdc-25.4 mutant males appeared to be normal, as examined with several neuronal markers. Also, RNAi depletion of wee-1.3, a C. elegans ortholog of Wee1/Myt1 kinase, failed to suppress the mating defects of cdc-25.4 mutant males. These findings suggest that, for successful male mating, cdc-25.4 does not target cell cycles that are required for neuronal differentiation and development. Rather, cdc-25.4 likely regulates noncanonical substrates in neuronal cells. Copyright © 2016 Oh et al.

Regulatory roles of biogenic amines and juvenile hormone in the reproductive behavior of the western tarnished plant bug (Lygus hesperus)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in the plant bug Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae). Males enter a post-mating refractory period, lasting 24 hrs, during which they replenish the contents of their accessory glands and seminal vesicles. Females experience a similar loss of ...

Identification and characterization of a sex peptide receptor-like transcript from the western tarnished plant bug, Lygus hesperus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lygus hesperus females exhibit a post-mating behavioral switch that triggers increased egg laying and decreased sexual interest. In Drosophila melanogaster, post-mating changes in behavior are controlled by sex peptide (SP) and the sex peptide receptor (DmSPR). SPR is present in most insect genome...

Chronic Social Isolation Enhances Reproduction in the Monogamous Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster)

PubMed Central

Perry, Adam N.; Carter, C. Sue; Cushing, Bruce S.

2016-01-01

Chronic stressors are generally considered to disrupt reproduction and inhibit mating. Here we test the hypothesis that a chronic stressor, specifically social isolation, can facilitate adaptive changes that enhance/accelerate reproductive effort. In general, monogamous species display high levels of prosociality, delayed sexual maturation, and greater parental investment in fewer, higher quality offspring compared with closely related polygynous species. We predicted that chronic social isolation would promote behavioral and neurochemical patterns in prairie voles associated with polygyny. Male and female prairie voles were isolated for four weeks and changes in mating behavior, alloparental care, estrogen receptor (ER) α expression and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in brain regions regulating sociosexual behavior were examined. In males, isolation accelerated copulation, increased ERα in the medial amygdala (MEApd) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTpm), and reduced TH expression in the MEApd and BSTpm, but had no effect on alloparental behavior. In females, isolation resulted in more rapid estrus induction and reduced TH expression in the MEApd and BSTpm, but had no effect on estradiol sensitivity or ERα expression. The results support the hypothesis that ERα expression in the MEApd and BSTpm is a critical determinant of male copulatory behavior and/or mating system. The lack of change in alloparental behavior suggests that changes in prosocial behavior are selective and regulated by different mechanisms. The results also suggest that TH in the MEApd and BSTpm may play a critical role in determining mating behavior in both sexes. PMID:26939085

Mate choice could be random in female rats (Rattus norvegicus).

PubMed

Le Moëne, Olivia; Snoeren, Eelke M

2018-02-01

Female mate choice is often investigated in terms of reproductive success in order to understand how male characteristics contribute to sexual attractiveness. Previous studies have found that females rats prefer mating with their first encounter rather than males visited subsequently, suggesting that the rewarding value of this first encounter is enough to reinforce mating with the first partner. Using a multiple chambers paradigm, we allowed female rats to copulate freely with three males placed each in a different chamber. Then, we switched the males' position, and let the female interact with them freely again within the same session. We tested whether female mate choice was relying rather on a preferred male rat or on a preferred mating location. The results showed that females spent most time with the male in the chamber of 1st entry in the beginning, but as soon as male rats switched chambers, the female rat continued to copulate with the new male in the same chamber of 1st entry, instead of mating with her previously preferred male rat. This suggests that the male preference is an artefact of location preference. Therefore, female mate choice seems to be rather random than the consequence of an individual choice based on male characteristics. This finding, although contradictory with the intuitive feeling that mate choice is a crucial feature in sexual and reproductive behavior, is supported by several recent observations. In the coming years, behavioral neuroscience should bring light to the brain processes at work in random mate choice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Inheritance of proportionate dwarfism in Angus cattle.

PubMed

Latter, M R; Latter, B D H; Wilkins, J F; Windsor, P A

2006-04-01

To determine the mode of inheritance of congenital proportionate dwarfism in Angus and Angus crossbred cattle, initially detected in two commercial beef herds in northern New South Wales. Matings of normal carrier sires to unrelated cows of diverse breeds, and of one carrier sire to his unaffected daughters. An unrelated Piedmontese bull was also mated to unaffected daughters of the carrier sires. Two carrier Angus bulls and nine unaffected daughters, all of whom were completely indistinguishable from normal animals, were purchased for controlled breeding studies under known nutritional and disease conditions. Affected and carrier individuals were examined for the presence of obvious chromosomal abnormalities. Angus dwarfism has been successfully reproduced under controlled experimental conditions over successive years using unrelated dams and is undoubtedly heritable. The high frequency of occurrence of affected individuals (23/61 = 0.38 +/- .06) among the progeny of matings of the Angus sires to unrelated females of diverse breeding is not compatible with recessive inheritance, because of the negligible frequency of proportionate dwarfism in the breeds of the dams. Both paternal and maternal transmission of the defect was demonstrated, so that imprinting in the strict sense of a gene that is only expressed when received from the male parent appears not to be involved. Tested individuals showed no evidence of gross chromosomal abnormality. Dominant autosomal inheritance with incomplete penetrance was indicated by the lack of expression of the defective gene in the two Angus sires and in three unaffected daughters who produced dwarf calves from matings to the Piedmontese bull. The mode of inheritance is that of a single autosomal dominant gene with a penetrance coefficient of 0.75 +/- 0.12, estimated from the observed incidence of 23/61 affected offspring of the two carrier Angus bulls mated to unrelated dams. Simple genetic models involving either (i) an unstable mutant which changes at high frequency to the expressed dominant dwarfing allele during gametogenesis, or (ii) a dominant allele with penetrance determined by an unlinked modifying locus, are shown to be compatible with the experimental data. Both models indicate that penetrance of the dwarfing gene may possibly be higher in matings involving carrier daughters of the two Angus bulls.

Sex roles and mutual mate choice matter during mate sampling.

PubMed

Myhre, Lise Cats; de Jong, Karen; Forsgren, Elisabet; Amundsen, Trond

2012-06-01

The roles of females and males in mating competition and mate choice have lately proven more variable, between and within species, than previously thought. In nature, mating competition occurs during mate search and is expected to be regulated by the numbers of potential mates and same-sex competitors. Here, we present the first study to test how a temporal change in sex roles affects mating competition and mate choice during mate sampling. Our model system (the marine fish Gobiusculus flavescens) is uniquely suitable because of its change in sex roles, from conventional to reversed, over the breeding season. As predicted from sex role theory, courtship was typically initiated by males and terminated by females early in the breeding season. The opposite pattern was observed late in the season, at which time several females often simultaneously courted the same male. Mate-searching females visited more males early than late in the breeding season. Our study shows that mutual mate choice and mating competition can have profound effects on female and male behavior. Future work needs to consider the dynamic nature of mating competition and mate choice if we aim to fully understand sexual selection in the wild.

Dimorphic ejaculates and sperm release strategies associated with alternative mating behaviors in the squid.

PubMed

Apostólico, Lígia H; Marian, José E A R

2017-11-01

Sperm competition is a powerful postcopulatory selective force influencing male adaptations associated with increasing fertilization success, and it is usually related to the evolution of different strategies of ejaculate expenditure between individuals. Ejaculates may also be influenced by additional selective pressures associated with sperm competition, such as timing between insemination and fertilization, female reproductive tract morphology, and fertilization environment. Also, males that adopt alternative mating tactics may face distinct sperm competition pressures, which may lead to the evolution of intraspecific diversity in ejaculates. In loliginid squids, males with alternative reproductive tactics (sneakers and consorts) differ not only in mating behavior, but also transfer spermatophores into two distinct sites within the female. Here, we compared structure and functioning of spermatophores between sneakers and consorts in the squid Doryteuthis plei applying microscopy techniques and in vitro experiments. Sneakers and consorts exhibit differences in spermatophore structure that lead to distinct spermatophoric reactions and spermatangium morphologies. Moreover, in sneakers, sperm release lasts longer and their sperm show an aggregative behavior not detected in consorts. Slow sperm release may be a strategy to guarantee longer sperm provision, given the wide interval between sneaker mating and egg release. For consorts, in turn, intense and quick sperm discharge may be advantageous, as timing between mating and egg-laying is relatively short. Within the complex squid mating system, factors such as (i) different fertilization sites and (ii) interval between mating and egg release may also influence sperm competition, and ultimately shape the evolution of divergent ejaculates between dimorphic males. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"Coffee, tea and me": moderate doses of caffeine affect sexual behavior in female rats.

PubMed

Guarraci, Fay A; Benson, Anastasia

2005-11-01

The present study evaluated the effects of acute caffeine administration on paced mating behavior and partner preference in ovariectomized rats primed with estrogen and progesterone. In Experiment 1, female rats were tested for paced mating behavior following acute administration of caffeine (15 mg/kg). Caffeine shortened the latency to return to a male following an ejaculation. Although this dose of caffeine did not alter the likelihood of leaving a male after receiving sexual stimulation, locomotor activity did increase significantly. Experiment 2 evaluated the dose response characteristics of caffeine (7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg) administration on paced mating behavior. Replicating Experiment 1, caffeine at the lower doses shortened the latency to return to a male following an ejaculation. Finally, to determine whether the effects of caffeine (15 mg/kg) on contact-return latency reflect a change in sexual motivation or merely an inability to inhibit locomotion, rats were tested for partner preference (intact male vs. estrous female) following caffeine administration (Experiment 3). Although caffeine did not disrupt preference for a sexual partner, caffeine selectively increased visits to the male when physical contact was possible. Collectively, these results suggest that the effects of caffeine on female mating behavior may reflect an increase in both sexual motivation and locomotor activity.

Infertility in a Ram Associated with a Knobbed Acrosome Abnormality of the Spermatozoa

PubMed Central

Savage, N. C.

1984-01-01

A yearling Rambouillet ram with an asymmetrical scrotum was examined for potential breeding soundness prior to use in a synchronized mating program in a purebred flock of 20 ewes. Initial sperm cell evaluation revealed 78% knobbed acrosomes associated with few other abnormalities of the head and midpiece. Use of the ram resulted in no conception in one group of ten synchronized ewes. One month later, the proportion of sperm cells with knobbed acrosomes was 80%. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 2. PMID:17422370

Mating and aggregative behaviors among basal hexapods in the Early Cretaceous.

PubMed

Sánchez-García, Alba; Peñalver, Enrique; Delclòs, Xavier; Engel, Michael S

2018-01-01

Among the many challenges in paleobiology is the inference and reconstruction of behaviors that rarely, if ever, leave a physical trace on the environment that is suitable for fossilization. Of particular significance are those behaviors tied to mating and courtship, individual interactions critical for species integrity and continuance, as well as those for dispersal, permitting the taxon to expand its distribution as well as access new habitats in the face of local or long-term environmental change. In this context, two recently discovered fossils from the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain (ca. 105 mya) give a detailed view of otherwise fleeting ethologies in Collembola. These occurrences are phylogenetically spaced across the class, and from species representing the two major clades of springtails-Symphypleona and Entomobryomorpha. Specifically, we report unique evidence from a symphypleonan male (Pseudosminthurides stoechus Sánchez-García & Engel, 2016) with modified antennae that may have functioned as a clasping organ for securing females during mating on water's surface, and from an aggregation of entomobryomorphan individuals (Proisotoma communis Sánchez-García & Engel, 2016) purportedly representing a swarming episode on the forest floor. We demonstrate that the mating behavioral repertoire in P. stoechus, which is associated with considerable morphological adaptations, likely implied elaborate courtship and maneuvering for guarantee sperm transfer in an epineustic species. These discoveries reveal significant behaviors consistent with modern counterparts and a generalized stasis for some ancient hexapod ethologies associated with complex mating and courtship and social or pre-social aggregations, so critical to specific constancy and dispersal.

Mating and aggregative behaviors among basal hexapods in the Early Cretaceous

PubMed Central

Sánchez-García, Alba; Peñalver, Enrique; Delclòs, Xavier

2018-01-01

Among the many challenges in paleobiology is the inference and reconstruction of behaviors that rarely, if ever, leave a physical trace on the environment that is suitable for fossilization. Of particular significance are those behaviors tied to mating and courtship, individual interactions critical for species integrity and continuance, as well as those for dispersal, permitting the taxon to expand its distribution as well as access new habitats in the face of local or long-term environmental change. In this context, two recently discovered fossils from the Early Cretaceous amber of Spain (ca. 105 mya) give a detailed view of otherwise fleeting ethologies in Collembola. These occurrences are phylogenetically spaced across the class, and from species representing the two major clades of springtails—Symphypleona and Entomobryomorpha. Specifically, we report unique evidence from a symphypleonan male (Pseudosminthurides stoechus Sánchez-García & Engel, 2016) with modified antennae that may have functioned as a clasping organ for securing females during mating on water’s surface, and from an aggregation of entomobryomorphan individuals (Proisotoma communis Sánchez-García & Engel, 2016) purportedly representing a swarming episode on the forest floor. We demonstrate that the mating behavioral repertoire in P. stoechus, which is associated with considerable morphological adaptations, likely implied elaborate courtship and maneuvering for guarantee sperm transfer in an epineustic species. These discoveries reveal significant behaviors consistent with modern counterparts and a generalized stasis for some ancient hexapod ethologies associated with complex mating and courtship and social or pre-social aggregations, so critical to specific constancy and dispersal. PMID:29466382

Sexual display and mate choice in an energetically costly environment.

PubMed

Head, Megan L; Wong, Bob B M; Brooks, Robert

2010-12-09

Sexual displays and mate choice often take place under the same set of environmental conditions and, as a consequence, may be exposed to the same set of environmental constraints. Surprisingly, however, very few studies consider the effects of environmental costs on sexual displays and mate choice simultaneously. We conducted an experiment, manipulating water flow in large flume tanks, to examine how an energetically costly environment might affect the sexual display and mate choice behavior of male and female guppies, Poecilia reticulata. We found that male guppies performed fewer sexual displays and became less choosy, with respect to female size, in the presence of a water current compared to those tested in still water. In contrast to males, female responsive to male displays did not differ between the water current treatments and females exhibited no mate preferences with respect to male size or coloration in either treatment. The results of our study underscore the importance of considering the simultaneous effects of environmental costs on the sexual behaviors of both sexes.

Do women pretend orgasm to retain a mate?

PubMed

Kaighobadi, Farnaz; Shackelford, Todd K; Weekes-Shackelford, Viviana A

2012-10-01

The current study tested the hypothesis that women pretend orgasm as part of a broader strategy of mate retention. We obtained self-report data from 453 heterosexual women (M age, 21.8 years) in a long-term relationship (M length, 32.8 months) drawn from universities and surrounding communities in the southeastern United States. The results indicated that (1) women who perceived higher risk of partner infidelity were more likely to report pretending orgasm, (2) women who reported greater likelihood of pretending orgasm also reported performing more mate retention behaviors, and (3) women's perceptions of partner infidelity risk mediated the relationship between pretending orgasm and the performance of cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors, such as Intersexual Negative Inducements ("Flirted with someone in front of my partner") and Intrasexual Negative Inducements ("Yelled at a woman who looked at my partner"). Thus, pretending orgasm may be part of a broader strategy of mate retention performed by women who perceive higher risk of partner infidelity.

Do Women Pretend Orgasm to Retain a Mate?

PubMed Central

Shackelford, Todd K.; Weekes-Shackelford, Viviana A.

2013-01-01

The current study tested the hypothesis that women pretend orgasm as part of a broader strategy of mate retention. We obtained self-report data from 453 heterosexual women (M age, 21.8 years) in a long-term relationship (M length, 32.8 months) drawn from universities and surrounding communities in the southeastern United States. The results indicated that (1) women who perceived higher risk of partner infidelity were more likely to report pretending orgasm, (2) women who reported greater likelihood of pretending orgasm also reported performing more mate retention behaviors, and (3) women’s perceptions of partner infidelity risk mediated the relationship between pretending orgasm and the performance of cost-inflicting mate retention behaviors, such as Intersexual Negative Inducements (“Flirted with some one infront of my partner”) and Intrasexual Negative Inducements (“Yelled at a woman who looked at my partner”). Thus, pretending orgasm may be part of a broader strategy of mate retention performed by women who perceive higher risk of partner infidelity. PMID:22089325

Sex Ratio Bias Leads to the Evolution of Sex Role Reversal in Honey Locust Beetles.

PubMed

Fritzsche, Karoline; Booksmythe, Isobel; Arnqvist, Göran

2016-09-26

The reversal of conventional sex roles was enigmatic to Darwin, who suggested that it may evolve when sex ratios are female biased [1]. Here we present direct evidence confirming Darwin's hypothesis. We investigated mating system evolution in a sex-role-reversed beetle (Megabruchidius dorsalis) using experimental evolution under manipulated sex ratios and food regimes. In female-biased populations, where reproductive competition among females was intensified, females evolved to be more attractive and the sex roles became more reversed. Interestingly, female-specific mating behavior evolved more rapidly than male-specific mating behavior. We show that sexual selection due to reproductive competition can be strong in females and can target much the same traits as in males of species with conventional mating systems. Our study highlights two central points: the role of ecology in directing sexual selection and the role that females play in mating system evolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual overperception: power, mating motives, and biases in social judgment.

PubMed

Kunstman, Jonathan W; Maner, Jon K

2011-02-01

Results from 4 experiments suggest that power motivates heightened perceptions and expectations of sexual interest from subordinates. Having power over a member of the opposite sex activated sexual concepts that persisted across a temporal delay, indicating the activation of a mating goal (Study 1). Having power increased participants' expectations of sexual interest from a subordinate (Study 2) but only when a mating goal was attainable (i.e., when the subordinate was romantically available; Study 3). In a face-to-face interaction between 2 participants, power heightened perceptions of sexual interest and sexualized behavior among participants with chronically active mating goals (i.e., sexually unrestricted individuals; Study 4). Tests of mediation demonstrated that sexual overperception mediated power's effect on sexually tinged behavior. Through its capacity to induce goal pursuit, power can activate mating goals that sexualize interactions between men and women. This research demonstrates one route through which power might lead to sexual harassment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Genetic structure and breeding system in a social wasp and its social parasite

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Background Social insects dominate ecological communities because of their sophisticated group behaviors. However, the intricate behaviors of social insects may be exploited by social parasites, which manipulate insect societies for their own benefit. Interactions between social parasites and their hosts lead to unusual coevolutionary dynamics that ultimately affect the breeding systems and population structures of both species. This study represents one of the first attempts to understand the population and colony genetic structure of a parasite and its host in a social wasp system. Results We used DNA microsatellite markers to investigate gene flow, genetic variation, and mating behavior of the facultative social parasite Vespula squamosa and its primary host, V. maculifrons. Our analyses of genetic variability uncovered that both species possessed similar amounts of genetic variation and failed to show genetic structure over the sampling area. Our analysis of mating system of V. maculifrons and V. squamosa revealed high levels of polyandry and no evidence for inbreeding in the two species. Moreover, we found no significant differences between estimates of worker relatedness in this study and a previous investigation conducted over two decades ago, suggesting that the selective pressures operating on queen mate number have remained constant. Finally, the distribution of queen mate number in both species deviated from simple expectations suggesting that mate number may be under stabilizing selection. Conclusion The general biology of V. squamosa has not changed substantially from that of a typical, nonparasitic Vespula wasp. For example, population sizes of the host and its parasite appear to be similar, in contrast to other social parasites, which often display lower population sizes than their hosts. In addition, parasitism has not caused the mating behavior of V. squamosa queens to deviate from the high levels of multiple mating that typify Vespula wasps. This stands in contrast to some socially parasitic ants, which revert to mating with few males. Overall, the general similarity of the genetic structure of V. maculifrons and V. squamosa presumably reflects the fact that V. squamosa is still capable of independent colony founding and thus reflects an intermediate stage in the evolution of social parasitism. PMID:18715511

Female homosexual behavior and inter-sexual mate competition in Japanese macaques: possible implications for sexual selection theory.

PubMed

Vasey, Paul L; Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Gunst, Noëlle; VanderLaan, Doug P

2014-10-01

In this paper, we review research related to female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), including our 20-year program of research on this species. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that female homosexual behavior in this species is sexually motivated. In contrast, many sociosexual hypotheses have been tested in relation to female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques, but none have been supported. Female Japanese macaques sometimes engage in same-sex sexual activity even when motivated opposite-sex alternatives are available. Within this context of mate choice, males compete inter-sexually for opportunities to copulate with females above and beyond any intra-sexual competition that is required. Anecdotal evidence suggests that inter-sexual competition for female sexual partners has been observed in a number of other species, including humans. At present it is unclear whether inter-sexual competition for sexual partners influences patterns of reproduction. Our understanding of sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems may be improved by investigating whether inter-sexual mate competition influences the acquisition and maintenance of reproductive partners in those species in which such interactions occur. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Floral mimicry enhances pollen export: the evolution of pollination by sexual deceit outside of the orchidaceae.

PubMed

Ellis, Allan G; Johnson, Steven D

2010-11-01

Although the majority of flowering plants achieve pollination by exploiting the food‐seeking behavior of animals, some use alternative ploys that exploit their mate‐seeking behavior. Sexual deception is currently known only from the Orchidaceae and almost always involves pollination by male hymenoptera. An outstanding problem has been to identify the selective factors in plants that favor exploitation of mating versus feeding behaviors in pollinators. Here we show that the insectlike petal ornaments on inflorescences of the daisy Gorteria diffusa elicit copulation attempts from male bombyliid flies and that the intensity of the mating response varies across geographical floral morphotypes, suggesting a continuum in reliance on feeding through mating responses for pollination. Using pollen analogues applied to a morphotype with prominent insectlike petal ornaments, we demonstrate that mate‐seeking male flies are several‐fold more active and export significantly more pollen than females. These results suggest that selection for traits that exploit insect mating behavior can occur through the male component of plant fitness and conclusively demonstrates pollination by sexual deception in Gorteria, making this the first confirmed report of sexual deception outside of the Orchidaceae.

Effect of Female-Biased Sex Ratios on Female Homosexual Behavior in Japanese Macaques: Evidence for the "Bisexual Preference Hypothesis".

PubMed

Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Gunst, Noëlle; Huffman, Michael A; Vasey, Paul L

2015-11-01

We aimed to explain the frequent and prevalent female homosexual behavior in the context of female-biased operational sex ratios (OSR) and qualified sex ratios (Q) in a free-ranging group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) living at Arashiyama-Kyoto, Japan. Our data included the average availability of sexually mature males during females' putative fertile period (OSR), the ratio of sexually mature males to sexually mature females (Q), as well as heterosexual and female homosexual solicitations and consortships collected during 13 mating seasons from 136 females. Our results did not support the "heterosexual deprivation hypothesis," which holds that female homosexual behavior is attributable to a shortage of male mates. Likewise, our results did not support the "lack of opposite-sex sexual competitor hypothesis," which holds that females have more access to female mates when male sexual rivals are scarce. Of the 11 predictions tested, only one yielded statistically significant results: we found that higher ratios of availability of preferred female partners to preferred male partners were associated with female homosexual consortships rather than female heterosexual consortships. This result supported the "bisexual preference hypothesis," which holds that female homosexual behavior is attributable to female preference for certain female mates relative to certain male mates. We conclude that when a female targets another female as a mate, it is an active choice for a female sexual partner over available male alternatives, rather than a by-default situation that occurs because males are not available as sexual partners, or because females are better able to access female sexual partners due to a scarcity of male sexual competitors.

Influences of Mating Group Composition on the Behavioral Time-Budget of Male and Female Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) during the Rut

PubMed Central

Tettamanti, Federico; Viblanc, Vincent A.

2014-01-01

During the rut, polygynous ungulates gather in mixed groups of individuals of different sex and age. Group social composition, which may vary on a daily basis, is likely to have strong influences on individual’s time-budget, with emerging properties at the group-level. To date, few studies have considered the influence of group composition on male and female behavioral time budget in mating groups. Focusing on a wild population of Alpine ibex, we investigated the influence of group composition (adult sex ratio, the proportion of dominant to subordinate males, and group size) on three behavioral axes obtained by Principal Components Analysis, describing male and female group time-budget. For both sexes, the first behavioral axis discerned a trade-off between grazing and standing/vigilance behavior. In females, group vigilance behavior increased with increasingly male-biased sex ratio, whereas in males, the effect of adult sex ratio on standing/vigilance behavior depended on the relative proportion of dominant males in the mating group. The second axis characterized courtship and male-male agonistic behavior in males, and moving and male-directed agonistic behavior in females. Mating group composition did not substantially influence this axis in males. However, moving and male-directed agonistic behavior increased at highly biased sex ratios (quadratic effect) in females. Finally, the third axis highlighted a trade-off between moving and lying behavior in males, and distinguished moving and female-female agonistic behavior from lying behavior in females. For males, those behaviors were influenced by a complex interaction between group size and adult sex ratio, whereas in females, moving and female-female agonistic behaviors increased in a quadratic fashion at highly biased sex ratios, and also increased with increasing group size. Our results reveal complex behavioral trade-offs depending on group composition in the Alpine ibex, and emphasize the importance of social factors in influencing behavioral time-budgets of wild ungulates during the rut. PMID:24416453

An Evolutionary Perspective on Mate Rejection.

PubMed

Kelly, Ashleigh J; Dubbs, Shelli L; Barlow, Fiona Kate

2016-01-01

We argue that mate rejection and ex-partner relationships are important, multifaceted topics that have been underresearched in social and evolutionary psychology. Mate rejection and relationship dissolution are ubiquitous and form integral parts of the human experience. Both also carry with them potential risks and benefits to our fitness and survival. Hence, we expect that mate rejection would have given rise to evolved behavioral and psychological adaptations. Herein, we outline some of the many unanswered questions in evolutionary psychology on these topics, at each step presenting novel hypotheses about how men and women should behave when rejecting a mate or potential mate or in response to rejection. We intend these hypotheses and suggestions for future research to be used as a basis for enriching our understanding of human mating from an evolutionary perspective.

Hydrocarbon Contamination Decreases Mating Success in a Marine Planktonic Copepod

PubMed Central

Seuront, Laurent

2011-01-01

The mating behavior and the mating success of copepods rely on chemoreception to locate and track a sexual partner. However, the potential impact of the water-soluble fraction of hydrocarbons on these aspects of copepod reproduction has never been tested despite the widely acknowledged acute chemosensory abilities of copepods. I examined whether three concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of diesel oil (0.01%, 0.1% and 1%) impacts (i) the swimming behavior of both adult males and females of the widespread calanoid copepod Temora longcornis, and (ii) the ability of males to locate, track and mate with females. The three concentrations of the water-soluble fraction of diesel oil (WSF) significantly and non-significantly affect female and male swimming velocities, respectively. In contrast, both the complexity of male and female swimming paths significantly decreased with increasing WSF concentrations, hence suggesting a sex-specific sensitivity to WSF contaminated seawater. In addition, the three WSF concentrations impacted both T. longicornis mating behavior and mating success. Specifically, the ability of males to detect female pheromone trails, to accurately follow trails and to successfully track a female significantly decreased with increasing WSF concentrations. This led to a significant decrease in contact and capture rates from control to WSF contaminated seawater. These results indicate that hydrocarbon contamination of seawater decreases the ability of male copepods to detect and track a female, hence suggest an overall impact on population fitness and dynamics. PMID:22053187

Mating behavior of adolescent male chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda.

PubMed

Watts, David P

2015-04-01

Male mating tactics vary extensively in many primates. Some variation occurs because adolescent males often are sexually active but cannot invest heavily in mating effort because of their limited ability to compete directly with adults and because they are still investing in growth; consequently, most of their mating attempts may be surreptitious and/or with females whose fecundity is low. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have a complex mating system: most copulations occur between estrous females with full sexual swelling and multiple males in group settings where the potential for sperm competition is high, but males sometimes mate-guard females, and sometimes male-female pairs mate exclusively with each other while avoiding other males during "consortships." Among other factors, dominance ranks, coalition formation, and variation in male-female association influence male mating and reproductive success. Mating effort increases from adolescence into prime adulthood. At Gombe and Mahale, adolescent males copulated more with nulliparous than with parous females, and mostly when females were unlikely to be ovulating, partly because of low adult male interest in nulliparous females and partly because of aggression from or avoidance of adult males. Adolescents thus had low probabilities of siring infants. However, adolescents are known to have gained some paternity at Gombe and in other populations, and their mating behavior deserves more study. I present data on mating by adolescent males in an unusually large chimpanzee community at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. Adolescents at Ngogo also copulated more with nulliparous than parous females and mostly copulated outside of periovulatory periods. Also, they directed less aggression at estrous females than did adult males. However, they gained lower shares of copulations than reported for Gombe and Mahale, regardless of female parity, and received more aggression from adult males. These differences might partly reflect the influence of variation in the number of males per community on male mating tactics.

Neural bases of human mate choice: multiple value dimensions, sex difference, and self-assessment system.

PubMed

Funayama, Risa; Sugiura, Motoaki; Sassa, Yuko; Jeong, Hyeonjeong; Wakusawa, Keisuke; Horie, Kaoru; Sato, Shigeru; Kawashima, Ryuta

2012-01-01

Mate choice is an example of sophisticated daily decision making supported by multiple componential processes. In mate-choice literature, different characteristics of the value dimensions, including the sex difference in the value dimensions, and the involvement of self-assessment due to the mutual nature of the choice, have been suggested. We examined whether the brain-activation pattern during virtual mate choice would be congruent with these characteristics in terms of stimulus selectivity and activated brain regions. In measuring brain activity, young men and women were shown two pictures of either faces or behaviors, and they indicated which person they would choose either as a spouse or as a friend. Activation selective to spouse choice was observed face-selectively in men's amygdala and behavior-selectively in women's motor system. During both partner-choice conditions, behavior-selective activation was observed in the temporoparietal regions. Taking the available knowledge of these regions into account, these results are congruent with the suggested characteristics of value dimensions for physical attractiveness, parenting resources, and beneficial personality traits for a long-lasting relationship, respectively. The medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices were nonselectively activated during the partner choices, suggesting the involvement of a self-assessment process. The results thus provide neuroscientific support for the multi-component mate-choice mechanism.

Sexual Dimorphism and Mating Behavior in Anomala testaceipennis

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Sérgio Roberto; Gomes, Elias Soares; Bento, José Maurício Simões

2014-01-01

Abstract The beetle, Anomala testaceipennis Blanchard (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), occurs in central-western Brazil where larvae feed on the roots of plants causing damage. This research aimed to study sexual dimorphism and mating behavior of A. testaceipennis . Adults of A. testaceipennis were collected with light traps in the experimental area of the State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, in Aquidauana. Laboratory experiments were performed to describe copulation behavior and adult morphology of males and females. In males the last abdominal segment has a pronounced constriction, which is absent in females, and the male’s last segment of the first pair of legs has a ventral projection, which is poorly developed in females. The mating activities of adults begin soon after sunset, when adults leave the soil and fly. When the male encounters a female, he touches her with antennae and tarsi. If accepted, the male climbs on the female and remains on her back, and soon after the copulation begins. When the female does not accept the male for mating, she moves rapidly and can roll on the ground, and by so removing the male. In the field, adults feed and mate on bloomed trees of Oiti, Licania tomentosa Benth (Malpighiales: Chrysobalanaceae) and Louro, Cordia glabrata Martius (Boraginaceae). In trees without inflorescences no adults of this species were found. PMID:25502043

Male Sexual Behavior and Pheromone Emission Is Enhanced by Exposure to Guava Fruit Volatiles in Anastrepha fraterculus

PubMed Central

Bachmann, Guillermo E.; Segura, Diego F.; Devescovi, Francisco; Juárez, M. Laura; Ruiz, M. Josefina; Vera, M. Teresa; Cladera, Jorge L.; Fernández, Patricia C.

2015-01-01

Background Plant chemicals can affect reproductive strategies of tephritid fruit flies by influencing sex pheromone communication and increasing male mating competitiveness. Objective and Methodology We explored whether exposure of Anastrepha fraterculus males to guava fruit volatiles and to a synthetic blend of volatile compounds released by this fruit affects the sexual performance of wild and laboratory flies. By means of bioassays and pheromone collection we investigated the mechanism underlying this phenomenon. Results Guava volatile exposure enhanced male mating success and positively affected male calling behavior and pheromone release in laboratory and wild males. Changes in male behavior appear to be particularly important during the initial phase of the sexual activity period, when most of the mating pairs are formed. Exposure of laboratory males to a subset of guava fruit volatiles enhanced mating success, showing that the response to the fruit might be mimicked artificially. Conclusions Volatiles of guava seem to influence male mating success through an enhancement of chemical and physical signals related to the communication between sexes. This finding has important implications for the management of this pest species through the Sterile Insect Technique. We discuss the possibility of using artificial blends to improve the sexual competitiveness of sterile males. PMID:25923584

Chronic social isolation enhances reproduction in the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).

PubMed

Perry, Adam N; Carter, C Sue; Cushing, Bruce S

2016-06-01

Chronic stressors are generally considered to disrupt reproduction and inhibit mating. Here we test the hypothesis that a chronic stressor, specifically social isolation, can facilitate adaptive changes that enhance/accelerate reproductive effort. In general, monogamous species display high levels of prosociality, delayed sexual maturation, and greater parental investment in fewer, higher quality offspring compared with closely related polygynous species. We predicted that chronic social isolation would promote behavioral and neurochemical patterns in prairie voles associated with polygyny. Male and female prairie voles were isolated for four weeks and changes in mating behavior, alloparental care, estrogen receptor (ER) α expression and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in brain regions regulating sociosexual behavior were examined. In males, isolation accelerated copulation, increased ERα in the medial amygdala (MEApd) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTpm), and reduced TH expression in the MEApd and BSTpm, but had no effect on alloparental behavior. In females, isolation resulted in more rapid estrus induction and reduced TH expression in the MEApd and BSTpm, but had no effect on estradiol sensitivity or ERα expression. The results support the hypothesis that ERα expression in the MEApd and BSTpm is a critical determinant of male copulatory behavior and/or mating system. The lack of change in alloparental behavior suggests that changes in prosocial behavior are selective and regulated by different mechanisms. The results also suggest that TH in the MEApd and BSTpm may play a critical role in determining mating behavior in both sexes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resistance to mate guarding scale in women: psychometric properties.

PubMed

Cousins, Alita J; Fugère, Madeleine A; Riggs, Matthew L

2015-02-03

One individual's actions may affect the evolutionary fitness of another individual. Sexually antagonistic coevolution occurs when one partner's behavior decreases the fitness of the other partner (Rice, 1996). This conflict pressures the other partner to counter these disadvantageous actions. Mate guarding is a mate retention tactic aimed at keeping a partner from cheating. Mate guarding may reduce mate choice, especially for extra pair mates. Therefore, some individuals may resist their partner's mate guarding tactics. We developed a scale to measure resistance to mate guarding and tested it in women (N = 1069). Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), six theoretically sound factors emerged and explained 69% of the variance. Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed strong support for the six original subscales as well as for the overall scale. The subscales had high reliability. The validity of the Resistance to Mate Guarding Scale was also excellent. Women who stated they used more resistance to mate guarding strategies also indicated that they had partners who mate guarded more, were less invested in their relationships, felt their partners were more controlling, had a more avoidant attachment style, and had a more unrestricted sociosexual orientation.

Eavesdropping to Find Mates: The Function of Male Hearing for a Cicada-Hunting Parasitoid Fly, Emblemasoma erro (Diptera: Sarcophagidae).

PubMed

Stucky, Brian J

2016-01-01

Females of several species of dipteran parasitoids use long-range hearing to locate hosts for their offspring by eavesdropping on the acoustic mating calls of other insects. Males of these acoustic eavesdropping parasitoids also have physiologically functional ears, but so far, no adaptive function for male hearing has been discovered. I investigated the function of male hearing for the sarcophagid fly Emblemasoma erro Aldrich, an acoustic parasitoid of cicadas, by testing the hypothesis that both male and female E. erro use hearing to locate potential mates. I found that both male and nongravid female E. erro perform phonotaxis to the sounds of calling cicadas, that male flies engage in short-range, mate-finding behavior once they arrive at a sound source, and that encounters between females and males at a sound source can lead to copulation. Thus, cicada calling songs appear to serve as a mate-finding cue for both sexes of E. erro Emblemasoma erro's mate-finding behavior is compared to that of other sarcophagid flies, other acoustic parasitoids, and nonacoustic eavesdropping parasitoids. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Seminal fluid protein depletion and replenishment in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster: an ELISA-based method for tracking individual ejaculates

PubMed Central

Sirot, Laura K.; Wolfner, Mariana F.

2014-01-01

In many species, seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) affect female post-mating behavioral patterns, including sperm storage, egg laying, feeding, and remating. Yet, few studies have investigated the patterns of allocation, depletion, and replenishment of SFPs in male animals, despite the importance of these proteins to male and female reproductive success. To investigate such SFP dynamics, it is necessary to have a sensitive method for quantifying SFP levels in males and mated females. We developed such a method by adapting the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using anti-SFP antibodies. Here, we first use two Drosophila melanogaster SFPs (ovulin and sex peptide) to demonstrate that ELISAs provide accurate measures of SFP levels. We find that, consistent with previous data from Western blotting or immunofluorescence studies, levels of both ovulin and sex peptide decline in the mated female with time since mating, but they do so at different rates. We then use ELISAs to show that males become depleted of SFPs with repeated matings, but that previously mated males are able to transfer “virgin” levels of SFPs after 3 days of sexual inactivity. Finally, we demonstrate that ELISAs can detect SFPs from wild-caught D. melanogaster males and, thus, potentially can be used to track mating patterns in the wild. This method of measuring SFP dynamics can be used in a wide range of species to address questions related to male reproductive investment, female mating history, and variation in female post-mating behavioral changes. PMID:24733957

Regulation of onset of female mating and sex pheromone production by juvenile hormone in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Bilen, Julide; Atallah, Jade; Azanchi, Reza; Levine, Joel D.; Riddiford, Lynn M.

2013-01-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) coordinates timing of female reproductive maturation in most insects. In Drosophila melanogaster, JH plays roles in both mating and egg maturation. However, very little is known about the molecular pathways associated with mating. Our behavioral analysis of females genetically lacking the corpora allata, the glands that produce JH, showed that they were courted less by males and mated later than control females. Application of the JH mimic, methoprene, to the allatectomized females just after eclosion rescued both the male courtship and the mating delay. Our studies of the null mutants of the JH receptors, Methoprene tolerant (Met) and germ cell-expressed (gce), showed that lack of Met in Met27 females delayed the onset of mating, whereas lack of Gce had little effect. The Met27 females were shown to be more attractive but less behaviorally receptive to copulation attempts. The behavioral but not the attractiveness phenotype was rescued by the Met genomic transgene. Analysis of the female cuticular hydrocarbon profiles showed that corpora allata ablation caused a delay in production of the major female-specific sex pheromones (the 7,11-C27 and -C29 dienes) and a change in the cuticular hydrocarbon blend. In the Met27 null mutant, by 48 h, the major C27 diene was greatly increased relative to wild type. In contrast, the gce2.5k null mutant females were courted similarly to control females despite changes in certain cuticular hydrocarbons. Our findings indicate that JH acts primarily via Met to modulate the timing of onset of female sex pheromone production and mating. PMID:24145432

Fine structure of the male reproductive system and reproductive behavior of Lutzomyia longipalpis sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

PubMed

Spiegel, Carolina N; Bretas, Jorge A C; Peixoto, Alexandre A; Vigoder, Felipe M; Bruno, Rafaela V; Soares, Maurilio J

2013-01-01

The male reproductive system of insects can have several tissues responsible for the secretion of seminal fluid proteins (SFPs), such as testes, accessory glands, seminal vesicles, ejaculatory duct and ejaculatory bulb. The SFPs are transferred during mating and can induce several physiological and behavioral changes in females, such as increase in oviposition and decrease in sexual receptivity after copulation. The phlebotomine Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis. Despite its medical importance, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present morphological aspects of the male L. longipalpis reproductive system by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and compare the mating frequency of both virgin and previously mated females. The male L. longipalpis reproductive system is comprised by a pair of oval-shaped testes linked to a seminal vesicle by vasa deferentia. It follows an ejaculatory duct with an ejaculatory pump (a large bulb enveloped by muscles and associated to tracheas). The terminal endings of the vasa deferentia are inserted into the seminal vesicle by invaginations of the seminal vesicle wall, which is composed by a single layer of gland cells, with well-developed endoplasmic reticulum profiles and secretion granules. Our data suggest that the seminal vesicle acts both as a spermatozoa reservoir and as an accessory gland. Mating experiments support this hypothesis, revealing a decrease in mating frequency after copulation that indicates the effect of putative SFPs. Ultrastructural features of the L. longipalpis male seminal vesicle indicated its possible role as an accessory gland. Behavioral observations revealed a reduction in mating frequency of copulated females. Together with transcriptome analyses from male sandfly reproductive organs identifying ESTs encoding orthologs of SFPs, these data indicate the presence of putative L. longipalpis SFPs reducing sexual mating frequency of copulated females.

Evolution of the Bipolar Mating System of the Mushroom Coprinellus disseminatus From Its Tetrapolar Ancestors Involves Loss of Mating-Type-Specific Pheromone Receptor Function

PubMed Central

James, Timothy Y.; Srivilai, Prayook; Kües, Ursula; Vilgalys, Rytas

2006-01-01

Mating incompatibility in mushroom fungi is controlled by the mating-type loci. In tetrapolar species, two unlinked mating-type loci exist (A and B), whereas in bipolar species there is only one locus. The A and B mating-type loci encode homeodomain transcription factors and pheromones and pheromone receptors, respectively. Most mushroom species have a tetrapolar mating system, but numerous transitions to bipolar mating systems have occurred. Here we determined the genes controlling mating type in the bipolar mushroom Coprinellus disseminatus. Through positional cloning and degenerate PCR, we sequenced both the transcription factor and pheromone receptor mating-type gene homologs from C. disseminatus. Only the transcription factor genes segregate with mating type, discounting the hypothesis of genetic linkage between the A and B mating-type loci as the causal origin of bipolar mating behavior. The mating-type locus of C. disseminatus is similar to the A mating-type locus of the model species Coprinopsis cinerea and encodes two tightly linked pairs of homeodomain transcription factor genes. When transformed into C. cinerea, the C. disseminatus A and B homologs elicited sexual reactions like native mating-type genes. Although mating type in C. disseminatus is controlled by only the transcription factor genes, cellular functions appear to be conserved for both groups of genes. PMID:16461425

Cryptic confounding compounds: A brief consideration of the influences of anthropogenic contaminants on courtship and mating behavior

PubMed Central

Blocker, Tomica D.; Ophir, Alexander G.

2012-01-01

Contaminants, like pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and metals, are persistent and ubiquitous and are known to threaten the environment. Traditionally, scientists have considered the direct physiological risks that these contaminants pose. However, scientists have just begun to integrate ethology and toxicology to investigate the effects that contaminants have on behavior. This review considers the potential for contaminant effects on mating behavior. Here we assess the growing body of research concerning disruptions in sexual differentiation, courtship, sexual receptivity, arousal, and mating. We discuss the implications of these disruptions on conservation efforts and highlight the importance of recognizing the potential for environmental stressors to affect behavioral experimentation. More specifically, we consider the negative implications for anthropogenic contaminants to affect the immediate behavior of animals, and their potential to have cascading and/or long-term effects on the behavioral ecology and evolution of populations. Overall, we aim to raise awareness of the confounding influence that contaminants can have, and promote caution when interpreting results where the potential for cryptic affects are possible. PMID:24244068

Female guppies agree to differ: phenotypic and genetic variation in mate-choice behavior and the consequences for sexual selection.

PubMed

Brooks, R; Endler, J A

2001-08-01

Variation among females in mate choice may influence evolution by sexual selection. The genetic basis of this variation is of interest because the elaboration of mating preferences requires additive genetic variation in these traits. Here we measure the repeatability and heritability of two components of female choosiness (responsiveness and discrimination) and of female preference functions for the multiple ornaments borne by male guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We show that there is significant repeatable variation in both components of choosiness and in some preference functions but not in others. There appear to be several male ornaments that females find uniformly attractive and others for which females differ in preference. One consequence is that there is no universally attractive male phenotype. Only responsiveness shows significant additive genetic variation. Variation in responsiveness appears to mask variation in discrimination and some preference functions and may be the most biologically relevant source of phenotypic and genetic variation in mate-choice behavior. To test the potential evolutionary importance of the phenotypic variation in mate choice that we report, we estimated the opportunity for and the intensity of sexual selection under models of mate choice that excluded and that incorporated individual female variation. We then compared these estimates with estimates based on measured mating success. Incorporating individual variation in mate choice generally did not predict the outcome of sexual selection any better than models that ignored such variation.

Intrasexual competition in females: evidence for sexual selection?

PubMed

Rosvall, Kimberly A

2011-11-01

In spite of recent interest in sexual selection in females, debate exists over whether traits that influence female-female competition are sexually selected. This review uses female-female aggressive behavior as a model behavioral trait for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms promoting intrasexual competition, focusing especially on sexual selection. I employ a broad definition of sexual selection, whereby traits that influence competition for mates are sexually selected, whereas those that directly influence fecundity or offspring survival are naturally selected. Drawing examples from across animal taxa, including humans, I examine 4 predictions about female intrasexual competition based on the abundance of resources, the availability of males, and the direct or indirect benefits those males provide. These patterns reveal a key sex difference in sexual selection: Although females may compete for the number of mates, they appear to compete more so for access to high-quality mates that provide direct and indirect (genetic) benefits. As is the case in males, intrasexual selection in females also includes competition for essential resources required for access to mates. If mate quality affects the magnitude of mating success, then restricting sexual selection to competition for quantity of mates may ignore important components of fitness in females and underestimate the role of sexual selection in shaping female phenotype. In the future, understanding sex differences in sexual selection will require further exploration of the extent of mutual intrasexual competition and the incorporation of quality of mating success into the study of sexual selection in both sexes.

Intrasexual competition in females: evidence for sexual selection?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

In spite of recent interest in sexual selection in females, debate exists over whether traits that influence female–female competition are sexually selected. This review uses female–female aggressive behavior as a model behavioral trait for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms promoting intrasexual competition, focusing especially on sexual selection. I employ a broad definition of sexual selection, whereby traits that influence competition for mates are sexually selected, whereas those that directly influence fecundity or offspring survival are naturally selected. Drawing examples from across animal taxa, including humans, I examine 4 predictions about female intrasexual competition based on the abundance of resources, the availability of males, and the direct or indirect benefits those males provide. These patterns reveal a key sex difference in sexual selection: Although females may compete for the number of mates, they appear to compete more so for access to high-quality mates that provide direct and indirect (genetic) benefits. As is the case in males, intrasexual selection in females also includes competition for essential resources required for access to mates. If mate quality affects the magnitude of mating success, then restricting sexual selection to competition for quantity of mates may ignore important components of fitness in females and underestimate the role of sexual selection in shaping female phenotype. In the future, understanding sex differences in sexual selection will require further exploration of the extent of mutual intrasexual competition and the incorporation of quality of mating success into the study of sexual selection in both sexes. PMID:22479137

Sequencing of a Patient with Balanced Chromosome Abnormalities and Neurodevelopmental Disease Identifies Disruption of Multiple High Risk Loci by Structural Variation

PubMed Central

Blake, Jonathon; Riddell, Andrew; Theiss, Susanne; Gonzalez, Alexis Perez; Haase, Bettina; Jauch, Anna; Janssen, Johannes W. G.; Ibberson, David; Pavlinic, Dinko; Moog, Ute; Benes, Vladimir; Runz, Heiko

2014-01-01

Balanced chromosome abnormalities (BCAs) occur at a high frequency in healthy and diseased individuals, but cost-efficient strategies to identify BCAs and evaluate whether they contribute to a phenotype have not yet become widespread. Here we apply genome-wide mate-pair library sequencing to characterize structural variation in a patient with unclear neurodevelopmental disease (NDD) and complex de novo BCAs at the karyotype level. Nucleotide-level characterization of the clinically described BCA breakpoints revealed disruption of at least three NDD candidate genes (LINC00299, NUP205, PSMD14) that gave rise to abnormal mRNAs and could be assumed as disease-causing. However, unbiased genome-wide analysis of the sequencing data for cryptic structural variation was key to reveal an additional submicroscopic inversion that truncates the schizophrenia- and bipolar disorder-associated brain transcription factor ZNF804A as an equally likely NDD-driving gene. Deep sequencing of fluorescent-sorted wild-type and derivative chromosomes confirmed the clinically undetected BCA. Moreover, deep sequencing further validated a high accuracy of mate-pair library sequencing to detect structural variants larger than 10 kB, proposing that this approach is powerful for clinical-grade genome-wide structural variant detection. Our study supports previous evidence for a role of ZNF804A in NDD and highlights the need for a more comprehensive assessment of structural variation in karyotypically abnormal individuals and patients with neurocognitive disease to avoid diagnostic deception. PMID:24625750

Scheduled Daily Mating Induces Circadian Anticipatory Activity Rhythms in the Male Rat

PubMed Central

Landry, Glenn J.; Opiol, Hanna; Marchant, Elliott G.; Pavlovski, Ilya; Mear, Rhiannon J.; Hamson, Dwayne K.; Mistlberger, Ralph E.

2012-01-01

Daily schedules of limited access to food, palatable high calorie snacks, water and salt can induce circadian rhythms of anticipatory locomotor activity in rats and mice. All of these stimuli are rewarding, but whether anticipation can be induced by neural correlates of reward independent of metabolic perturbations associated with manipulations of food and hydration is unclear. Three experiments were conducted to determine whether mating, a non-ingestive behavior that is potently rewarding, can induce circadian anticipatory activity rhythms in male rats provided scheduled daily access to steroid-primed estrous female rats. In Experiment 1, rats anticipated access to estrous females in the mid-light period, but also exhibited post-coital eating and running. In Experiment 2, post-coital eating and running were prevented and only a minority of rats exhibited anticipation. Rats allowed to see and smell estrous females showed no anticipation. In both experiments, all rats exhibited sustained behavioral arousal and multiple mounts and intromissions during every session, but ejaculated only every 2–3 days. In Experiment 3, the rats were given more time with individual females, late at night for 28 days, and then in the midday for 28 days. Ejaculation rates increased and anticipation was robust to night sessions and significant although weaker to day sessions. The anticipation rhythm persisted during 3 days of constant dark without mating. During anticipation of nocturnal mating, the rats exhibited a significant preference for a tube to the mating cage over a tube to a locked cage with mating cage litter. This apparent place preference was absent during anticipation of midday mating, which may reflect a daily rhythm of sexual reward. The results establish mating as a reward stimulus capable of inducing circadian rhythms of anticipatory behavior in the male rat, and reveal a critical role for ejaculation, a modulatory role for time of day, and a potential confound role for uncontrolled food intake. PMID:22848408

Internal artificial vagina (IAV) to assess breeding behavior of young Bos taurus and Bos indicus bulls.

PubMed

Cruz, F B; Lohn, L; Marinho, L S R; Mezzalira, J C; Neto, S Gaudencio; Martins, L T; Vieira, A D; Barth, A; Mezzalira, A

2011-07-01

Bull breeding soundness evaluation (BBSE) usually neglects the libido and mating ability evaluation. The internal artificial vagina (IAV) permits semen sampling, as well as mating ability evaluation. Few studies have been performed using IAV with young bulls and there are none with Bos indicus bulls. The present study evaluated sexual behavior, mating ability and semen quality in young Bos taurus (Devon) and B. indicus (Nellore) bulls using the IAV device. In the first experiment, 52 Devon bulls, 18-25 months old were observed, and the behavior and mating ability recorded over a 10-min period within a restrained mount-cow with an IAV inserted. In the second experiment, 20 Nellore bulls, 20-30 months old were evaluated over a 20 min period. Of the 52 Devon bulls, 45 (86.5%) had semen recovered with the IAV, 31 (69.0%) were considered satisfactory. Nellore bulls exhibited a different sexual behavior, with 10 bulls not showing any interest in the females. Four bulls demonstrated sexual interest only once, e.g., sniffing, two showed interest on more than one occasion, and four had more than two mounts or mounting attempts. None out of the Nellore bulls was collected with IAV. The IAV was an effective and welfare-promoting animal technology for the evaluation of semen quality and mating ability of B. taurus bulls. However, the IAV was not adequate for young Nellore bulls, probably due to their quiescent sexual behavior and delayed sexual maturity. Further studies are needed to evaluate the performance of the IAV for older Nellore bulls. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Age Influence on Sexual Behavior of the Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

PubMed

Xavier, L M S; Magalhães, D M; Viana, P A; Blassioli-Moraes, M C; Borges, M; Barrigossi, J A F; Vilela, E F; Laumann, R A

2018-04-01

The objective of this work was to evaluate the reproductive behavior and response of Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller) males to calling females. Frequency of mating was recorded in couples during the first 7 days of the adult stage. Calling behavior of females was observed during the first 4 days of the adult stage and responses of males, in the same age intervals, to calling females were recorded in wind tunnel bioassays. The maximum number of matings occurred when the couple was between 24 and 48 h old. The scotophase period significantly influenced mating behavior, which peaked between 6 and 8 h of darkness and the mean mating duration was 93.9 ± 4.2 min. Calling females, when evaluated in a wind tunnel, attracted significantly more males than in bioassays with clean air (control). The number of individuals in calling behavior was significantly lower for females that were between 0 to 24 h old compared to the other females evaluated, but this did not influence male response. A lower proportion of males between 48 to 72 h old responded to calling females and these responses were delayed in comparison with males of other ages (0 to 24, 24 to 48, and 72 to 96 h old). These results indicate that the age of E. lignosellus males influences the response to conspecific calling females.

Post-Mating Sexual Behaviors of Oriental Storks (Ciconia boyciana) in Captivity.

PubMed

Yoon, Jongmin; Ha, Hae-Sook; Jung, Jung-Shim; Park, Shi-Ryong

2015-08-01

Parental behaviors that vary by sex and breeding stage facilitate the survival of offspring in birds. Females invest in reproducing according to the level of direct and/or indirect benefits provided by males. Males face trade-offs from defending territories or nests, providing for the young, and seeking additional mating opportunities. We examined whether post-mating sexual behaviors such as courtship display and nest-building were associated with reproductive investments made by males and females in the current study. The oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana) is known as a solitary breeder that nests in tall trees and provides biparental care with long post-hatching development. We filmed parental behaviors in seven stork pairs in captivity for 655 hours (245 hours during nest-building, 218 hours during incubation, 328 hours during nestling, and 192 hours during the fledgling period). We found that paired mating behaviors such as synchronous allopreening and bill-clattering were highly skewed to the pre-incubation period. Males participated in nest-building more than females although both sexes shared similar parental care during the incubation and nestling period. Male nest-building was negatively correlated with male nest attentiveness only during the nestling period. Our results suggest that male oriental storks with higher nest-building effort might spend more time taking precautions against conspecific intruders or nest predators near the nests with chicks while the females were attending the nests in the form of biparental care.

Simultaneously hermaphroditic shrimp use lipophilic cuticular hydrocarbons as contact sex pheromones.

PubMed

Zhang, Dong; Terschak, John A; Harley, Maggy A; Lin, Junda; Hardege, Jörg D

2011-04-20

Successful mating is essentially a consequence of making the right choices at the correct time. Animals use specific strategies to gain information about a potential mate, which is then applied to decision-making processes. Amongst the many informative signals, odor cues such as sex pheromones play important ecological roles in coordinating mating behavior, enabling mate and kin recognition, qualifying mate choice, and preventing gene exchange among individuals from different populations and species. Despite overwhelming behavioral evidence, the chemical identity of most cues used in aquatic organisms remains unknown and their impact and omnipresence have not been fully recognized. In many crustaceans, including lobsters and shrimps, reproduction happens through a cascade of events ranging from initial attraction to formation of a mating pair eventually leading to mating. We examined the hypothesis that contact pheromones on the female body surface of the hermaphroditic shrimp Lysmata boggessi are of lipophilic nature, and resemble insect cuticular hydrocarbon contact cues. Via chemical analyses and behavioural assays, we show that newly molted euhermaphrodite-phase shrimp contain a bouquet of odor compounds. Of these, (Z)-9-octadecenamide is the key odor with hexadecanamide and methyl linoleate enhancing the bioactivity of the pheromone blend. Our results show that in aquatic systems lipophilic, cuticular hydrocarbon contact sex pheromones exist; this raises questions on how hydrocarbon contact signals evolved and how widespread these are in the marine environment.

Endocrinology of human female sexuality, mating, and reproductive behavior.

PubMed

Motta-Mena, Natalie V; Puts, David A

2017-05-01

Hormones orchestrate and coordinate human female sexual development, sexuality, and reproduction in relation to three types of phenotypic changes: life history transitions such as puberty and childbirth, responses to contextual factors such as caloric intake and stress, and cyclical patterns such as the ovulatory cycle. Here, we review the endocrinology underlying women's reproductive phenotypes, including sexual orientation and gender identity, mate preferences, competition for mates, sex drive, and maternal behavior. We highlight distinctive aspects of women's sexuality such as the possession of sexual ornaments, relatively cryptic fertile windows, extended sexual behavior across the ovulatory cycle, and a period of midlife reproductive senescence-and we focus on how hormonal mechanisms were shaped by selection to produce adaptive outcomes. We conclude with suggestions for future research to elucidate how hormonal mechanisms subserve women's reproductive phenotypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meeting your match: how attractiveness similarity affects approach behavior in mixed-sex dyads.

PubMed

van Straaten, Ischa; Engels, Rutger C M E; Finkenauer, Catrin; Holland, Rob W

2009-06-01

This experimental study investigated approach behavior toward opposite-sex others of similar versus dissimilar physical attractiveness. Furthermore, it tested the moderating effects of sex. Single participants interacted with confederates of high and low attractiveness. Observers rated their behavior in terms of relational investment (i.e., behavioral efforts related to the improvement of interaction fluency, communication of positive interpersonal affect, and positive self-presentation). As expected, men displayed more relational investment behavior if their own physical attractiveness was similar to that of the confederate. For women, no effects of attractiveness similarity on relational investment behavior were found. Results are discussed in the light of positive assortative mating, preferences for physically attractive mates, and sex differences in attraction-related interpersonal behaviors.

Radiation induced abnormalities in early in vitro mouse embryos

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirkpatrick, J.F.

1973-08-01

Female mice were superovulated and mated, and the two-cell embryos were collected and cultured in vitro. The embryos were exposed to x-irradiation (0 to 491 rads) during the two-cell stage before the appearance of the next cleavage plate, placed in new unirradiated culture medium and observed during subsequent development. Morphological abnormalities, which occurred as a result of irradiation, included fragmentation, disintegration, granlation, incomplete cleavage, cleavage cessation, nuclear degeneration and pycnosis and cytoplasmic vacuolization. There was no damage to the zona pellucida. The types of abnormalities indicate an agreement with the results of previous in vivo studies. A distinct correlation existedmore » between morphological abnormalities and embryo death. The greatest number of abnormalities resulted within five hours following irradiation, but increased through 20 hours post-exposure. At doses above 300 rads, the magnitude of damage was greater in the in vitro embryos than that shown in previous in vivo studies. (auth)« less

Reproductive Behavior and Basic Biology of the Oriental Bamboo-Inhabiting Anoplomus rufipes and a Comparison with Frugivorous Dacinae Fruit Flies

PubMed Central

Kovac, Damir

2015-01-01

The reproductive behaviors and mating systems of the fruit-infesting species of the Dacinae tribes Ceratitidini and Dacini are increasingly well understood, while in the non-frugivorous tribe Gastrozonini, data are lacking. In the present study, the reproductive behavior of Anoplomus rufipes from North Thailand was studied in the field, other behaviors also in the laboratory. A. rufipes mated on young bamboo plants growing in areas destroyed by fire. Exudates of extrafloral nectaries produced by the young bamboo plants provided food for the females. Factors affecting the choice of the mating site were favorable microclimatic conditions and food. Courtship behavior was performed on the upper sides of bamboo leaves and included pheromone calling (abdominal elevation, anal pouch eversion, abdominal pleural distention), anal dabbing, looping flights and a specific lofting/body swaying behavior. The males searched individually for females or formed leks containing up to four males. The reproductive behaviors and lek formation of A. rufipes are compared to other Dacinae (Ceratitis, Bactrocera), and their functions are discussed. Hitherto unknown data on the general biology of A. rufipes are also included. A. rufipes larvae infested living bamboo shoots of Cephalostachyum pergracile, and the observed behaviors of the adults included locomotion, grooming, feeding, oral droplet deposition, bubbling and agonistic behavior. PMID:26512699

A test of the critical assumption of the sensory bias model for the evolution of female mating preference using neural networks.

PubMed

Fuller, Rebecca C

2009-07-01

The sensory bias model for the evolution of mating preferences states that mating preferences evolve as correlated responses to selection on nonmating behaviors sharing a common sensory system. The critical assumption is that pleiotropy creates genetic correlations that affect the response to selection. I simulated selection on populations of neural networks to test this. First, I selected for various combinations of foraging and mating preferences. Sensory bias predicts that populations with preferences for like-colored objects (red food and red mates) should evolve more readily than preferences for differently colored objects (red food and blue mates). Here, I found no evidence for sensory bias. The responses to selection on foraging and mating preferences were independent of one another. Second, I selected on foraging preferences alone and asked whether there were correlated responses for increased mating preferences for like-colored mates. Here, I found modest evidence for sensory bias. Selection for a particular foraging preference resulted in increased mating preference for similarly colored mates. However, the correlated responses were small and inconsistent. Selection on foraging preferences alone may affect initial levels of mating preferences, but these correlations did not constrain the joint evolution of foraging and mating preferences in these simulations.

Serotonin-induced mate rejection in the female cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae crucivora

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obara, Yoshiaki; Fukano, Yuya; Watanabe, Kenta; Ozawa, Gaku; Sasaki, Ken

2011-11-01

Virgin female cabbage butterflies, Pieris rapae crucivora, accept and mate with courting males, whereas mated females reject them and assume the "mate refusal posture". This study tested whether the biogenic amines, serotonin (5HT), dopamine (DA), and octopamine (OA), were responsible for this change in behavior. The results showed that 2-3-day-old virgin females fed with 5HT rejected courting males significantly more frequently compared with controls fed on sucrose. In contrast, the proportions of courting males rejected by virgin females fed with either DA or OA did not differ from sucrose-fed controls. Oral application of each amine resulted in significantly increased levels of the amine applied (or its metabolite) in the brain. The results strongly suggest that 5HT or a 5HT metabolite may be responsible for the post-mating change in behavioral response of 2-3-day-old virgin females to courting males. Similar effects of 5HT treatment were observed in 6-8-day-old virgin females, but in this case the results were only marginally different from the controls, suggesting that the effect may decline with increasing female age.

Affairs happen—to whom? A study on extrapair paternity in common nightingales

PubMed Central

Wilhelm, Kerstin; Wirth, Jutta; Weiss, Michael; Kipper, Silke

2017-01-01

Abstract Most birds engage in extrapair copulations despite great differences across and within species. Besides cost and benefit considerations of the two sex environmental factors have been found to alter mating strategies within or between populations and/or over time. For socially monogamous species, the main advantage that females might gain from mating with multiple males is probably increasing their offspring’s genetic fitness. Since male (genetic) quality is mostly not directly measurable for female birds, (extrapair) mate choice is based on male secondary traits. In passerines male song is such a sexual ornament indicating male phenotypic and/or genetic quality and song repertoires seem to affect female mate choice in a number of species. Yet their role in extrapair mating behavior is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the proportion of extrapair paternity (EPP) in a population of common nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos. We found that EPP rate was rather high (21.5% of all offspring tested) for a species without sexual dimorphism and high levels of paternal care. Furthermore, the occurrence of EPP was strongly related to the spatial distribution of male territories with males settling in densely occupied areas having higher proportions of extrapair young within their own brood. Also, song repertoire size affected EPP: here larger repertoires of social mates were negatively related to the probability of being cuckolded. When directly comparing repertoires sizes of social and extrapair mates, extrapair mates tended to have larger repertoires. We finally discuss our results as a hint for a flexible mating strategy in nightingales where several factors—including ecological as well as male song features—need to be considered when studying reproductive behavior in monogamous species with complex song. PMID:29492002

Pigment-Dispersing Factor Modulates Pheromone Production in Clock Cells that Influence Mating in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Krupp, Joshua J.; Billeter, Jean-Christophe; Wong, Amy; Choi, Charles; Nitabach, Michael N.; Levine, Joel D.

2014-01-01

Summary Social cues contribute to the circadian entrainment of physiological and behavioral rhythms. These cues supplement the influence of daily and seasonal cycles in light and temperature. In Drosophila, the social environment modulates circadian mechanisms that regulate sex pheromone production and mating behavior. Here we demonstrate that a neuroendocrine pathway, defined by the neuropeptide Pigment-Dispersing Factor (PDF), couples the central nervous system (CNS) to the physiological output of peripheral clock cells that produce pheromones, the oenocytes. PDF signaling from the CNS modulates the phase of the oenocyte clock. Despite its requirement for sustaining free-running locomoter activity rhythms, PDF is not necessary to sustain molecular rhythms in the oenocytes. Interestingly, disruption of the PDF signaling pathway reduces male sex pheromones and results in sex-specific differences in mating behavior. Our findings highlight the role of neuropeptide signaling and the circadian system in synchronizing the physiological and behavioral processes which govern social interactions. PMID:23849197

An integrative mating system assessment of a nonmodel, economically important Pacific rockfish (Sebastes melanops) reveals nonterritorial polygamy and conservation implications for a large species flock.

PubMed

Karageorge, Kurt W; Wilson, Raymond R

2017-12-01

Characterizing the mating systems of long-lived, economically important Pacific rockfishes comprising the viviparous Sebastes species flock is crucial for their conservation. However, direct assignment of mating success to sires is precluded by open, offshore populations and high female fecundity. We addressed this challenge by integrating paternity-assigned mating success of females with the adult sex ratio (ASR) of the population, male evolutionary responses to receptive females, and reproductive life history traits-in the framework of sexual selection theory-to assess the mating system of Sebastes melanops . Microsatellite parentage analysis of 17 pregnant females, 1,256 of their progeny, and 106 adults from the population yielded one to four sires per brood, a mean of two sires, and a female mate frequency distribution with a truncated normal (random) pattern. The 11 multiple paternity broods all contained higher median allele richness than the six single paternity broods (Wilcoxon test: W  = 0, p  < .001), despite similar levels of average heterozygosity. By sampling sperm and alleles from different males, polyandrous females gain opportunities to enhance their sperm supply and to lower the cost of mating with genetically incompatible males through reproductive compensation. A mean of two mates per mated female with a variance of one, an ASR = 1.2 females per male, and the expected population mean of 2.4 mates for mated males (and the estimated 35 unavailable sires), fits polygamous male mate frequency distributions that distinguish polygynandry and polyandrogyny mating systems, that is, variations of polygamy, but not polyandry. Inference for polygamy is consistent with weak premating sexual selection on males, expected in mid-water, schooling S. melanops , owing to polyandrous mating, moderately aggregated receptive females, an even ASR, and no territories and nests used for reproduction. Each of these characteristics facilitates more mating males and erodes conspicuous sexual dimorphism. Evaluation of male evolutionary responses of demersal congeners that express reproductively territorial behavior revealed they have more potential mechanisms for producing premating sexual selection, greater variation in reproductive success, and a reduced breeding effective population size of adults and annual effective size of a cohort, compared to S. melanops modeled with two mates per adult. Such divergence in behavior and mating system by territorial species may differentially lower their per capita birth rates, subsequent population growth, and slow their recovery from exploitation.

Brain circuits for mating behavior in cats and brain activations and de-activations during sexual stimulation and ejaculation and orgasm in humans.

PubMed

Holstege, Gert; Huynh, Hieu K

2011-05-01

In cats, there exists a descending system that controls the posture necessary for mating behavior. A key role is played by the mesencephalic periaqueductal gray (PAG), which maintains strong specific projections to the nucleus retroambiguus located laterally in the most caudal medulla. The NRA, in turn, has direct access to motoneurons in the lumbosacral cord that produce the mating posture. This pathway is slightly different in males and females, but in females its strength fluctuates strongly depending on whether or not the cat is in heat. This way the PAG determines whether or not mating can take place. Via the PAG many other regions in the limbic system as well as in the prefrontal cortex and insula can influence mating behavior. In humans, the brain also controls responses to sexual stimulation as well as ejaculation in men and orgasm in women. Neuroimaging techniques show activations and de-activations but are not able to verify whether the PAG has a similar effect as in cats. PET-scanning results revealed that there is activation in the upper brainstem and cerebellum, as well as insula in men and in the somatomotor and somatosensory cortex in women. During sexual stimulation, but especially during ejaculation and orgasm there was strong de-activation mainly on the left side in the temporal lobe and ventral prefrontal cortex. These neuroimaging results show the importance of lowering the level of alertness regarding your immediate environment (left hemisphere) to have proper sexual behavior. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of neurosteroid actions at N-methyl-D-aspartate and GABA A receptors in the midbrain ventral tegmental area for anxiety-like and mating behavior of female rats.

PubMed

Frye, Cheryl A; Paris, Jason J

2011-01-01

In the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), actions of neurosteroids, such as the progesterone metabolite, 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP), can facilitate mating and influence stress-related processes. Some actions of 3α,5α-THP may occur via positive modulation of GABA(A) receptors (GBRs), or negative modulation of N-methyl-D: -aspartate receptors (NMDARs), to influence anxiety-like behavior; but this is not known. We aimed to assess the role that neurosteroids and stress factors play on intra-VTA NMDAR- and/or GBR-mediated anxiety-like and mating behavior. Estradiol-primed, ovariectomized rats, which were partially or completely adrenalectomized (ADX), received infusions of vehicle, an NMDAR blocker (MK-801; 200 ng), or a GBR antagonist (bicuculline, 100 ng) to the VTA. Rats then received intra-VTA vehicle or a neurosteroidogenesis enhancer (N,N-Dihexyl-2-(4-fluorophenyl)indole-3-acetamide, FGIN 1-27, 5 μg) and anxiety-like and sexual behavior was assessed. Complete, compared to partial, ADX significantly reduced open arm exploration on an elevated plus maze, the proportion of females that engaged in mating, lordosis quotients, pacing of sexual contacts, and defensive aggression towards a sexually vigorous male. Intra-VTA MK-801 enhanced open arm investigation and the proportion of females that engaged in mating. Infusions of either, MK-801 or FGIN 1-27, enhanced lordosis and, when co-administered, FGIN 1-27 attenuated MK-801's lordosis-enhancing effects. Intra-VTA infusions of bicuculline, prior to FGIN 1-27, blocked FGIN 1-27's effects to enhance lordosis. Together, these data suggest that reduced NMDAR activity in the VTA may influence motivation to explore and engage in sexual behavior. These data suggest that neurosteroid actions at NMDARs and GBRs in the VTA are important for exploration and/or sexual behavior.

Effects of neurosteroid actions at N-methyl-D-aspartate and GABAA receptors in the midbrain ventral tegmental area for anxiety-like and mating behavior of female rats

PubMed Central

Paris, Jason J.

2013-01-01

Rationale In the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), actions of neurosteroids, such as the progesterone metabolite, 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP), can facilitate mating and influence stress-related processes. Some actions of 3α,5α-THP may occur via positive modulation of GABAA receptors (GBRs), or negative modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), to influence anxiety-like behavior; but this is not known. Objectives We aimed to assess the role that neurosteroids and stress factors play on intra-VTA NMDAR- and/or GBR-mediated anxiety-like and mating behavior. Methods Estradiol-primed, ovariectomized rats, which were partially or completely adrenalectomized (ADX), received infusions of vehicle, an NMDAR blocker (MK-801; 200 ng), or a GBR antagonist (bicuculline, 100 ng) to the VTA. Rats then received intra-VTA vehicle or a neurosteroidogenesis enhancer (N,N-Dihexyl-2-(4-fluorophenyl)indole-3-acetamide, FGIN 1-27, 5 μg) and anxiety-like and sexual behavior was assessed. Results Complete, compared to partial, ADX significantly reduced open arm exploration on an elevated plus maze, the proportion of females that engaged in mating, lordosis quotients, pacing of sexual contacts, and defensive aggression towards a sexually vigorous male. Intra-VTA MK-801 enhanced open arm investigation and the proportion of females that engaged in mating. Infusions of either, MK-801 or FGIN 1-27, enhanced lordosis and, when co-administered, FGIN 1-27 attenuated MK-801’s lordosis-enhancing effects. Intra-VTA infusions of bicuculline, prior to FGIN 1-27, blocked FGIN 1-27’s effects to enhance lordosis. Conclusions Together, these data suggest that reduced NMDAR activity in the VTA may influence motivation to explore and engage in sexual behavior. These data suggest that neurosteroid actions at NMDARs and GBRs in the VTA are important for exploration and/or sexual behavior. PMID:20878318

Mating behaviour of Pseudodiaptomus annandalei (Copepoda, Calanoida) in calm and turbulent waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, C. H.; Dahms, H. U.; Cheng, S. H.; Souissi, S.; Schmitt, F. G.; Kumar, R.; Hwang, J. S.

2009-04-01

Behavioral observations of male copepods reveal that they commonly follow female copepods' footprints to find their mates. Female generated environmental signals are primarily of hydromechanical or chemical quality. The intensity of hydromechanical or chemical signals is affected by the hydrodynamic conditions which in turn may modulate a copepod's ability to sense signals in their search for mates in the aquatic environment. We studied the patterns and efficiency of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei to mate at still and turbulent water conditions during day and night and in different shape and volume experimental containers. The ability of courtship in P. annandalei was recorded to be a negative function of hydromechanical disturbances as the successful mating was observed in still water only. Under turbulent condition males were not able to track a female properly. We records in the present study that both, sequential and simultaneous taxi mechanisms are used by the male P. annandalei to follow either hydromechanic or chemical signals. Our results further reveal that males follow a signal more accurately characterized as a trail. The ability of P. annandalei males to track a three-dimensional trail appears unique, and possibly depends on the persistence of fluid-borne hydromechanical or chemical signals created in low Reynolds number hydrodynamic regimes. Keywords: Mating behavior, Turbulence, Flow, Hydrodynamic conditions

Beyond magic traits: Multimodal mating cues in Heliconius butterflies.

PubMed

Mérot, Claire; Frérot, Brigitte; Leppik, Ene; Joron, Mathieu

2015-11-01

Species coexistence involves the evolution of reproductive barriers opposing gene flow. Heliconius butterflies display colorful patterns affecting mate choice and survival through warning signaling and mimicry. These patterns are called "magic traits" for speciation because divergent natural selection may promote mimicry shifts in pattern whose role as mating cue facilitates reproductive isolation. By contrast, between comimetic species, natural selection promotes pattern convergence. We addressed whether visual convergence interferes with reproductive isolation by testing for sexual isolation between two closely related species with similar patterns, H. timareta thelxinoe and H. melpomene amaryllis. Experiments with models confirmed visual attraction based on wing phenotype, leading to indiscriminate approach. Nevertheless, mate choice experiments showed assortative mating. Monitoring male behavior toward live females revealed asymmetry in male preference, H. melpomene males courting both species equally while H. timareta males strongly preferred conspecifics. Experiments with hybrid males suggested an important genetic component for such asymmetry. Behavioral observations support a key role for short-distance cues in determining male choice in H. timareta. Scents extracts from wings and genitalia revealed interspecific divergence in chemical signatures, and hybrid female scent composition was significantly associated with courtship intensity by H. timareta males, providing candidate chemical mating cues involved in sexual isolation. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Identified Serotonin-Releasing Neurons Induce Behavioral Quiescence and Suppress Mating in Drosophila.

PubMed

Pooryasin, Atefeh; Fiala, André

2015-09-16

Animals show different levels of activity that are reflected in sensory responsiveness and endogenously generated behaviors. Biogenic amines have been determined to be causal factors for these states of arousal. It is well established that, in Drosophila, dopamine and octopamine promote increased arousal. However, little is known about factors that regulate arousal negatively and induce states of quiescence. Moreover, it remains unclear whether global, diffuse modulatory systems comprehensively affecting brain activity determine general states of arousal. Alternatively, individual aminergic neurons might selectively modulate the animals' activity in a distinct behavioral context. Here, we show that artificially activating large populations of serotonin-releasing neurons induces behavioral quiescence and inhibits feeding and mating. We systematically narrowed down a role of serotonin in inhibiting endogenously generated locomotor activity to neurons located in the posterior medial protocerebrum. We identified neurons of this cell cluster that suppress mating, but not feeding behavior. These results suggest that serotonin does not uniformly act as global, negative modulator of general arousal. Rather, distinct serotoninergic neurons can act as inhibitory modulators of specific behaviors. An animal's responsiveness to external stimuli and its various types of endogenously generated, motivated behavior are highly dynamic and change between states of high activity and states of low activity. It remains unclear whether these states are mediated by unitary modulatory systems globally affecting brain activity, or whether distinct neurons modulate specific neuronal circuits underlying particular types of behavior. Using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, we find that activating large proportions of serotonin-releasing neurons induces behavioral quiescence. Moreover, distinct serotonin-releasing neurons that we genetically isolated and identified negatively affect aspects of mating behavior, but not food uptake. This demonstrates that individual serotoninergic neurons can modulate distinct types of behavior selectively. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3512792-21$15.00/0.

Do male breeding displays function to attract mates or defend territories? The explanatory role of mate and site fidelity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lanctot, Richard B.; Sandercock, B.K.; Kempenaers, Bart

2000-01-01

Many shorebirds show elaborate breeding displays that include aerial flights and ground displays accompanied by song. The mate attraction hypothesis suggests that breeding displays function to attract mates and maintain pair bonds, whereas the territory defense hypothesis suggests breeding displays function in defining and defending nesting and feeding territories. We tested these hypotheses in the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) by contrasting the duration and level of male breeding displays among pairs that differed in their mate and site fidelity. As predicted by the mate attraction hypothesis, males performed the highest number of song sequences during pair formation, and males paired with their mate of a prior year sang less than males paired to new mates. Further, sitefaithful males mated to a new but experienced mate displayed significantly more than remated males or males new to the area. This suggests a male's prior familiarity with an area and his neighbors does not lessen his display rate as was predicted under the territory defense hypothesis. Limited support for the territory defense hypothesis came from observations of males performing breeding displays with neighboring males along nest territory boundaries. This behavior was short-lived, however, as males abandoned nesting areas after pair-formation and used adjacent or disjointed feeding areas during egg-laying and incubation. Male aggression (i.e., aerial and ground chases), as opposed to breeding displays, appeared to be the principal means of maintaining territory boundaries. Indeed, the rate at which males chased other males remained fairly constant and high throughout the breeding season. Male chasing behavior may also serve as a paternity guard to protect against extra-pair copulations. Our study also found that a female's prior breeding experience in an area correlated with a reduced display rate by her mate, particularly if that mate was new to the area. This indicates female characteristics may not only drive nest initiation, as has been shown in other studies, but are important in determining the duration and extent of male display.

Genetically Regulated Temporal Variation of Novel Courtship Elements in the Hawaiian Cricket Genus Laupala

PubMed Central

deCarvalho, Tagide N.; Shaw, Kerry L.

2011-01-01

The Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala (Gryllidae: Trigonidiinae) has undergone rapid and extensive speciation, with divergence in male song and female acoustic preference playing a role in maintaining species boundaries. Recent study of interspecific differences in the diel rhythmicity of singing and mating, suggests that temporal variation in behavior may reduce gene flow between species. In addition, Laupala perform an elaborate and protracted courtship, providing potential for further temporal variation. However, whether these behavioral differences have a genetic basis or result from environmental variation is unknown. We observed courtship and mating in a common garden study of the sympatric species, Laupala cerasina and Laupala paranigra. We document interspecific differences in the onset and duration of courtship, spermatophore production rate, and diel mating rhythmicity. Our study demonstrates a genetic contribution to interspecific behavioral differences, and suggests an evolutionary pathway to the origins of novel timing phenotypes. PMID:20878226

Social and behavioral barriers to pathogen transmission in wild animal populations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loehle, C.S.

Disease and pathogens have been studied as regulators of animal populations but not really as selective forces. The authors propose that pathogens can be major selective forces influencing social behaviors when these are successful at reducing disease transmission. The behaviors whose evolution could have been influenced by pathogen effects include group size, group isolation, mixed species flocking, migration, seasonal sociality, social avoidance, and dominance behaviors. Mate choice, mating system, and sexual selection are put in a new light when examined in terms of disease transmission. It is concluded that pathogen avoidance is a more powerful selective force than has heretoforemore » been recognized.« less

Monogamy and Nonmonogamy: Evolutionary Considerations and Treatment Challenges.

PubMed

Brandon, Marianne

2016-10-01

Few topics generate such controversy and emotional reactivity as the nature of human mating behavior. Unfortunately, and potentially to the detriment of good patient care, sexual medicine practitioners have largely avoided this matter. An understanding of the scientific literature can empower practitioners to more effectively confront the inevitable monogamy and nonmonogamy challenges present in research and clinical practice. To review and summarize relevant scientific literature as a context to evaluate the more common myths and misunderstanding relating to the practice of monogamy and nonmonogamy in humans. This review also is intended to promote a discussion of the ways human mating strategies may impact sexual function and dysfunction for the individual and couple. A review of English written peer-reviewed evolutionary, anthropological, neuropsychiatric, zoological research, and other scholarly texts was conducted. Work published between 2000 and 2016 concentrating on evolutionary theory, long- and short-term mating strategies in primates and most specifically in humans, and consensual nonmonogamy was highlighted. Main outcomes included a brief explanation of evolutionary theory and a review of relevant literature regarding long- and short-term mating behaviors and consensual nonmonogamy. Serial sexual and social monogamy is the norm for humans. Across time and cultures, humans have adapted both long- and short-term mating strategies that are used flexibly, and sometimes simultaneously, based on unique personal, social, and environmental circumstances. Human mating behavior is individualistic, the result of numerous biopsychosocial influences. The clinician cannot assume that an individual presenting as a patient maintains a monogamy-valued view of his or her intimate relationship. Patients may experience conflict between the cultural monogamous ideal and their actual sexual behaviors. This conflict may be critical in understanding a patient's sexual concerns and in treatment planning. Awareness of these issues will aid the practitioner in sexual medicine. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-generation reproductive toxicity study of implanted depleted uranium (DU) in CD rats.

PubMed

Arfsten, D P; Still, K R; Wilfong, E R; Johnson, E W; McInturf, S M; Eggers, J S; Schaeffer, D J; Bekkedal, M Y-V

2009-01-01

Depleted uranium (DU) munitions and armor plating have been used in several conflicts over the last 17 yr, including the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War. Because of its effectiveness and availability, DU will continue to be used in military applications into the foreseeable future. There is much controversy over the use of DU in weapons and equipment because of its potential radiological and toxic hazards, and there is concern over the chronic adverse health effects of embedded DU shrapnel in war veterans and bystanders. This study evaluated the effects of long-term implantation of DU on the reproductive success of F0 generation adults and development and survival of subsequent F1 and F2 generations in a two-generation reproductive toxicity study. F0 generation Sprague-Dawley rats, 8 wk of age, were surgically implanted with 0, 4, 8, 12, or 20 DU pellets (1 x 2 mm). Inert implant control animals were implanted with 12 or 20 tantallum (Ta) pellets. The F0 generation was then mated at 120 d post DU implantation. In the F0 generation, when measured on postimplantation d 27 and 117, uranium was present in the urine of DU-implanted animals in a dose-dependent manner. F0 reproductive success was similar across treatment groups and the maternal retrieval test revealed no changes in maternal behavior. DU implantation exerted no effect on the survival, health, or well-being of the F0 generation. Necropsy results of F0 animals were negative with the exception of a marked inflammatory response surrounding the implanted DU pellets. For the F1 generation, measures of F1 development through postnatal day (PND) 20 were unremarkable and no gross abnormalities were observed in F1 offspring. No uranium was detected in whole-body homogenates of PND 4 or PND 20 pups. Necropsy findings of F1 PND 20 pups were negative and no instances of ribcage malformation were observed in F1 PND 20 pups. Body weight and body weight gain of F1 rats through PND 120 were similar across treatment groups. Eight of 414 F1 animals observed from PND 20 to 120 died of unknown causes; 7 were from litters of DU-implanted F0 mating pairs. F1 mating success at 10 wk of age was an overall 70% compared with 91% for F0 mating pairs. Mating success was similar between F1 animals derived from DU-implanted F0 adults and those derived from F0 implant control adults suggesting that the comparatively low mating success was not due to F1 DU exposure. The gestational index of F1 animals derived from mid-dose F0 mating pairs was found to be lower compared with F1 controls. The average gestation duration of F1 animals derived from high-dose F0 mating pairs was found to be significantly longer than F1 controls. F1 sperm motility analyses did not differ among experimental groups and no gross abnormalities were identified at necropsy among surviving F1 animals at PND 120. Histopathology of kidneys, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, ovaries, and testes of F1 high-dose animals did not differ from F1 controls. F1 high-dose females had significantly higher mean relative liver and heart weights compared with F1 controls; the biological relevance of this finding could not be determined. For the F2 generation, measures of F2 development through PND 20 were unremarkable and no gross abnormalities were observed in F2 offspring. Necropsy findings of F2 PND 20 pups were negative and no instances of ribcage malformation were observed in F2 PND 20 pups. Body weight and body weight gain of F2 rats through PND 90 were similar across treatment groups. Mean relative heart weights of males derived from high-dose F0 parents were significantly lower compared with F2 controls. Sperm motility and concentration analysis of F2 males at PND 90 were similar across F2 groups. Overall, the consistent absence of positive findings in this study seems to suggest that DU is not a significant reproductive or developmental hazard, particularly when one considers that mid- and high-dose rats were implanted with the equivalent of 0.3 and 0.5 lb of DU in a 70-kg human, respectively. However, the findings that seven of eight F1 adults that died postweaning were from DU-implanted F0 mating pairs, and that mean relative heart weights were elevated in high-dose F1 and F2 pups, suggest conservatism is warranted in characterizing the reproductive and teratogenic hazards of embedded DU until further studies are completed.

Detection of Gene Flow from Sexual to Asexual Lineages in Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

PubMed Central

Li, Xiao-Wei; Wang, Ping; Fail, Jozsef; Shelton, Anthony M.

2015-01-01

Populations of Thrips tabaci are known to have two sympatric but genetically isolated reproductive modes, arrhenotoky (sexual reproduction) and thelytoky (asexual reproduction). Herein, we report behavioral, ecological and genetic studies to determine whether there is gene flow between arrhenotokous and thelytokous T. tabaci. We did not detect significant preference by arrhenotokous males to mate with females of a particular reproductive mode, nor did we detect significant behavioral differences between arrhenotokous males mated with arrhenotokous or thelytokous females in their pre-copulation, copulation duration and mating frequency. Productive gene transfer resulting from the mating between the two modes was experimentally confirmed. Gene transfer from arrhenotokous T. tabaci to thelytokous T. tabaci was further validated by confirmation of the passage of the arrhenotokous male-originated nuclear gene (histone H3 gene) allele to the F2 generation. These behavioral, ecological and genetic studies confirmed gene transfer from the sexual arrhenotokous mode to the asexual thelytokous mode of T. tabaci in the laboratory. These results demonstrate that asexual T. tabaci populations may acquire genetic variability from sexual populations, which could offset the long-term disadvantage of asexual reproduction. PMID:26375283

Out of Lust or Jealousy: The Effects of Mate-Related Motives on Study-Time Allocation to Faces Varying in Attractiveness.

PubMed

Li, Weijian; Zhang, Yuchi; Li, Fengying; Li, Xinyu; Li, Ping; Jia, Xiaoyu; Chen, Haide; Ji, Haojie

2015-01-01

Although a growing number of empirical studies have revealed that activating mate-related motives might exert a specific set of consequences for human cognition and behaviors, such as attention and memory, little is known about whether mate-related motives affect self-regulated learning. The present study examined the effects of mate-related motives (mate-search and mate-guarding) on study-time allocation to faces varying in attractiveness. In two experiments, participants in mate-related priming conditions (Experiment 1: mate-search; Experiment 2: mate-guarding) or control conditions studied 20 female faces (10 highly attractive, 10 less attractive) during a self-paced study task, and then were given a yes/no face recognition task. The finding of Experiment 1 showed that activating a mate-search motive led the male participants to allocate more time to highly attractive female faces (i.e., perceived potential mates) than to less attractive ones. In Experiment 2, female participants in the mate-guarding priming condition spent more time studying highly attractive female faces (i.e., perceived potential rivals) than less attractive ones, compared to participants in the control condition. These findings illustrate the highly specific consequences of mate-related motives on study-time allocation, and highlight the value of exploring human cognition and motivation within evolutionary and self-regulated learning frameworks.

Out of Lust or Jealousy: The Effects of Mate-Related Motives on Study-Time Allocation to Faces Varying in Attractiveness

PubMed Central

Li, Fengying; Li, Xinyu; Li, Ping; Jia, Xiaoyu; Chen, Haide; Ji, Haojie

2015-01-01

Although a growing number of empirical studies have revealed that activating mate-related motives might exert a specific set of consequences for human cognition and behaviors, such as attention and memory, little is known about whether mate-related motives affect self-regulated learning. The present study examined the effects of mate-related motives (mate-search and mate-guarding) on study-time allocation to faces varying in attractiveness. In two experiments, participants in mate-related priming conditions (Experiment 1: mate-search; Experiment 2: mate-guarding) or control conditions studied 20 female faces (10 highly attractive, 10 less attractive) during a self-paced study task, and then were given a yes/no face recognition task. The finding of Experiment 1 showed that activating a mate-search motive led the male participants to allocate more time to highly attractive female faces (i.e., perceived potential mates) than to less attractive ones. In Experiment 2, female participants in the mate-guarding priming condition spent more time studying highly attractive female faces (i.e., perceived potential rivals) than less attractive ones, compared to participants in the control condition. These findings illustrate the highly specific consequences of mate-related motives on study-time allocation, and highlight the value of exploring human cognition and motivation within evolutionary and self-regulated learning frameworks. PMID:26121131

Early-life risperidone administration alters maternal-offspring interactions and juvenile play fighting.

PubMed

Gannon, Matthew A; Brown, Clifford J; Stevens, Rachel M; Griffith, Molly S; Marczinski, Cecile A; Bardgett, Mark E

2015-03-01

Risperidone is an antipsychotic drug that is approved for use in childhood psychiatric disorders such as autism. One concern regarding the use of this drug in pediatric populations is that it may interfere with social interactions that serve to nurture brain development. This study used rats to assess the impact of risperidone administration on maternal-offspring interactions and juvenile play fighting between cage mates. Mixed-sex litters received daily subcutaneous injections of vehicle or 1.0 or 3.0mg/kg of risperidone between postnatal days (PNDs) 14-42. Rats were weaned and housed three per cage on PND 21. In observations made between PNDs 14-17, risperidone significantly suppressed several aspects of maternal-offspring interactions at 1-hour post-injection. At 23 h post-injection, pups administered risperidone had lower activity scores and made fewer non-nursing contacts with their moms. In observations of play-fighting behavior made once a week between PNDs 22-42, risperidone profoundly decreased many forms of social interaction at 1h post-injection. At 23h post-injection, rats administered risperidone made more non-social contacts with their cage mates, but engaged in less social grooming. Risperidone administration to rats at ages analogous to early childhood through adolescence in humans produces a pattern of abnormal social interactions across the day that could impact how such interactions influence brain development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early-Life Risperidone Administration Alters Maternal-Offspring Interactions and Juvenile Play Fighting

PubMed Central

Gannon, Matthew A.; Brown, Clifford J.; Stevens, Rachel M.; Griffith, Molly S.; Marczinski, Cecile A.; Bardgett, Mark E.

2015-01-01

Risperidone is an antipsychotic drug that is approved for use in childhood psychiatric disorders such as autism. One concern regarding the use of this drug in pediatric populations is that it may interfere with social interactions that serve to nurture brain development. This study used rats to assess the impact of risperidone administration on maternal-offspring interactions and juvenile play fighting between cage mates. Mixed-sex litters received daily subcutaneous injections of vehicle or 1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg of risperidone between postnatal days (PNDs) 14-42. Rats were weaned and housed three per cage on PND 21. In observations made between PNDs 14-17, risperidone significantly suppressed several aspects of maternal-offspring interactions at one-hour post-injection. At 23 hours post-injection, pups administered risperidone had lower activity scores and made fewer non-nursing contacts with their moms. In observations of play-fighting behavior made once a week between PNDs 22-42, risperidone profoundly decreased many forms of social interaction at one hour post-injection. At 23 hours post-injection, rats administered risperidone made more non-social contacts with their cage mates, but engaged in less social grooming. Risperidone administration to rats at ages analogous to early childhood through adolescence in humans produces a pattern of abnormal social interactions across the day that could impact how such interactions influence brain development. PMID:25600754

Fetal pathology produced by ethylene oxide treatment of the murine zygote.

PubMed

Rutledge, J C; Generoso, W M

1989-06-01

Exposure of female mice to ethylene oxide by inhalation 1 or 6 h after mating produced not only multitemporal death of conceptuses but also high rates of abnormalities among surviving fetuses. In contrast, only marginal effects were observed when females were exposed 9 or 25 h after mating. The abnormalities found among 17 day gestation live fetuses were predominated by hydrops and eye defects, which, together, constitute 54% of all anomalies. Most of the remaining anomalies were distributed among 5 other types: small size, cleft palate, and cardiac, abdominal wall, or extremity and/or tail defects. In a follow-up study, the fetuses of females treated 6 h postmating were examined at 11-15 days gestation and the progression of fetal death and of malformations was studied. Results indicate that the expression of most fetal anomalies does not become apparent until late in gestation. Several of these induced anomalies are similar to common human sporadic birth defects. This new class of experimentally induced fetal anomalies provides a new avenue for investigating zygotic biology and a system for studying the progression of aberrant development.

Fine Structure of the Male Reproductive System and Reproductive Behavior of Lutzomyia longipalpis Sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

PubMed Central

Peixoto, Alexandre A.; Vigoder, Felipe M.; Bruno, Rafaela V.; Soares, Maurilio J.

2013-01-01

Background The male reproductive system of insects can have several tissues responsible for the secretion of seminal fluid proteins (SFPs), such as testes, accessory glands, seminal vesicles, ejaculatory duct and ejaculatory bulb. The SFPs are transferred during mating and can induce several physiological and behavioral changes in females, such as increase in oviposition and decrease in sexual receptivity after copulation. The phlebotomine Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis. Despite its medical importance, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present morphological aspects of the male L. longipalpis reproductive system by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and compare the mating frequency of both virgin and previously mated females. Results The male L. longipalpis reproductive system is comprised by a pair of oval-shaped testes linked to a seminal vesicle by vasa deferentia. It follows an ejaculatory duct with an ejaculatory pump (a large bulb enveloped by muscles and associated to tracheas). The terminal endings of the vasa deferentia are inserted into the seminal vesicle by invaginations of the seminal vesicle wall, which is composed by a single layer of gland cells, with well-developed endoplasmic reticulum profiles and secretion granules. Our data suggest that the seminal vesicle acts both as a spermatozoa reservoir and as an accessory gland. Mating experiments support this hypothesis, revealing a decrease in mating frequency after copulation that indicates the effect of putative SFPs. Conclusion Ultrastructural features of the L. longipalpis male seminal vesicle indicated its possible role as an accessory gland. Behavioral observations revealed a reduction in mating frequency of copulated females. Together with transcriptome analyses from male sandfly reproductive organs identifying ESTs encoding orthologs of SFPs, these data indicate the presence of putative L. longipalpis SFPs reducing sexual mating frequency of copulated females. PMID:24058637

Competitive growth, energy allocation, and host modification in the acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus dirus: field data.

PubMed

Caddigan, Sara C; Pfenning, Alaina C; Sparkes, Timothy C

2017-01-01

The acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus dirus is a trophically transmitted parasite that modifies both the physiology and behavior of its intermediate host (isopod) prior to transmission to its definitive host (fish). Infected isopods often contain multiple A. dirus individuals and we examined the relationships between host sharing, body size, energy content, and host modification to determine if host sharing was costly and if these costs could influence the modification of host behavior (mating behavior). Using field-based measures of parasite energy content (glycogen, lipid) and parasite body size (volume), we showed that host sharing was costly in terms of energy content but not in terms of body size. Analysis of the predictors of host behavior revealed that energy content, and body size, were not predictors of host behavior. Of the variables examined, parasite intensity was the only predictor of host behavior. Hosts that contained more parasites were less likely to be modified (i.e., less likely to undergo mating suppression). We suggest that intraspecific competition influenced parasite energy content and that the costs associated with competition are likely to shape the strategy of growth and energy allocation adopted by the parasites. These costs did not appear to have a direct effect on the modification of host mating behavior.

Sexual differentiation of pheromone processing: Links to male-typical mating behavior and partner preference

PubMed Central

Baum, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Phoenix et al. (Phoenix et al., 1959) were the first to propose an essential role of fetal testosterone exposure in the sexual differentiation of the capacity of mammals to display male-typical mating behavior. In one experiment control male and female guinea pigs as well as females given fetal testosterone actually showed equivalent levels of mounting behavior when gonadectomized and given ovarian steroids prior to adult tests with a stimulus female. This finding is discussed in the context of a recent, high-profile paper by Kimchi and co-workers (Kimchi et al., 2007) arguing that female rodents possess the circuits that control the expression of male-typical mating behavior and that their function is normally suppressed in this sex by pheromonal inputs that are processed via the vomeronasal organ (VNO)—accessory olfactory nervous system. In another Phoenix et al. experiment, significantly more mounting behavior was observed in male guinea pigs and in females given fetal testosterone than in control females following adult gonadectomy and treatment with testosterone. Literature is reviewed that attempts to link sex differences in the anatomy and function of the accessory versus the main olfactory projections to the amygdala and hypothalamus to parallel sex differences in courtship behaviors, including sex partner preference, as well as the capacity to display mounting behavior. PMID:19446074

Weak Polygyny in California Sea Lions and the Potential for Alternative Mating Tactics

PubMed Central

Flatz, Ramona; González-Suárez, Manuela; Young, Julie K.; Hernández-Camacho, Claudia J.; Immel, Aaron J.; Gerber, Leah R.

2012-01-01

Female aggregation and male territoriality are considered to be hallmarks of polygynous mating systems. The development of genetic parentage assignment has called into question the accuracy of behavioral traits in predicting true mating systems. In this study we use 14 microsatellite markers to explore the mating system of one of the most behaviorally polygynous species, the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). We sampled a total of 158 female-pup pairs and 99 territorial males across two breeding rookeries (San Jorge and Los Islotes) in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Fathers could be identified for 30% of pups sampled at San Jorge across three breeding seasons and 15% of sampled pups at Los Islotes across two breeding seasons. Analysis of paternal relatedness between the pups for which no fathers were identified (sampled over four breeding seasons at San Jorge and two at Los Islotes) revealed that few pups were likely to share a father. Thirty-one percent of the sampled males on San Jorge and 15% of the sampled males on Los Islotes were assigned at least one paternity. With one exception, no male was identified as the father of more than two pups. Furthermore, at Los Islotes rookery there were significantly fewer pups assigned paternity than expected given the pool of sampled males (p<0.0001). Overall, we found considerably lower variation in male reproductive success than expected in a species that exhibits behavior associated with strongly polygynous mating. Low variation in male reproductive success may result from heightened mobility among receptive females in the Gulf of California, which reduces the ability of males to monopolize groups of females. Our results raise important questions regarding the adaptive role of territoriality and the potential for alternative mating tactics in this species. PMID:22432039

Mated Drosophila melanogaster females consume more amino acids during the dark phase

PubMed Central

Uchizono, Shun; Tabuki, Yumi; Kawaguchi, Natsumi; Tanimura, Teiichi; Itoh, Taichi Q.

2017-01-01

To maintain homeostasis, animals must ingest appropriate quantities, determined by their internal nutritional state, of suitable nutrients. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an amino acid deficit induces a specific appetite for amino acids and thus results in their increased consumption. Although multiple processes of physiology, metabolism, and behavior are under circadian control in many organisms, it is unclear whether the circadian clock also modulates such motivated behavior driven by an internal need. Differences in levels of amino acid consumption by flies between the light and dark phases of the day:night cycle were examined using a capillary feeder assay following amino acid deprivation. Female flies exhibited increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase compared with the light phase. Investigation of mutants lacking a functional period gene (per0), a well-characterized clock gene in Drosophila, found no difference between the light and dark phases in amino acid consumption by per0 flies. Furthermore, increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase was observed in mated but not in virgin females, which strongly suggested that mating is involved in the rhythmic modulation of amino acid intake. Egg production, which is induced by mating, did not affect the rhythmic change in amino acid consumption, although egg-laying behavior showed a per0-dependent change in rhythm. Elevated consumption of amino acids during the dark phase was partly induced by the action of a seminal protein, sex peptide (SP), on the sex peptide receptor (SPR) in females. Moreover, we showed that the increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase is induced in mated females independently of their internal level of amino acids. These results suggest that a post-mating SP/SPR signal elevates amino acid consumption during the dark phase via the circadian clock. PMID:28241073

Mated Drosophila melanogaster females consume more amino acids during the dark phase.

PubMed

Uchizono, Shun; Tabuki, Yumi; Kawaguchi, Natsumi; Tanimura, Teiichi; Itoh, Taichi Q

2017-01-01

To maintain homeostasis, animals must ingest appropriate quantities, determined by their internal nutritional state, of suitable nutrients. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, an amino acid deficit induces a specific appetite for amino acids and thus results in their increased consumption. Although multiple processes of physiology, metabolism, and behavior are under circadian control in many organisms, it is unclear whether the circadian clock also modulates such motivated behavior driven by an internal need. Differences in levels of amino acid consumption by flies between the light and dark phases of the day:night cycle were examined using a capillary feeder assay following amino acid deprivation. Female flies exhibited increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase compared with the light phase. Investigation of mutants lacking a functional period gene (per0), a well-characterized clock gene in Drosophila, found no difference between the light and dark phases in amino acid consumption by per0 flies. Furthermore, increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase was observed in mated but not in virgin females, which strongly suggested that mating is involved in the rhythmic modulation of amino acid intake. Egg production, which is induced by mating, did not affect the rhythmic change in amino acid consumption, although egg-laying behavior showed a per0-dependent change in rhythm. Elevated consumption of amino acids during the dark phase was partly induced by the action of a seminal protein, sex peptide (SP), on the sex peptide receptor (SPR) in females. Moreover, we showed that the increased consumption of amino acids during the dark phase is induced in mated females independently of their internal level of amino acids. These results suggest that a post-mating SP/SPR signal elevates amino acid consumption during the dark phase via the circadian clock.

Estrogens Can Disrupt Amphibian Mating Behavior

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Frauke; Kloas, Werner

2012-01-01

The main component of classical contraceptives, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), has high estrogenic activity even at environmentally relevant concentrations. Although estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds are assumed to contribute to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations by adverse effects on sexual differentiation, evidence for EE2 affecting amphibian mating behaviour is lacking. In this study, we demonstrate that EE2 exposure at five different concentrations (0.296 ng/L, 2.96 ng/L, 29.64 ng/L, 2.96 µg/L and 296.4 µg/L) can disrupt the mating behavior of adult male Xenopus laevis. EE2 exposure at all concentrations lowered male sexual arousal, indicated by decreased proportions of advertisement calls and increased proportions of the call type rasping, which characterizes a sexually unaroused state of a male. Additionally, EE2 at all tested concentrations affected temporal and spectral parameters of the advertisement calls, respectively. The classical and highly sensitive biomarker vitellogenin, on the other hand, was only induced at concentrations equal or higher than 2.96 µg/L. If kept under control conditions after a 96 h EE2 exposure (2.96 µg/L), alterations of male advertisement calls vanish gradually within 6 weeks and result in a lower sexual attractiveness of EE2 exposed males toward females as demonstrated by female choice experiments. These findings indicate that exposure to environmentally relevant EE2 concentrations can directly disrupt male mate calling behavior of X. laevis and can indirectly affect the mating behavior of females. The results suggest the possibility that EE2 exposure could reduce the reproductive success of EE2 exposed animals and these effects might contribute to the global problem of amphibian decline. PMID:22355410

Territorial behavior of a green hairstreak Chrysozephyrus smaragdinus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): site tenacity and wars of attrition.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Tsuyoshi; Imafuku, Michio

2005-09-01

Males of Chrysozephyrus smaragdinus were active from late morning to late afternoon, during which they showed territorial behavior, perhaps for mating. The territorial male stayed in a particular area and occasionally flew around it, referred to hereafter as the inspection area. When other male intruded into this area, the territorial male rushed to him. Then, they engaged in a circling flight regarded as a "war of attrition". During this flight, the two males sometimes strayed far away from the territory. After the circling flight, the resident returned to his territory in almost all cases (98%). Despite such intrusions, many residents defended their territory for several successive days. This suggests strongly the "effect of prior residence". We recorded the circling flights with a high-speed video camera, and confirmed that the male that ceased the circling flight first was the loser. This finding gave some validity to consider circling flight as wars of attrition. In a few cases, the territorial male mated with a female that came to the territory. These once mated males held the territory no longer, suggesting that mating experience should restrict the next mating opportunity in this species.

Sperm competition in humans: mate guarding behavior negatively correlates with ejaculate quality.

PubMed

Leivers, Samantha; Rhodes, Gillian; Simmons, Leigh W

2014-01-01

In species where females mate with multiple males, the sperm from these males must compete to fertilise available ova. Sexual selection from sperm competition is expected to favor opposing adaptations in males that function either in the avoidance of sperm competition (by guarding females from rival males) or in the engagement in sperm competition (by increased expenditure on the ejaculate). The extent to which males may adjust the relative use of these opposing tactics has been relatively neglected. Where males can successfully avoid sperm competition from rivals, one might expect a decrease in their expenditure on tactics for the engagement in sperm competition and vice versa. In this study, we examine the relationship between mate guarding and ejaculate quality using humans as an empirical model. We found that men who performed fewer mate guarding behaviors produced higher quality ejaculates, having a greater concentration of sperm, a higher percentage of motile sperm and sperm that swam faster and less erratically. These effects were found independent of lifestyle factors or factors related to male quality. Our findings suggest that male expenditure on mate guarding and on the ejaculate may represent alternative routes to paternity assurance in humans.

Experimental evidence for asymmetric mate preference and aggression: behavioral interactions in a woodrat (Neotoma) hybrid zone

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Female mate preferences may be under strong selection in zones of contact between closely related species because of greater variation in available mates and the potential costs of hybridization. We studied female mate preferences experimentally in a zone of secondary contact between Desert and Bryant’s Woodrat (Neotoma lepida and N. bryanti) in the southern foothills of the Sierra Nevada of California. We tested female preference for conspecific versus heterospecific males in paired choice trials in which females could interact freely with males, but males could not interact directly with each other. We compared preferences of females from both allopatric and sympatric sites. Results We did not find evidence of the process of reinforcement as assortative preferences were not stronger in sympatry than in allopatry. Mate preferences, however, were asymmetric, with N. lepida females mating preferentially with conspecifics and N. bryanti females showing no preference by species. Sympatric females were less likely to mate than allopatric females, due in part to an increase in aggressive interactions. However, even in the absence of aggression, courtship led to mating less often in sympatric females, suggesting they were choosier or had lower sexual motivation than allopatric females. Conclusions Patterns of mate choice in this woodrat system appear to be strongly impacted by body size and aggressive behavior. In particular, females of the smaller-bodied species rarely interact with the relatively large heterospecific males. In contrast females of the larger-bodied species accept the relatively small heterospecific males. For sympatric animals, rates of aggression were markedly higher than for allopatric animals and reduced affiliative and reproductive behavior in our trials. Sympatric animals are larger and more aggressive, traits that are likely under strong ecological selection across the sharp resource gradient that characterizes the contact zone. However, our results suggest that these traits that are likely favored in competitive interactions between the species also impact reproductive interactions. Combined with our previous findings of post-zygotic isolation in this system, this study suggests that multiple isolating mechanisms contribute to the rate of genetic exchange between these species when they come into contact, and that these mechanisms are the result of selection on traits that are important in a range of ecological and reproductive interactions. PMID:24093823

Allelic exchange of pheromones and their receptors reprograms sexual identity in Cryptococcus neoformans.

PubMed

Stanton, Brynne C; Giles, Steven S; Staudt, Mark W; Kruzel, Emilia K; Hull, Christina M

2010-02-26

Cell type specification is a fundamental process that all cells must carry out to ensure appropriate behaviors in response to environmental stimuli. In fungi, cell identity is critical for defining "sexes" known as mating types and is controlled by components of mating type (MAT) loci. MAT-encoded genes function to define sexes via two distinct paradigms: 1) by controlling transcription of components common to both sexes, or 2) by expressing specially encoded factors (pheromones and their receptors) that differ between mating types. The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has two mating types (a and alpha) that are specified by an extremely unusual MAT locus. The complex architecture of this locus makes it impossible to predict which paradigm governs mating type. To identify the mechanism by which the C. neoformans sexes are determined, we created strains in which the pheromone and pheromone receptor from one mating type (a) replaced the pheromone and pheromone receptor of the other (alpha). We discovered that these "alpha(a)" cells effectively adopt a new mating type (that of a cells); they sense and respond to alpha factor, they elicit a mating response from alpha cells, and they fuse with alpha cells. In addition, alpha(a) cells lose the alpha cell type-specific response to pheromone and do not form germ tubes, instead remaining spherical like a cells. Finally, we discovered that exogenous expression of the diploid/dikaryon-specific transcription factor Sxi2a could then promote complete sexual development in crosses between alpha and alpha(a) strains. These data reveal that cell identity in C. neoformans is controlled fully by three kinds of MAT-encoded proteins: pheromones, pheromone receptors, and homeodomain proteins. Our findings establish the mechanisms for maintenance of distinct cell types and subsequent developmental behaviors in this unusual human fungal pathogen.

When Love Meets Money: Priming the Possession of Money Influences Mating Strategies.

PubMed

Li, Yi Ming; Li, Jian; Chan, Darius K-S; Zhang, Bo

2016-01-01

Money is an important factor that influences the development of romantic relationships. The current paper examines how the feeling of having relatively more or less money influences human mating strategies in long-term and short-term mating contexts under the framework of evolutionary psychology. We recruited mainland Chinese college students involved in steady, heterosexual romantic relationships to participate in two experiments. In each study, we experimentally triggered participants' feelings of having relatively more or less money and then examined their thoughts and behaviors related to mating. Results of Study 1 showed that men who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money were less satisfied with their partners' physical attractiveness than those primed to feel that they had less money, suggesting that the subjective feeling of having more or less money may affect men's preferences regarding the physical appearance of a mate in a long-term relationship. Interestingly, this difference was not significant for women. Results of Study 2 indicated that both men and women who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money exhibited a greater "behavioral approach tendency" toward an attractive member of the opposite sex than those primed to feel that they had less money. This finding suggests that people who feel they have relatively more money may have more interest in an attractive alternative than those who feel they have relatively less money. The differences in mating strategies between and within the genders brought about by money support the evolutionary hypothesis that individuals adopt conditional mating strategies in response to environmental conditions. Additionally, the results of experimental studies provide evidence for the causal effects of money on mating strategies. These findings have both conceptual and practical implications for the psychology of evolution and romantic relationships.

When Love Meets Money: Priming the Possession of Money Influences Mating Strategies

PubMed Central

Li, Yi Ming; Li, Jian; Chan, Darius K.-S.; Zhang, Bo

2016-01-01

Money is an important factor that influences the development of romantic relationships. The current paper examines how the feeling of having relatively more or less money influences human mating strategies in long-term and short-term mating contexts under the framework of evolutionary psychology. We recruited mainland Chinese college students involved in steady, heterosexual romantic relationships to participate in two experiments. In each study, we experimentally triggered participants' feelings of having relatively more or less money and then examined their thoughts and behaviors related to mating. Results of Study 1 showed that men who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money were less satisfied with their partners' physical attractiveness than those primed to feel that they had less money, suggesting that the subjective feeling of having more or less money may affect men's preferences regarding the physical appearance of a mate in a long-term relationship. Interestingly, this difference was not significant for women. Results of Study 2 indicated that both men and women who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money exhibited a greater “behavioral approach tendency” toward an attractive member of the opposite sex than those primed to feel that they had less money. This finding suggests that people who feel they have relatively more money may have more interest in an attractive alternative than those who feel they have relatively less money. The differences in mating strategies between and within the genders brought about by money support the evolutionary hypothesis that individuals adopt conditional mating strategies in response to environmental conditions. Additionally, the results of experimental studies provide evidence for the causal effects of money on mating strategies. These findings have both conceptual and practical implications for the psychology of evolution and romantic relationships. PMID:27047415

EFFECTS OF EXOGENOUS ESTROGEN ON MATE SELECTION OF HOUSE FINCHES

EPA Science Inventory

Concern about the potential for endocrine disrupting chemicals to interfere with normal breeding behaviors of wildlife has prompted this study of effects of exogenous estrogen on mate selection in songbirds. The house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) was selected as a model as it is ...

Observation of the Mating Behavior of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Queens Using Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID): Factors Influencing the Duration and Frequency of Nuptial Flights

PubMed Central

Heidinger, Ina Monika Margret; Meixner, Marina Doris; Berg, Stefan; Büchler, Ralph

2014-01-01

We used radio-frequency identification (RFID) to record the duration and frequency of nuptial flights of honey bee queens (Apis mellifera carnica) at two mainland mating apiaries. We investigated the effect of a number of factors on flight duration and frequency: mating apiary, number of drone colonies, queen’s age and temperature. We found significant differences between the two locations concerning the number of flights on the first three days. We also observed an effect of the ambient temperature, with queens flying less often but longer at high temperatures compared to lower temperatures. Increasing the number of drone colonies from 33 to 80 colonies had no effect on the duration or on the frequency of nuptial flights. Since our results agree well with the results of previous studies, we suggest RFID as an appropriate tool to investigate the mating behavior of honey bee queens. PMID:26462822

Effects of duration of separation on responses to mates and strangers in the monogamous titi monkey (Callicebus moloch).

PubMed

Fernandez-Duque, E; Mason, W A; Mendoza, S P

1997-01-01

Adult male and female titi monkeys form an intense social bond characterized by high levels of affiliative interactions between pairmates and agonistic responses to strangers. In natural settings, separation between mates can vary from brief periods, as when mates drift apart during feeding, to permanent separation, occasioned by desertion or death. In this study we asked how different durations of separation altered the behavior of male and female titi monkeys (Callicebus moloch). We compared the effects of brief separation such as might occur incidentally during feeding (1-2 h) with prolonged separation such as might occur if one partner died or deserted (5 days). Effects were observed during a 30 min reunion of pairmates or during a 30 min encounter with a stranger of the opposite sex. Following brief separation, interactions between mates and between strangers clearly differed in measures of affiliation, but not in behaviors indicative of arousal. Following prolonged separation, measures of arousal increased with both mated pairs and strangers. Females tended to interact more readily with a stranger following prolonged separation than after brief separation, but interactions between mates were essentially unchanged and differed substantially from those between strangers. The data suggest that the pair bond persists in titi monkeys after prolonged social isolation, despite increased interest in interacting with potential new partners.

Co-Evolution of the Mating Position and Male Genitalia in Insects: A Case Study of a Hangingfly

PubMed Central

Gao, Qionghua; Hua, Baozhen

2013-01-01

Hangingflies are unique for the male providing a nuptial gift to the female during mating and taking a face-to-face hanging copulation with the female. Their male genitalia are peculiar for an extremely elongated penisfilum, a pair of well-developed epandrial lobes (9th tergum), and a pair of degenerated gonostyli. However, the co-evolution of their face-to-face copulation behavior and the male genitalia has rarely been studied hitherto. In this paper the mating behavior of the hangingfly Bittacus planus Cheng, 1949 was observed under laboratory conditions, and the morphology of the male and female external genitalia was investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The male provides an insect prey as a nuptial gift to the female in courtship and mating process, and commits a face-to-face copulation. During copulation, the male abdomen twists temporarily about 180° to accommodate their face-to-face mating position. The aedeagal complex has an extremely elongated penisfilum, corresponding to the elongated spermathecal duct of the female. The well-developed epandrial lobes serve as claspers to grasp the female subgenital plate during copulation, replacing the function of gonostyli, which are greatly reduced in Bittacidae. The modified proctiger assists the penisfilum to stretch and to enter into the female spermathecal duct. The possible reasons why this species might mate face-to-face are briefly discussed. PMID:24312490

Co-evolution of the mating position and male genitalia in insects: a case study of a hangingfly.

PubMed

Gao, Qionghua; Hua, Baozhen

2013-01-01

Hangingflies are unique for the male providing a nuptial gift to the female during mating and taking a face-to-face hanging copulation with the female. Their male genitalia are peculiar for an extremely elongated penisfilum, a pair of well-developed epandrial lobes (9th tergum), and a pair of degenerated gonostyli. However, the co-evolution of their face-to-face copulation behavior and the male genitalia has rarely been studied hitherto. In this paper the mating behavior of the hangingfly Bittacus planus Cheng, 1949 was observed under laboratory conditions, and the morphology of the male and female external genitalia was investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. The male provides an insect prey as a nuptial gift to the female in courtship and mating process, and commits a face-to-face copulation. During copulation, the male abdomen twists temporarily about 180° to accommodate their face-to-face mating position. The aedeagal complex has an extremely elongated penisfilum, corresponding to the elongated spermathecal duct of the female. The well-developed epandrial lobes serve as claspers to grasp the female subgenital plate during copulation, replacing the function of gonostyli, which are greatly reduced in Bittacidae. The modified proctiger assists the penisfilum to stretch and to enter into the female spermathecal duct. The possible reasons why this species might mate face-to-face are briefly discussed.

Characterizing abnormal behavior in a large population of zoo-housed chimpanzees: prevalence and potential influencing factors

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Sarah L.; Bloomsmith, Mollie A.

2016-01-01

Abnormal behaviors in captive animals are generally defined as behaviors that are atypical for the species and are often considered to be indicators of poor welfare. Although some abnormal behaviors have been empirically linked to conditions related to elevated stress and compromised welfare in primates, others have little or no evidence on which to base such a relationship. The objective of this study was to investigate a recent claim that abnormal behavior is endemic in the captive population by surveying a broad sample of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), while also considering factors associated with the origins of these behaviors. We surveyed animal care staff from 26 accredited zoos to assess the prevalence of abnormal behavior in a large sample of chimpanzees in the United States for which we had information on origin and rearing history. Our results demonstrated that 64% of this sample was reported to engage in some form of abnormal behavior in the past two years and 48% of chimpanzees engaged in abnormal behavior other than coprophagy. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the historical variables that best predicted the occurrence of all abnormal behavior, any abnormal behavior that was not coprophagy, and coprophagy. Rearing had opposing effects on the occurrence of coprophagy and the other abnormal behaviors such that mother-reared individuals were more likely to perform coprophagy, whereas non-mother-reared individuals were more likely to perform other abnormal behaviors. These results support the assertion that coprophagy may be classified separately when assessing abnormal behavior and the welfare of captive chimpanzees. This robust evaluation of the prevalence of abnormal behavior in our sample from the U.S. zoo population also demonstrates the importance of considering the contribution of historical variables to present behavior, in order to better understand the causes of these behaviors and any potential relationship to psychological wellbeing. PMID:27478710

Online Mate-Retention Tactics on Facebook Are Associated With Relationship Aggression.

PubMed

Brem, Meagan J; Spiller, Laura C; Vandehey, Michael A

2015-10-01

A measure of Facebook-related mate-retention tactics was developed to investigate the relationship between online behaviors and intimate partner aggression. One hundred and seventy-seven young adults (65 men, 112 women) completed questionnaires that included measures of online and offline mate-retention tactics, Facebook jealousy, Facebook surveillance, and intimate partner violence. A factor analysis yielded four subscales for the Facebook Mate-Retention Tactic Inventory (FMRTI): Care and Affection, Jealousy and Surveillance, Possession Signals, and Punishment of Infidelity Threat. The FMRTI total scores were positively correlated with Facebook jealousy, Facebook surveillance, and use of offline mate-retention tactics. The Jealousy and Surveillance subscale uniquely predicted intimate partner psychological and physical aggression over and above existing measures. Facebook mate-retention tactics fully mediated the relation between Facebook jealousy and both intimate partner psychological and physical aggression. The current study provides preliminary evidence for conceptualizing Facebook as an environment for the use of mate-retention tactics that have real-life implications for intimate partner violence. © The Author(s) 2014.

When the difference is in the details: a critique of Zentner and Mitura (2012) "Stepping out of the caveman's shadow: Nations' gender gap predicts degree of sex differentiation in mate preferences".

PubMed

Schmitt, David P

2012-10-29

In a recent 10-nation study, Zentner and Mitura (2012) reported observing smaller sex differences in mate preferences within nations that have higher gender parity. As noted in previous research, and in a re-analysis of Zentner and Mitura's own data, sex differences in some mate preferences (e.g., long-term mate preferences for physical attractiveness) are either unrelated to or actually get larger with higher national gender parity. It is critically important to distinguish among mate preference domains when looking for patterns of sexual differentiation across nations. Indeed, for many psychological domains (e.g., attachment styles, Big Five traits, Dark Triad traits, self-esteem, personal values, depression, emotional expression, crying behavior, intimate partner violence, tested mental abilities, health indicators; see Schmitt, 2012), sex differences are demonstrably larger in nations with higher sociopolitical gender parity. By not distinguishing among mate preferences, Zentner and Mitura committed a form of the ecological fallacy-making false conclusions about individual mate preferences when looking only at associations among groups of mate preferences.

Phase Transition Behavior in a Neutral Evolution Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Dawn; Scott, Adam; Maric, Nevena; Bahar, Sonya

2014-03-01

The complexity of interactions among individuals and between individuals and the environment make agent based modeling ideal for studying emergent speciation. This is a dynamically complex problem that can be characterized via the critical behavior of a continuous phase transition. Concomitant with the main tenets of natural selection, we allow organisms to reproduce, mutate, and die within a neutral phenotype space. Previous work has shown phase transition behavior in an assortative mating model with variable fitness landscapes as the maximum mutation size (μ) was varied (Dees and Bahar, 2010). Similarly, this behavior was recently presented in the work of Scott et al. (2013), even on a completely neutral landscape, for bacterial-like fission as well as for assortative mating. Here we present another neutral model to investigate the `critical' phase transition behavior of three mating types - assortative, bacterial, and random - in a phenotype space as a function of the percentage of random death. Results show two types of phase transitions occurring for the parameters of the population size and the number of clusters (an analogue of species), indicating different evolutionary dynamics for system survival and clustering. This research was supported by funding from: University of Missouri Research Board and James S. McDonnell Foundation.

Status and Mating Success Amongst Visual Artists

PubMed Central

Clegg, Helen; Nettle, Daniel; Miell, Dorothy

2011-01-01

Geoffrey Miller has hypothesized that producing artwork functions as a mating display. Here we investigate the relationship between mating success and artistic success in a sample of 236 visual artists. Initially, we derived a measure of artistic success that covered a broad range of artistic behaviors and beliefs. As predicted by Miller’s evolutionary theory, more successful male artists had more sexual partners than less successful artists but this did not hold for female artists. Also, male artists with greater artistic success had a mating strategy based on longer term relationships. Overall the results provide partial support for the sexual selection hypothesis for the function of visual art. PMID:22059085

Males Can Benefit from Sexual Cannibalism Facilitated by Self-Sacrifice.

PubMed

Schwartz, Steven K; Wagner, William E; Hebets, Eileen A

2016-10-24

In a number of species, males are cannibalized by females after mating (reviewed in [1, 2]), and some males actually appear to facilitate their own cannibalism (reviewed in [3]). Such self-sacrifice can evolve if being eaten sufficiently enhances either fertilization success (mating effort) or offspring number or fitness (paternal effort). While there is some support for the mating-effort hypothesis, few studies have found support for paternal effort. We used two experiments to test the paternal-effort hypothesis in the dark fishing spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus. Males of this species provide themselves as a material contribution: they spontaneously die during copulation and are subsequently eaten by females. In support of the paternal-effort predictions, when females were allowed to consume their mating partner, we found large and significant increases in (1) the number, (2) the size, and (3) the survivorship of the offspring. Similar benefits were not seen when females were allowed to consume a cricket in lieu of a male, suggesting that it is the consumption of the male's body per se that is responsible for these fitness benefits. Together, our results suggest that D. tenebrosus males can benefit from self-sacrifice behavior through paternal effort. Such behavior may be particularly likely to evolve when high rates of postcopulatory cannibalism trap males into investing in their first mate instead of investing in acquiring additional matings and/or if strong first-male sperm precedence reduces the benefits of both investing in additional matings and paternity protection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

No evidence for inbreeding avoidance in a natural population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia).

PubMed

Keller, L F; Arcese, P

1998-09-01

We studied mate choice and inbreeding avoidance a natural population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) on Mandarte Island, Canada. Inbreeding occurred regularly: 59% all matings were between known relatives. We tested for inbreeding avoidance by comparing the observed levels of inbreeding to those expected if mate choice had been random with respect to relatedness. Independent of our assumptions about the availability of mates in the random mating model, we found that the expected and observed distributions of inbreeding coefficients were similar, as was the expected and observed frequency of close (f >/= 0.125) inbreeding. Furthermore, there was no difference in relatedness observed pairs and those that would have resulted had birds mated instead with their nearest neighbors. The only evidence to suggest any inbreeding avoidance was a reduced rate of parent-offspring matings as compared to one random mating model but not the other. Hence, despite substantial inbreeding depression in this population, we found little evidence for inbreeding avoidance through mate choice. We present a simple model to suggest that variation in inbreeding avoidance behaviors in birds may arise from differences in survival rates: in species with low survival rates, the costs of forfeiting matings to avoid inbreeding may exceed the costs of inbreeding.

Novel function of LHFPL2 in female and male distal reproductive tract development.

PubMed

Zhao, Fei; Zhou, Jun; Li, Rong; Dudley, Elizabeth A; Ye, Xiaoqin

2016-03-11

Congenital reproductive tract anomalies could impair fertility. Female and male reproductive tracts are developed from Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts, respectively, involving initiation, elongation and differentiation. Genetic basis solely for distal reproductive tract development is largely unknown. Lhfpl2 (lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 2) encodes a tetra-transmembrane protein with unknown functions. It is expressed in follicle cells of ovary and epithelial cells of reproductive tracts. A spontaneous point mutation of Lhfpl2 (LHFPL2(G102E)) leads to infertility in 100% female mice, which have normal ovarian development, ovulation, uterine development, and uterine response to exogenous estrogen stimulation, but abnormal upper longitudinal vaginal septum and lower vaginal agenesis. Infertility is also observed in ~70% mutant males, which have normal mating behavior and sperm counts, but abnormal distal vas deferens convolution resulting in complete and incomplete blockage of reproductive tract in infertile and fertile males, respectively. On embryonic day 15.5, mutant Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts have elongated but their duct tips are enlarged and fail to merge with the urogenital sinus. These findings provide a novel function of LHFPL2 and a novel genetic basis for distal reproductive tract development; they also emphasize the importance of an additional merging phase for proper reproductive tract development.

Male songbirds provide indirect parental care by guarding females during incubation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fedy, B.C.; Martin, T.E.

2009-01-01

Across many taxa, guarding of fertile mates is a widespread tactic that enhances paternity assurance. However, guarding of mates can also occur during the nonfertile period, and the fitness benefits of this behavior are unclear. Male songbirds, for example, sometimes guard nonfertile females during foraging recesses from incubation. We hypothesized that guarding postreproductive mates may have important, but unrecognized, benefits by enhancing female foraging efficiency, thereby increasing time spent incubating eggs. We tested the hypothesis in 2 songbird species by examining female behavior during natural and experimentally induced absences of males. Male absence caused increased vigilance in foraging females that decreased their efficiency and resulted in less time spent incubating eggs. Male guarding of nonfertile females can thus provide a previously unrecognized form of indirect parental care.

Abnormal Behavior in Relation to Cage Size in Rhesus Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulk, H. H.; And Others

1977-01-01

Examines the effects of cage size on stereotyped and normal locomotion and on other abnormal behaviors in singly caged animals, whether observed abnormal behaviors tend to co-occur, and if the development of an abnormal behavior repertoire leads to reduction in the number of normal behavior categories. (Author/RK)

Maternal effects on offspring depend on female mating pattern and offspring environment in yellow dung flies.

PubMed

Tregenza, Tom; Wedell, Nina; Hosken, David J; Ward, Paul I

2003-02-01

Direct costs and benefits to females of multiple mating have been shown to have large effects on female fecundity and longevity in several species. However, with the exception of studies examining genetic benefits of polyandry, little attention has been paid to the possible effects on offspring of multiple mating by females. We propose that nongenetic effects of maternal matings on offspring fitness are best viewed in the same context as other maternal phenotype effects on offspring that are well known even in species lacking parental care. Hence, matings can exert effects on offspring in the same way as other maternal environment variables, and are likely to interact with such effects. We have conducted a study using yellow dung flies (Scathophaga stercoraria), in which we independently manipulated female mating rate, number of mates and maternal thermal environment and measured subsequent fecundity, hatching success, and offspring life-history traits. To distinguish between direct effects of matings and potential genetic benefits of polyandry we split broods and reared offspring at three different temperature regimes. This allowed us to demonstrate that although we could not detect any simple benefits or costs to matings, there are effects of maternal environment on offspring and these effects interact with female mating regime affecting offspring fitness. Such interactions between female phenotype and the costs and benefits of matings have potentially broad implications for understanding female behavior.

Male sexual behavior and pheromone emission is enhanced by exposure to guava fruit volatiles in Anastrepha fraterculus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Host plant chemicals can influence sex pheromone communication of tephritid fruit flies, and affect strategies optimizing mating and reproduction. Previous studies suggest that females of the South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, prefer to mate with laboratory males previously exposed to...

Reconstructing the flight kinematics of swarming and mating behavior in wild mosquitoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We describe a tracking system for reconstructing three-dimensional tracks of individual mosquitoes in wild swarms and present the results of validating the system by filming swarms and mating events of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae in Mali. The tracking system is designed to address noisy, ...

Precopulatory behavior and sexual conflict in the desert locust

PubMed Central

Golov, Yiftach; Rillich, Jan; Harari, Ally

2018-01-01

Studies of mating and reproductive behavior have contributed much to our understanding of various animals’ ecological success. The desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, is an important agricultural pest. However, knowledge of locust courtship and precopulatory behavior is surprisingly limited. Here we provide a comprehensive study of the precopulatory behavior of both sexes of the desert locust in the gregarious phase, with particular emphasis on the conflict between the sexes. Detailed HD-video monitoring of courtship and mating of 20 locust pairs, in a controlled environment, enabled both qualitative and quantitative descriptions of the behavior. A comprehensive list of behavioral elements was used to generate an eight-step ethogram, from first encounter between the sexes to actual copulation. Further analyses included the probability of each element occurring, and a kinematic diagram based on a transitional matrix. Eleven novel behavioral elements are described in this study, and two potential points of conflict between the sexes are identified. Locust sexual interaction was characterized by the dominance of the males during the pre-mounting stage, and an overall stereotypic male courtship behavior. In contrast, females displayed no clear courtship-related behavior and an overall less organized behavioral sequence. Central elements in the sexual behavior of the females were low-amplitude hind-leg vibration, as well as rejecting males by jumping and kicking. Intricate reciprocal interactions between the sexes were evident mostly at the mounting stage. The reported findings contribute important insights to our knowledge of locust mating and reproductive behavior, and may assist in confronting this devastating agricultural pest. PMID:29507823

Absence of consistent diel rhythmicity in mated honey bee queen behavior.

PubMed

Johnson, Jennifer N; Hardgrave, Emily; Gill, Curtis; Moore, Darrell

2010-07-01

Relatively little is known about the temporal control of behavior of honey bee queens under natural conditions. To determine if mated honey bee queens possess diel rhythmicity in behavior, we observed them in glass-sided observation hives, employing two focal studies involving continuous observations of individual queens as well as a scan-sampling study of multiple queens. In all cases, all behaviors were observed at all times of the day and night. In four of the five queens examined in focal studies, there were no consistent occurrences of diel periodicity for any of the individual behaviors. A more encompassing measure for periodicity, in which the behaviors were characterized as active (walking, inspecting, egg-laying, begging for food, feeding, and grooming self) or inactive (standing), also failed to reveal consistent diel rhythmicity. Furthermore, there were no consistent diel differences in the number of workers in the queen's retinue. Behavioral arrhythmicity persisted across seasons and despite daily changes in both light and temperature levels. Both day and night levels of behavioral activity were correlated with daytime, but not with nighttime, ambient temperatures. The behavior of the one exceptional queen was not consistent: diurnal activity patterns were present during two 24-h observation sessions but arrhythmicity during another. Based on the behavior observed by all but one of the queens examined in this work, the arrhythmic behavior by the mated honey bee queen inside the colony appears to be similar to that exhibited by worker bees before they approach the age of onset of foraging behavior. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is it useful to view the brain as a secondary sexual characteristic?

PubMed

Ball, Gregory F; Balthazart, Jacques; McCarthy, Margaret M

2014-10-01

Many sex differences in brain and behavior related to reproduction are thought to have evolved based on sexual selection involving direct competition for mates during male-male competition and female choice. Therefore, certain aspects of brain circuitry can be viewed as secondary sexual characteristics. The study of proximate causes reveals that sex differences in the brain of mammals and birds reflect organizational and activational effects of sex steroids as articulated by Young and collaborators. However, sex differences in brain and behavior have been identified in the cognitive domain with no obvious link to reproduction. Recent views of sexual selection advocate for a broader view of how intra-sexual selection might occur including such examples as competition within female populations for resources that facilitate access to mates rather than mating competition per se. Sex differences can also come about for other reasons than sexual selection and recent work on neuroendocrine mechanisms has identified a plethora of ways that the brain can develop in a sex specific manner. Identifying the brain as sexually selected requires careful hypothesis testing so that one can link a sex-biased aspect of a neural trait to a behavior that provides an advantage in a competitive mating situation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic mating systems and reproductive natural histories of fishes: lessons for ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Avise, John C; Jones, Adam G; Walker, DeEtte; DeWoody, J Andrew

2002-01-01

Fish species have diverse breeding behaviors that make them valuable for testing theories on genetic mating systems and reproductive tactics. Here we review genetic appraisals of paternity and maternity in wild fish populations. Behavioral phenomena quantified by genetic markers in various species include patterns of multiple mating by both sexes; frequent cuckoldry by males and rare cuckoldry by females in nest-tending species; additional routes to surrogate parentage via nest piracy and egg-thievery; egg mimicry by nest-tending males; brood parasitism by helper males in cooperative breeders; clutch mixing in oral brooders; kinship in schooling fry of broadcast spawners; sperm storage by dams in female-pregnant species; and sex-role reversal, polyandry, and strong sexual selection on females in some male-pregnant species. Additional phenomena addressed by genetic parentage analyses in fishes include clustered mutations, filial cannibalism, and local population size. All results are discussed in the context of relevant behavioral and evolutionary theory.

Sexual Communication in the Drosophila Genus.

PubMed

Bontonou, Gwénaëlle; Wicker-Thomas, Claude

2014-06-18

In insects, sexual behavior depends on chemical and non-chemical cues that might play an important role in sexual isolation. In this review, we present current knowledge about sexual behavior in the Drosophila genus. We describe courtship and signals involved in sexual communication, with a special focus on sex pheromones. We examine the role of cuticular hydrocarbons as sex pheromones, their implication in sexual isolation, and their evolution. Finally, we discuss the roles of male cuticular non-hydrocarbon pheromones that act after mating: cis-vaccenyl acetate, developing on its controversial role in courtship behavior and long-chain acetyldienylacetates and triacylglycerides, which act as anti-aphrodisiacs in mated females.

Problem Behavior and Romantic Relationships: Assortative Mating, Behavior Contagion, and Desistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhule-Louie, Dana M.; McMahon, Robert J.

2007-01-01

Antisocial behavior and substance misuse are forms of problem behavior demonstrating considerable continuity over time. Accordingly, problem behavior influences interpersonal contexts across the life course, which may result in the replication of coercive interactions and a problem behavior lifestyle within romantic relationships. Furthermore,…

Effect of season on reproductive behaviors and fertilization success in cavies (Cavia aperea).

PubMed

Hribal, Romy; Rübensam, Kathrin; Bernhardt, Sandra; Jewgenow, Katarina; Guenther, Anja

2018-04-05

Finding the optimal timing for breeding is crucial for small mammals to ensure survival and maximize lifetime reproductive success. Species living in temperate regions therefore often restrict breeding to seasons with favorable food and weather conditions. Although caviomorph rodents such as guinea pigs are described as non-seasonal breeders, a series of recent publications has shown seasonal adaptations in litter size, offspring birth mass and maternal investment. Here, we aim to test if seasonal patterns of litter size variation found in earlier studies, are mediated by seasonal differences in female estrus length, fertilization rate and mating behavior. The female estrus period was longer in fall compared to all other seasons (p < 0.001), frequently lasting 7-9 days while estrus in spring usually lasted less than 2 days. In fall, females mated later during estrus (p < 0.001), resulting in reduced fertilization rates (p < 0.001). Fertilization rate was well above 95% in summer while it dropped to less than 85% in fall and winter. While none of the male mating characteristics such as number and duration of copulations differed across seasons, the number of mating bouts was reduced in fall (p = 0.04). Finally, the developmental stages of flushed embryos were more diverse in spring and summer compared to fall and winter. These results suggest that seasonal differences in fertilization rate and quality of implanted embryos are mediated by female estrus length and timing and intensity of mating behavior. Together, these effects contribute to the observed differences in litter size across seasons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nematode Tango Milonguero - the C. elegans male's search for the hermaphrodite vulva.

PubMed

Sherlekar, Amrita L; Lints, Robyn

2014-09-01

The vulva search corresponds to the first step of mating in Caenorhabditis elegans wherein the male recognizes a potential mate through contact and commences a systematic, contact-based search of her surface for the vulva. During this 'dance' the male presses his tail genitalia firmly against the hermaphrodite surface and moves backward, modulating tail posture to effect changes in search trajectory. Upon sensing the vulva, the male pauses and the insemination phase of mating begins. External tail sensilla, the rays, induce and guide the male's search by registering hermaphrodite surface cues. C. elegans male mating behavior, like many other animate interactions (such as predator-prey interactions or intrasexual aggression), is performed at close quarters and requires that participants constantly adjust their movement with respect to one another on a moment-by-moment basis. The design features of the supporting circuitry explain simultaneously the robustness, speed and acuity of the male's behavior and its male-specific nature. Processing at all levels of the circuitry appears to be distributed. Cellular components exhibit both partial redundancy (thus conferring robustness in output) and subtle functional differences (predicted to confer acuity). Surprisingly, gender-shared cell types feature prominently in the circuitry. Male-specific components form sensory pathways that render downstream gender-shared circuits responsive to mate cues, while other male cells act to augment gender-shared cell activity. Overall, the attributes of the vulva search circuitry provide insight into principles guiding the design and operation of circuits supporting dynamic social behaviors expressed by more complex and less tractable animal species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Firefly Mating Algorithm for Continuous Optimization Problems

PubMed Central

Ritthipakdee, Amarita; Premasathian, Nol; Jitkongchuen, Duangjai

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a swarm intelligence algorithm, called firefly mating algorithm (FMA), for solving continuous optimization problems. FMA uses genetic algorithm as the core of the algorithm. The main feature of the algorithm is a novel mating pair selection method which is inspired by the following 2 mating behaviors of fireflies in nature: (i) the mutual attraction between males and females causes them to mate and (ii) fireflies of both sexes are of the multiple-mating type, mating with multiple opposite sex partners. A female continues mating until her spermatheca becomes full, and, in the same vein, a male can provide sperms for several females until his sperm reservoir is depleted. This new feature enhances the global convergence capability of the algorithm. The performance of FMA was tested with 20 benchmark functions (sixteen 30-dimensional functions and four 2-dimensional ones) against FA, ALC-PSO, COA, MCPSO, LWGSODE, MPSODDS, DFOA, SHPSOS, LSA, MPDPGA, DE, and GABC algorithms. The experimental results showed that the success rates of our proposed algorithm with these functions were higher than those of other algorithms and the proposed algorithm also required fewer numbers of iterations to reach the global optima. PMID:28808442

Firefly Mating Algorithm for Continuous Optimization Problems.

PubMed

Ritthipakdee, Amarita; Thammano, Arit; Premasathian, Nol; Jitkongchuen, Duangjai

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a swarm intelligence algorithm, called firefly mating algorithm (FMA), for solving continuous optimization problems. FMA uses genetic algorithm as the core of the algorithm. The main feature of the algorithm is a novel mating pair selection method which is inspired by the following 2 mating behaviors of fireflies in nature: (i) the mutual attraction between males and females causes them to mate and (ii) fireflies of both sexes are of the multiple-mating type, mating with multiple opposite sex partners. A female continues mating until her spermatheca becomes full, and, in the same vein, a male can provide sperms for several females until his sperm reservoir is depleted. This new feature enhances the global convergence capability of the algorithm. The performance of FMA was tested with 20 benchmark functions (sixteen 30-dimensional functions and four 2-dimensional ones) against FA, ALC-PSO, COA, MCPSO, LWGSODE, MPSODDS, DFOA, SHPSOS, LSA, MPDPGA, DE, and GABC algorithms. The experimental results showed that the success rates of our proposed algorithm with these functions were higher than those of other algorithms and the proposed algorithm also required fewer numbers of iterations to reach the global optima.

Roles of Female and Male Genotype in Post-Mating Responses in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Delbare, Sofie Y N; Chow, Clement Y; Wolfner, Mariana F; Clark, Andrew G

2017-10-30

Mating induces a multitude of changes in female behavior, physiology, and gene expression. Interactions between female and male genotype lead to variation in post-mating phenotypes and reproductive success. So far, few female molecules responsible for these interactions have been identified. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster from 5 geographically dispersed populations to investigate such female × male genotypic interactions at the female transcriptomic and phenotypic levels. Females from each line were singly-mated to males from the same 5 lines, for a total of 25 combinations. Reproductive output and refractoriness to re-mating were assayed in females from the 25 mating combinations. Female × male genotypic interactions resulted in significant differences in these post-mating phenotypes. To assess whether female × male genotypic interactions affect the female post-mating transcriptome, next-generation RNA sequencing was performed on virgin and mated females at 5 to 6 h post-mating. Seventy-seven genes showed strong variation in mating-induced expression changes in a female × male genotype-dependent manner. These genes were enriched for immune response and odorant-binding functions, and for expression exclusively in the head. Strikingly, variation in post-mating transcript levels of a gene encoding a spermathecal endopeptidase was correlated with short-term egg production. The transcriptional variation found in specific functional classes of genes might be a read-out of female × male compatibility at a molecular level. Understanding the roles these genes play in the female post-mating response will be crucial to better understand the evolution of post-mating responses and related conflicts between the sexes. © The American Genetic Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Costs of mate-guarding in wild male long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis): physiological stress and aggression.

PubMed

Girard-Buttoz, Cédric; Heistermann, Michael; Rahmi, Erdiansyah; Agil, Muhammad; Fauzan, Panji Ahmad; Engelhardt, Antje

2014-09-01

Mate-guarding is an important determinant of male reproductive success in a number of species. However, it is known to potentially incur costs. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of mate-guarding on male physiological stress and aggression in long-tailed macaques, a species in which males mate-guard females to a lesser extent than predicted by the Priority of Access model (PoA). The study was carried out during two mating periods on three groups of wild long-tailed macaques in Indonesia by combining behavioral observations with non-invasive measurements of fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels. Mate-guarding was associated with a general rise in male stress hormone levels but, from a certain threshold of mate-guarding onwards, increased vigilance time was associated with a decrease in stress hormone output. Mate-guarding also increased male-male aggression rate and male vigilance time. Overall, alpha males were more physiologically stressed than other males independently of mating competition. Increased glucocorticoid levels during mate-guarding are most likely adaptive since it may help males to mobilize extra-energy required for mate-guarding and ultimately maintain a balanced energetic status. However, repeated exposure to high levels of stress over an extended period is potentially deleterious to the immune system and thus may carry costs. This potential physiological cost together with the cost of increased aggression mate-guarding male face may limit the male's ability to mate-guard females, explaining the deviance from the PoA model observed in long-tailed macaques. Comparing our results to previous findings we discuss how ecological factors, reproductive seasonality and rank achievement may modulate the extent to which costs of mate-guarding limit male monopolization abilities. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Aggress to impress: hostility as an evolved context-dependent strategy.

PubMed

Griskevicius, Vladas; Tybur, Joshua M; Gangestad, Steven W; Perea, Elaine F; Shapiro, Jenessa R; Kenrick, Douglas T

2009-05-01

Given the high costs of aggression, why have people evolved to act aggressively? Comparative biologists have frequently observed links between aggression, status, and mating in nonhuman animals. In this series of experiments, the authors examined the effects of status, competition, and mating motives on men's and women's aggression. For men, status motives increased direct aggression (face-to-face confrontation). Men's aggression was also boosted by mating motives, but only when observers were other men. For women, both status and mating motives increased indirect aggression (e.g., socially excluding the perpetrator). Although neither status nor mating motives increased women's direct aggression, women did become more directly aggressive when motivated to compete for scarce resources. These context- and sex-specific effects on human aggression contribute to a broader understanding of the functional nature of aggressive behavior. Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Imaging, Behavior and Endocrine Analysis of “Jealousy” in a Monogamous Primate

PubMed Central

Maninger, Nicole; Mendoza, Sally P.; Williams, Donald R.; Mason, William A.; Cherry, Simon R.; Rowland, Douglas J.; Schaefer, Thomas; Bales, Karen L.

2018-01-01

Understanding the neurobiology of social bonding in non-human primates is a critical step in understanding the evolution of monogamy, as well as understanding the neural substrates for emotion and behavior. Coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) form strong pair bonds, characterized by selective preference for their pair mate, mate-guarding, physiological and behavioral agitation upon separation, and social buffering. Mate-guarding, or the “maintenance” phase of pair bonding, is relatively under-studied in primates. In the current study, we used functional imaging to examine how male titi monkeys viewing their pair mate in close proximity to a stranger male would change regional cerebral glucose metabolism. We predicted that this situation would challenge the pair bond and induce “jealousy” in the males. Animals were injected with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), returned to their cage for 30 min of conscious uptake, placed under anesthesia, and then scanned for 1 hour on a microPET P4 scanner. During the FDG uptake, males (n=8) had a view of either their female pair mate next to a stranger male (“jealousy” condition) or a stranger female next to a stranger male (control condition). Blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected and assayed for testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Positron emission tomography (PET) was co-registered with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and region of interest analysis was carried out. Bayesian multivariate multilevel analyses found that the right lateral septum (Pr(b>0)=93%), left posterior cingulate cortex (Pr(b>0)=99%), and left anterior cingulate (Pr(b>0)=96%) showed higher FDG uptake in the jealousy condition compared to the control condition, while the right medial amygdala (Pr(b>0)=85%) showed lower FDG uptake. Plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations were higher during the jealousy condition. During the jealousy condition, duration of time spent looking across at the pair mate next to a stranger male was associated with higher plasma cortisol concentrations. The lateral septum has been shown to be involved in mate-guarding and mating-induced aggression in monogamous rodents, while the cingulate cortex has been linked to territoriality. These neural and physiological changes may underpin the emotion of jealousy, which can act in a monogamous species to preserve the long-term integrity of the pair. PMID:29682503

Imaging, Behavior and Endocrine Analysis of "Jealousy" in a Monogamous Primate.

PubMed

Maninger, Nicole; Mendoza, Sally P; Williams, Donald R; Mason, William A; Cherry, Simon R; Rowland, Douglas J; Schaefer, Thomas; Bales, Karen L

2017-10-01

Understanding the neurobiology of social bonding in non-human primates is a critical step in understanding the evolution of monogamy, as well as understanding the neural substrates for emotion and behavior. Coppery titi monkeys ( Callicebus cupreus ) form strong pair bonds, characterized by selective preference for their pair mate, mate-guarding, physiological and behavioral agitation upon separation, and social buffering. Mate-guarding, or the "maintenance" phase of pair bonding, is relatively under-studied in primates. In the current study, we used functional imaging to examine how male titi monkeys viewing their pair mate in close proximity to a stranger male would change regional cerebral glucose metabolism. We predicted that this situation would challenge the pair bond and induce "jealousy" in the males. Animals were injected with [ 18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), returned to their cage for 30 min of conscious uptake, placed under anesthesia, and then scanned for 1 hour on a microPET P4 scanner. During the FDG uptake, males (n=8) had a view of either their female pair mate next to a stranger male ("jealousy" condition) or a stranger female next to a stranger male (control condition). Blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected and assayed for testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, and vasopressin. Positron emission tomography (PET) was co-registered with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and region of interest analysis was carried out. Bayesian multivariate multilevel analyses found that the right lateral septum (Pr( b >0)=93%), left posterior cingulate cortex (Pr( b >0)=99%), and left anterior cingulate (Pr( b >0)=96%) showed higher FDG uptake in the jealousy condition compared to the control condition, while the right medial amygdala (Pr( b >0)=85%) showed lower FDG uptake. Plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations were higher during the jealousy condition. During the jealousy condition, duration of time spent looking across at the pair mate next to a stranger male was associated with higher plasma cortisol concentrations. The lateral septum has been shown to be involved in mate-guarding and mating-induced aggression in monogamous rodents, while the cingulate cortex has been linked to territoriality. These neural and physiological changes may underpin the emotion of jealousy, which can act in a monogamous species to preserve the long-term integrity of the pair.

Role of volatile semiochemicals in the host and mate location behavior of Mallodon dasystomus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Treesearch

Matthew A. Paschen; Nathan M. Schiff; Matthew D. Ginzel

2012-01-01

Little is known of the role semiochemicals play in the mating systems of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the primitive subfamily Prioninae. Mallodon dasystomus (Say), the hardwood stump borer, is a widely distributed prionine native to the southern US. Preferred hosts of M. dasystomus include oak, sweetgum,...

Swarming mechanisms in the yellow fever mosquito: aggregation pheromones involved in the mating behavior of Aedes aegypti

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mosquitoes of various species mate in swarms comprised of tens to thousands flying males. Yet little information is known about mosquito swarming mechanism. Discovering chemical cues involved in mosquito biology leads to better adaptation of disease control interventions. In this study, we aimed ...

Multiple Convergent Origins of Workerlessness and Inbreeding in the Socially Parasitic Ant Genus Myrmoxenus.

PubMed

Heinze, Jürgen; Buschinger, Alfred; Poettinger, Theo; Suefuji, Masaki

2015-01-01

The socially parasitic ant genus Myrmoxenus varies strongly in fundamental life history traits, such as queen-worker ratio, the timing of sexual production, and mating behavior. Myrmoxenus queens generally take over nests of Temnothorax ants, kill the resident queen by throttling, and force the workers to take care of the social parasite's brood. Young queens of M. ravouxi and other species produce large numbers of workers, which during "slave-raids" pillage host pupae from neighboring Temnothorax colonies to increase the workforce in their own nests. Other species, such as M. corsicus, have lost caste polyphenism and rear only male and female sexual offspring. Using sequences of the genes CO I/CO II and wingless we reconstruct the phylogeny of Myrmoxenus and document that the worker caste was lost convergently at least three times. Furthermore, mating in the nest and inbreeding obviously also evolved in parallel from ancestors whose sexuals presumably mated during nuptial flights. Myrmoxenus might thus provide a suitable model to investigate caste differentiation and the plasticity of mating behavior in Hymenoptera.

Oxytocin receptor density is associated with male mating tactics and social monogamy

PubMed Central

Ophir, Alexander G.; Gessel, Ana; Zheng, Da-Jiang; Phelps, Steven M.

2012-01-01

Despite its well-described role in female affiliation, the influence of oxytocin on male pairbonding is largely unknown. However, recent human studies indicate that this nonapeptide has a potent influence on male behaviors commonly associated with monogamy. Here we investigated the distribution of oxytocin receptors (OTR) throughout the forebrain of the socially monogamous male prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). Because males vary in both sexual and spatial fidelity, we explored the extent to which OTR predicted monogamous or non-monogamous patterns of space use, mating success and sexual fidelity in free-living males. We found that monogamous males expressed higher OTR density in the nucleus accumbens than non-monogamous males, a result that mirrors species differences in voles with different mating systems. OTR density in the posterior portion of the insula predicted mating success. Finally, OTR in the hippocampus and septohippocampal nucleus, which are nuclei associated with spatial memory, predicted patterns of space use and reproductive success within mating tactics. Our data highlight the importance of oxytocin receptor in neural structures associated with pairbonding and socio-spatial memory in male mating tactics. The role of memory in mating systems is often neglected, despite the fact that mating tactics impose an inherently spatial challenge for animals. Identifying mechanisms responsible for relating information about the social world with mechanisms mediating pairbonding and mating tactics is crucial to fully appreciate the suite of factors driving mating systems. PMID:22285648

Phenology of Scramble Polygyny in a Wild Population of Chrysolemid Beetles: The Opportunity for and the Strength of Sexual Selection

PubMed Central

Baena, Martha Lucía; Macías-Ordóñez, Rogelio

2012-01-01

Recent debate has highlighted the importance of estimating both the strength of sexual selection on phenotypic traits, and the opportunity for sexual selection. We describe seasonal fluctuations in mating dynamics of Leptinotarsa undecimlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We compared several estimates of the opportunity for, and the strength of, sexual selection and male precopulatory competition over the reproductive season. First, using a null model, we suggest that the ratio between observed values of the opportunity for sexual selections and their expected value under random mating results in unbiased estimates of the actual nonrandom mating behavior of the population. Second, we found that estimates for the whole reproductive season often misrepresent the actual value at any given time period. Third, mating differentials on male size and mobility, frequency of male fighting and three estimates of the opportunity for sexual selection provide contrasting but complementary information. More intense sexual selection associated to male mobility, but not to male size, was observed in periods with high opportunity for sexual selection and high frequency of male fights. Fourth, based on parameters of spatial and temporal aggregation of female receptivity, we describe the mating system of L. undecimlineata as a scramble mating polygyny in which the opportunity for sexual selection varies widely throughout the season, but the strength of sexual selection on male size remains fairly weak, while male mobility inversely covaries with mating success. We suggest that different estimates for the opportunity for, and intensity of, sexual selection should be applied in order to discriminate how different behavioral and demographic factors shape the reproductive dynamic of populations. PMID:22761675

Disrupting Mating Behavior of Diaphorina citri (Liviidae).

PubMed

Lujo, S; Hartman, E; Norton, K; Pregmon, E A; Rohde, B B; Mankin, R W

2016-12-01

Severe economic damage from citrus greening disease, caused by 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' bacteria, has stimulated development of methods to reduce mating and reproduction in populations of its insect vector, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Male D. citri find mating partners by walking on host plants, intermittently producing vibrational calls that stimulate duetting replies by receptive females. The replies provide orientational feedback, assisting the search process. To test a hypothesis that D. citri mating can be disrupted using vibrational signals that compete with and/or mask female replies, courtship bioassays were conducted in citrus trees with or without interference from female reply mimics produced by a vibrating buzzer. Statistically significant reductions occurred in the rates and proportions of mating when the buzzer produced reply mimics within 0.4 s after male courtship calls compared with undisturbed controls. Observations of courtship behaviors in the two bioassays revealed activity patterns that likely contributed to the reductions. In both disruption and control tests, males reciprocated frequently between structural bifurcations and other transition points where signal amplitudes changed. Males in the disruption bioassay had to select among vibrational signals combined from the buzzer and the female at each transition point. They often turned towards the buzzer instead of the female. There was a statistically significant reduction in the proportion of males mating if they contacted the buzzer, possibly due to its higher vibration amplitude and duration in comparison with female replies. Potential applications of D. citri mating disruption technology in citrus groves are discussed. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Impact of male condition on his spermatophore and consequences for female reproductive performance in the Glanville fritillary butterfly.

PubMed

Duplouy, Anne; Woestmann, Luisa; Gallego Zamorano, Juan; Saastamoinen, Marjo

2018-04-01

In butterflies, male reproductive success is highly related to the quality and the size of the spermatophore transferred to the female. The spermatophore is a capsule produced by the male during copulation, which in many species contains sperm in addition to a nuptial gift, and which is digested by the female after copulation. The nuptial gift may contribute to egg production and offspring quality, and in some cases also to female body maintenance. The production of the spermatophore, however, represents a cost for the male and, in polyandrous species, ejaculates are sometimes allocated adaptively across matings. Nonetheless, although the ecological factors affecting the reproductive success of female butterflies have been the topic of numerous studies, little information exists on the factors affecting males' contribution to reproduction, and the indirect impacts on female fecundity and fitness. We used the Glanville fritillary butterfly, Melitaea cinxia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae), in order to assess variation in male allocation to matings. In this species, smaller males produce smaller spermatophores, but variation in spermatophore size is not correlated with female reproductive success. We show that spermatophore size increases with male age at first mating, decreases with mating frequency and adult food-deprivation, and is not influenced by developmental food-limitation. The length of copulation period does not influence the spermatophore size nor influences the polyandrous mating behavior in this species. Male contribution to his spermatophore size is clearly influenced by his condition and adult-resource at the time of mating. Despite this variation, spermatophore size does not seem to have a direct impact on female reproductive output or mating behavior. © 2016 The Authors Insect Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Adaptive strategies of overwintering adults: reproductive diapause and mating behavior in a grasshopper, Stenocatantops splendens (Orthoptera: Catantopidae).

PubMed

Zhu, Dao-Hong; Cui, Shuang-Shuang; Fan, Yong-Sheng; Liu, Zhiwei

2013-04-01

To understand the adaptive strategies of the overwintering adults of Stenocatantops splendens, the mechanism of maintenance and termination of the reproductive diapause, the variation in mortality between overwintering females and males, and the mating strategy of the males were investigated. The results indicated that the adult reproductive diapause in natural conditions was mainly regulated by photoperiod in the fall - long photoperiods promoted reproductive development and short photoperiods maintained reproductive diapause, and the sensitivity of the overwintering adults to photoperiod was over before the end of the winter. When transferred from natural conditions to controlled laboratory conditions on dates from September through February, pre-oviposition became increasingly shorter with increasingly deferred transfer dates regardless of photoperiod conditions. The adults treated with low temperature for 30 days in September through November had significantly shorter pre-oviposition, suggesting that low temperatures in winter had an important role in the termination of reproductive diapause. The female had a significantly lower supercooling point than the male, which was related to their lower mortality after winter. In addition, observations of wild populations of the species indicated that mating behavior prior to winter and the duration of pre-mating period were not affected by photoperiod; mating and sperm transfer were mostly completed by November. Compared with females only mating before winter, females mating in the spring had shorter life span, longer pre-oviposition, lower hatching rate and laid fewer egg pods while showing no significant difference with regard to ovipositional interval, per pod number of eggs and nymph dry weight. © 2012 The Authors Insect Science © 2012 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Relative Effects of Juvenile and Adult Environmental Factors on Mate Attraction and Recognition in the Cricket, Allonemobius socius

PubMed Central

Olvido, Alexander E.; Fernandes, Pearl R.; Mousseau, Timothy A.

2010-01-01

Finding a mate is a fundamental aspect of sexual reproduction. To this end, specific-mate recognition systems (SMRS) have evolved that facilitate copulation between producers of the mating signal and their opposite-sex responders. Environmental variation, however, may compromise the efficiency with which SMRS operate. In this study, the degree to which seasonal climate experienced during juvenile and adult life-cycle stages affects the SMRS of a cricket, Allonemobius socius (Scudder) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) was assessed. Results from two-choice behavioral trials suggest that adult ambient temperature, along with population and family origins, mediate variation in male mating call, and to a lesser extent directional response of females for those calls. Restricted maximum-likelihood estimates of heritability for male mating call components and for female response to mating call appeared statistically nonsignificant. However, appreciable “maternal genetic effects” suggest that maternal egg provisioning and other indirect maternal determinants of the embryonic environment significantly contributed to variation in male mating call and female response to mating calls. Thus, environmental factors can generate substantial variation in A. socius mating call, and, more importantly, their marginal effect on female responses to either fast-chirp or long-chirp mating calls suggest negative fitness consequences to males producing alternative types of calls. Future studies of sexual selection and SMRS evolution, particularly those focused on hybrid zone dynamics, should take explicit account of the loose concordance between signal producers and responders suggested by the current findings. PMID:20673114

Diurnal behavior and activity budget of the golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) in the Subic bay forest reserve area, the Philippines.

PubMed

Hengjan, Yupadee; Iida, Keisuke; Doysabas, Karla Cristine C; Phichitrasilp, Thanmaporn; Ohmori, Yasushige; Hondo, Eiichi

2017-10-07

Acerodon jubatus (the Golden-Crowned flying fox) is an endemic species in the Philippines, which was suspected to be a host of the Reston strain of the Ebola virus. As nocturnal animals, the flying foxes spend daytime at the roosting site, which they use for self-maintenance and reproduction. To understand the variation in diurnal behavior and time allocation for various activities in the Golden-Crowned flying fox, we investigated their daytime behavior and activity budget using instantaneous scan sampling and all occurrence focal sampling. Data collection was performed from 07:00 to 18:00 hr during January 8-17, 2017. The most frequent activity was sleeping (76.3%). The remaining activities were wing flapping (5.0%), self-grooming (4.2%), hanging relaxation (3.4%), wing spread (2.9%), movement (2.4%), mating/courtship (2.4%), aggression (1.9%), hanging alert (1.2%), excretion (0.1%) and scent marks (0.05%). The frequency of sleeping, wing flapping, self-grooming, hanging relaxation, aggression, mating/courtship and movement behaviors changed with the time of the day. Females allocated more time for resting than males, while males spent more time on the activities that helped enhance their mating opportunities, for example, movement, sexual activity and territorial behavior.

Diurnal behavior and activity budget of the golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) in the Subic bay forest reserve area, the Philippines

PubMed Central

HENGJAN, Yupadee; IIDA, Keisuke; DOYSABAS, Karla Cristine C.; PHICHITRASILP, Thanmaporn; OHMORI, Yasushige; HONDO, Eiichi

2017-01-01

Acerodon jubatus (the Golden-Crowned flying fox) is an endemic species in the Philippines, which was suspected to be a host of the Reston strain of the Ebola virus. As nocturnal animals, the flying foxes spend daytime at the roosting site, which they use for self-maintenance and reproduction. To understand the variation in diurnal behavior and time allocation for various activities in the Golden-Crowned flying fox, we investigated their daytime behavior and activity budget using instantaneous scan sampling and all occurrence focal sampling. Data collection was performed from 07:00 to 18:00 hr during January 8–17, 2017. The most frequent activity was sleeping (76.3%). The remaining activities were wing flapping (5.0%), self-grooming (4.2%), hanging relaxation (3.4%), wing spread (2.9%), movement (2.4%), mating/courtship (2.4%), aggression (1.9%), hanging alert (1.2%), excretion (0.1%) and scent marks (0.05%). The frequency of sleeping, wing flapping, self-grooming, hanging relaxation, aggression, mating/courtship and movement behaviors changed with the time of the day. Females allocated more time for resting than males, while males spent more time on the activities that helped enhance their mating opportunities, for example, movement, sexual activity and territorial behavior. PMID:28804092

Behavior differentiation between wild Japanese quail, domestic quail, and their first filial generation.

PubMed

Chang, G B; Liu, X P; Chang, H; Chen, G H; Zhao, W M; Ji, D J; Chen, R; Qin, Y R; Shi, X K; Hu, G S

2009-06-01

The number of wild quail has dramatically reduced in China and reached a state of endangerment with the deterioration of the environment in recent years. In this study, we examined the ecological behaviors of quails in the cage to determine the differentiation level between wild Japanese quail and domestic quail, to detect the relationship between quail behavior and evolutionary differentiation and to analyze the possibility of restoring effective size of wild population. With the on-the-spot observations and measurements, the behaviors of 3 categories of quail, namely wild Japanese quail from the Weishan Lake area in China, domestic quail, and their first filial generation (F(1)) were studied. Domestic quail differed from wild Japanese quail in morphological pattern and ecological behaviors, including some indexes of figure type and egg, vocalization, aggression and fighting, and mating, but wild Japanese quail and domestic quail could succeed in mating and reproducing fertile hybrid offspring. There were significant differences between domestic quail and wild Japanese quail in reproductive traits, involved mating times, fertility rate, hatching rate, and hatching rate of fertilized eggs (P < 0.05). The first filial generation presented significant difference from the wild Japanese quail in vocalization, aggression and fighting, mating, hatching rate, hatching rate of fertilized eggs, and some egg indexes (P < 0.05) and significantly differ from the domestic quail in vocalization, hatching rate, and hatching rate of fertilized eggs (P < 0.05). Evolutionary differentiation between wild quail and domestic quail was still at a relatively low level because no reproductive isolation existed. The advantages of the F(1) hybrids in reproductive capacity, fertilization, and hatching recommend that releasing hybrids instead of domestic quails to the wild would be a more effective way to restore the effective size of wild quail population if necessary.

Early exposure to 2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99) affects mating behavior of zebra finches.

PubMed

Eng, Margaret L; Elliott, John E; MacDougall-Shackleton, Scott A; Letcher, Robert J; Williams, Tony D

2012-05-01

2,2',4,4',5-Pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99) is a brominated flame retardant congener that has pervaded global food chains, being reported in avian egg and tissue samples throughout the world. Its effects on birds are not well known, but there is evidence in exposed mammals that it directly mediates and causes neurotoxicity, alters thyroid hormone homeostasis, and lowers sex steroid hormone concentrations. In birds, those processes could disrupt the song-control system and male mating behavior. In this study, the effects of nestling exposure to environmentally relevant levels of BDE-99 were assessed in a model songbird species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). A tissue residue study in which zebra finch nestlings were orally exposed to 0, 2.5, 15.8, or 50.7 ng BDE-99/g body weight (bw) per day over the 21-day nesting period validated dosing methods and confirmed dose levels were environmentally relevant (332.7 ± 141.0 to 4450.2 ± 1396.2 ng/g plasma lipid). A full-scale study exposing nestlings to 0, 2.5, 15.8, 50.7, or 173.8 ng BDE-99/g bw/day was carried out to investigate long-term effects of BDE-99 on the adult song-control nuclei volumes, song quality, and male mating behavior. Early exposure to BDE-99 had significant effects on male mating behavior and the response of clean experienced females to exposed males. There was no effect on male song-control nuclei or song quality, and there were nondose-dependent effects on female song-control nuclei. The results demonstrate that early exposure to environmentally relevant levels of BDE-99 affects the behavior of zebra finches.

Assailing the competition: sexual selection, proximate mating motives, and aggressive behavior in men.

PubMed

Ainsworth, Sarah E; Maner, Jon K

2014-12-01

Throughout history, men have tended to be more violent than women. Evolutionary theories suggest that this sex difference derives in part from their historically greater need to compete with other men over access to potential mates. In the current research, men and women (Experiment 1) or men only (Experiments 2 and 3) underwent a mating motive prime or control prime, and then performed a task designed to measure aggression toward a same-sex partner. The mating prime increased aggression among men, but not women (Experiment 1). Furthermore, mating-related increases in aggression were directed only toward men who were depicted as viable intrasexual rivals, including a dominant (vs. non-dominant) male partner (Experiment 2) and a man who was depicted as single (versus married) and looking for a mate (Experiment 3). This research provides a picture of male intrasexual aggression as highly selective and aimed strategically at asserting one's dominance over sexual rivals. © 2014 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Religious Attendance as Reproductive Support

PubMed Central

Weeden, Jason; Cohen, Adam B.; Kenrick, Douglas T.

2009-01-01

We argue that a central function of religious attendance in the contemporary U.S. is to support a high-fertility, monogamous mating strategy. Although religious attendance is correlated with many demographic, personality, moral, and behavioral variables, we propose that sexual and family variables are at the core of many of these relationships. Numerous researchers have assumed that religious socialization causes people to feel moral reactions and engage in behaviors promoted by religious groups. On our view, mating preferences are centrally involved in individual differences in attraction to religious groups. In a sample of 21,131 individuals who participated in the U.S. General Social Survey, sexual behaviors were the relatively strongest predictors of religious attendance, even after controlling for age and gender. Effects of age and gender on religious attendance were weaker, and substantially reduced when controlling for sexual and family patterns. A sample of 902 college students provided more detailed information on religious, moral, and sexual variables. Results suggest that 1) moral views about sexual behavior are more strongly linked to religious attendance than other moral issues, and 2) mating strategy is more powerful than standard personality variables in predicting religious attendance. These findings suggest that reproductive strategies are at the heart of variations in religious attendance. PMID:21874105

Cuticular hydrocarbons as sex pheromone of the bee Colletes cunicularius and the key to its mimicry by the sexually deceptive orchid, Ophrys exaltata.

PubMed

Mant, Jim; Brändli, Christoph; Vereecken, Nicolas J; Schulz, Claudia M; Francke, Wittko; Schiestl, Florian P

2005-08-01

Male Colletes cunicularius bees pollinate the orchid, Ophrys exaltata, after being sexually deceived by the orchid's odor-mimicry of the female bee's sex pheromone. We detected biologically active volatiles of C. cunicularius by using gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) with simultaneous flame ionization detection. After identification of the target compounds by coupled gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we performed behavioral tests using synthetic blends of the active components. We detected 22 EAD active compounds in cuticular extracts of C. cunicularius females. Blends of straight chain, odd-numbered alkanes and (Z)-7-alkenes with 21-29 carbon atoms constituted the major biologically active compounds. Alkenes were the key compounds releasing mating behavior, especially those with (Z)-7 unsaturation. Comparison of patterns of bee volatiles with those of O. exaltata subsp. archipelagi revealed that all EAD-active compounds were also found in extracts of orchid labella. Previous studies of the mating behavior in C. cunicularius showed linalool to be an important attractant for patrolling males. We confirmed this with synthetic linalool but found that it rarely elicited copulatory behavior, in accordance with previous studies. A blend of active cuticular compounds with linalool elicited both attraction and copulation behavior in patrolling males. Thus, linalool appears to function as a long-range attractant, whereas cuticular hydrocarbons are necessary for inducing short-range mating behavior.

Sex Pheromone Dosages and Release Point Densities for Mating Disruption of Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in NE China Corn Fields.

PubMed

Chen, Ri-Zhao; Jow, Chung-Kuang; Klein, Michael G; Jia, Yu-di; Zhang, Da-Yu; Li, Lan-Bing

2017-08-01

Mating disruption of Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) with its sex pheromone has not been commonly used in NE China due to a lack of information about optimal sex pheromone dosages and the density of release points required in the field. During 2014-2016, first, the two active pheromone ingredients were evaluated in the laboratory alone at ca. 2.5-5.0 mg, or in combination at 0.2-6.0 mg, to disrupt male O. furnacalis mating behaviors. Then, mating disruption areas, with radii of <8.0 m, were determined with those same dosages in corn, an orchard, and soybean fields by comparing male captures in sentinel traps in the control plots with those in corresponding disruption treatments. Finally, 6.0 (F30) and 0.2 mg (Fs) dosages were used in fields at 20-640 and 200-6,400 release points/ha. We found that ≧6.0 mg of the binary pheromone mixture, or ca. 5.0 mg of either of the two single components, completely disrupted mating behaviors, and F30 of the binary mixture provided a 200-m2 disruption area, with at least 50% capture reductions. At a density of 60-640 and 600-6,400 points/ha in a corn field, F30 and Fs dosages provided >90% mating disruption, leaf protection, and ear protection. The dispenser densities and inverse male catches in traps tended to follow a noncompetitive mechanism of mating disruption. Since 85% disruption of mating with 200-400 0.02 mg release points/ha was obtained, that level is recommended as the choice in future NE China O. furnacalis IPM programs. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Female choice and the relatedness of mates in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata): mate choice and inbreeding depression.

PubMed

Pitcher, Trevor E; Rodd, F Helen; Rowe, Locke

2008-09-01

Several studies suggest that females may offset the costs of genetic incompatibility by exercising pre-copulatory or post-copulatory mate choice to bias paternity toward more compatible males. One source of genetic incompatibility is the degree of relatedness among mates; unrelated males are expected to be genetically more compatible with a female than her relatives. To address this idea, we investigated the potential for inbreeding depression and paternity biasing mechanisms (pre- and post-copulatory) of inbreeding avoidance in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata. Inbreeding resulted in a reduction in offspring number and quality. Females mated to siblings gave birth to significantly fewer offspring compared to females mated to non-siblings and inbred male offspring took longer to reach sexual maturity. There was no evidence of inbreeding avoidance in pre-copulatory behaviors of females or males. Sexual responsiveness of females to courting males and the number of sexual behaviors males directed at females did not decrease as a function of the relatedness of the two individuals. We also tested whether female guppies can use post-copulatory mechanisms to bias sperm usage toward unrelated males by comparing the number of offspring produced by females mated to two of their siblings (SS), two males unrelated to the female (NN), or to one unrelated male and a sibling male (NS). We found that NS females produced a number of offspring not significantly different than what would be expected if fertilization success were halfway between completely outbreeding (NN) and completely inbreeding (SS) females. This suggests that there is no significant improvement in the number of offspring produced by females mating to both related and unrelated males, relative to that which would be expected if sperm from both males were used equally. Our results suggest that female guppies do not discriminate against closely related males or their sperm.

Flash Bulletin: Fireflies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Debbie

1984-01-01

Explains the flashes of light emitted by fireflies as competition, species-specific code, species identification and mating behavior and ecology. Suggests activities to conduct to study the insects and their behavior. (ERB)

Hormones of choice: the neuroendocrinology of partner preference in animals.

PubMed

Henley, C L; Nunez, A A; Clemens, L G

2011-04-01

Partner preference behavior can be viewed as the outcome of a set of hierarchical choices made by an individual in anticipation of mating. The first choice involves approaching a conspecific verses an individual of another species. As a rule, a conspecific is picked as a mating partner, but early life experiences can alter that outcome. Within a species, an animal then has the choice between a member of the same sex or the opposite sex. The final choice is for a specific individual. This review will focus on the middle choice, the decision to mate with either a male or a female. Available data from rats, mice, and ferrets point to the importance of perinatal exposure to steroid hormones in the development of partner preferences, as well as the importance of activational effects in adulthood. However, the particular effects of this hormone exposure show species differences in both the specific steroid hormone responsible for the organization of behavior and the developmental period when it has its effect. Where these hormones have an effect in the brain is mostly unknown, but regions involved in olfaction and sexual behavior, as well as sexually dimorphic regions, seem to play a role. One limitation of the literature base is that many mate or 'partner preference studies' rely on preference for a specific stimulus (usually olfaction) but do not include an analysis of the relation, if any, that stimulus has to the choice of a particular sexual partner. A second limitation has been the almost total lack of attention to the type of behavior that is shown by the choosing animal once a 'partner' has been chosen, specifically, if the individual plays a mating role typical of its own sex or the opposite sex. Additional paradigms that address these questions are needed for better understanding of partner preferences in rodents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex cause maladaptive sexual behavior in male rats.

PubMed

Davis, Jon F; Loos, Maarten; Di Sebastiano, Andrea R; Brown, Jennifer L; Lehman, Michael N; Coolen, Lique M

2010-06-15

An inability to inhibit behaviors once they become maladaptive is a component of several psychiatric illnesses, and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was identified as a potential mediator of behavioral inhibition. The current study tested if the mPFC is involved in inhibition of sexual behavior when associated with aversive outcomes. Using male rats, effects of lesions of the infralimbic and prelimbic areas of the mPFC on expression of sexual behavior and ability to inhibit mating were tested using a paradigm of copulation-contingent aversion. Medial prefrontal cortex lesions did not alter expression of sexual behavior. In contrast, mPFC lesions completely blocked the acquisition of sex-aversion conditioning and lesioned animals continued to mate, in contrast to the robust behavioral inhibition toward copulation in mPFC intact male animals, resulting in only 22% of intact male animals continuing to mate. However, rats with mPFC lesions were capable of forming a conditioned place preference to sexual reward and conditioned place aversion for lithium chloride, suggesting that these lesions did not alter associative learning or sensitivity for lithium chloride. The current study indicates that animals with mPFC lesions are likely capable of forming the associations with aversive outcomes of their behavior but lack the ability to suppress seeking of sexual reward in the face of aversive consequences. These data may contribute to a better understanding of a common pathology underlying impulse control disorders, as compulsive sexual behavior has a high prevalence of comorbidity with psychiatric disorders and Parkinson's disease.

Rapid loss of behavioral plasticity and immunocompetence under intense sexual selection.

PubMed

van Lieshout, Emile; McNamara, Kathryn B; Simmons, Leigh W

2014-09-01

Phenotypic plasticity allows animals to maximize fitness by conditionally expressing the phenotype best adapted to their environment. Although evidence for such adjustment in reproductive tactics is common, little is known about how phenotypic plasticity evolves in response to sexual selection. We examined the effect of sexual selection intensity on phenotypic plasticity in mating behavior using the beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Male genital spines harm females during mating and females exhibit copulatory kicking, an apparent resistance trait aimed to dislodge mating males. After exposing individuals from male- and female-biased experimental evolution lines to male- and female-biased sociosexual environments, we examined behavioral plasticity in matings with standard partners. While females from female-biased lines kicked sooner after exposure to male-biased sociosexual contexts, in male-biased lines this plasticity was lost. Ejaculate size did not diverge in response to selection history, but males from both treatments exhibited plasticity consistent with sperm competition intensity models, reducing size as the number of competitors increased. Analysis of immunocompetence revealed reduced immunity in both sexes in male-biased lines, pointing to increased reproductive costs under high sexual selection. These results highlight how male and female reproductive strategies are shaped by interactions between phenotypically plastic and genetic mechanisms of sexual trait expression. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Geographical variation in sexual behavior and body traits in a sex role reversed wolf spider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bollatti, Fedra; Diaz, Virginia Garcia; Peretti, Alfredo V.; Aisenberg, Anita

2017-06-01

Mating partners need to recognize, assess each other, and exchange information through behavioral events that occur before, during, and after mating. Sexual signals, as well as life history traits, are influenced by selective pressures and environmental factors that can vary across distant geographical areas. Allocosa senex is a sand-dwelling wolf spider which constructs burrows along the sandy coasts of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. Females are the mobile sex that searches for males and initiates courtship. They prefer males which construct longer burrows, and males prefer virgin females in good body condition. The objective of this study was to compare sexual behavior patterns, as well as body characteristics and burrow dimensions, between two geographically distant locations of A. senex, one in Uruguay (Uruguayan location) and the other from central Argentina (Argentinean location). We found differences in the number of male abdominal vibrations, male and female touches during mating, and number of erections of male leg spines, which all were higher in matings of Argentinean pairs. On the other hand, male body mass and female body condition were higher in Uruguayan individuals. The wide distribution of A. senex could be determining variations in the biotic and abiotic features that affect the species, generating differences in the strength of selective forces acting on individuals from the two studied locations.

SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN MALE RODENTS

PubMed Central

Hull, Elaine M.; Dominguez, Juan M.

2007-01-01

The hormonal factors and neural circuitry that control copulation are similar across rodent species, although there are differences in specific behavior patterns. Both estradiol (E) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) contribute to the activation of mating, although E is more important for copulation and DHT, for genital reflexes. Hormonal activation of the medial preoptic area (MPOA) is most effective, although implants in the medial amygdala (MeA) can also stimulate mounting in castrates. Chemosensory inputs from the main and accessory olfactory systems are the most important stimuli for mating in rodents, especially in hamsters, although genitosensory input also contributes. Dopamine agonists facilitate sexual behavior, and serotonin (5-HT) is generally inhibitory, though certain 5-HT receptor subtypes facilitate erection or ejaculation. Norepinephrine agonists and opiates have dose-dependent effects, with low doses facilitating and high doses inhibiting behavior. PMID:17499249

Cholinergic control of male mating behavior in hamsters: effects of central oxotremorine treatment.

PubMed

Floody, Owen R; Katin, Michael J; Harrington, Lia X; Schassburger, Rachel L

2011-12-01

The responses of rats to intracranial injections of cholinergic drugs implicate acetylcholine in the control of male mating behavior and suggest specific brain areas as mediators of these effects. In particular, past work has linked the medial preoptic area (MPOA) to the control of intromission frequency but implicated areas near the lateral ventricles in effects on the initiation and spacing of intromissions. Studies of responses to systemic cholinergic treatments suggest that acetylcholine is even more important for the control of mating behavior in male hamsters but provide no information on the relevant brain areas. To fill this gap, we observed the effects of central injections of the cholinergic agonist oxotremorine that approached the MPOA along contrasting paths. Both studies suggest that increased cholinergic activity in or near the MPOA can facilitate behavior by reducing the postejaculatory interval and possibly affecting other parts of the mechanisms controlling the initiation of copulation and the efficiency of performance early in an encounter. In addition, oxotremorine caused other changes in behavior that could not be tied to the MPOA and may reflect actions at more dorsal sites, possibly including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and medial septum. These effects were notably heterogeneous, including facilitatory and disruptive effects on male behavior along with a facilitation of lordosis responses to manual stimulation. These results emphasize the number and diversity of elements of sexual behavior in hamsters that are under the partial control of forebrain cholinergic mechanisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depression of brain dopamine and its metabolite after mating in European honeybee (Apis mellifera) queens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harano, Ken-Ichi; Sasaki, Ken; Nagao, Takashi

2005-07-01

To explore neuro-endocrinal changes in the brain of European honeybee (Apis mellifera) queens before and after mating, we measured the amount of several biogenic amines, including dopamine and its metabolite in the brain of 6- and 12-day-old virgins and 12-day-old mated queens. Twelve-day-old mated queens showed significantly lower amounts of dopamine and its metabolite (N-acetyldopamine) than both 6- and 12-day-old virgin queens, whereas significant differences in the amounts of these amines were not detected between 6- and 12-day-old virgin queens. These results are explained by down-regulation of both synthesis and secretion of brain dopamine after mating. It is speculated that higher amounts of brain dopamine in virgin queens might be involved in activation of ovarian follicles arrested in previtellogenic stages, as well as regulation of their characteristic behaviors.

Spinosad- and Deltamethrin-Induced Impact on Mating and Reproductive Output of the Maize Weevil Sitophilus zeamais.

PubMed

Vélez, Mayra; Botina, Lorena L; Turchen, Leonardo M; Barbosa, Wagner F; Guedes, Raul Narciso C

2018-04-02

Assessments of acute insecticide toxicity frequently focus on the lethal effects on individual arthropod pest species and populations neglecting the impacts and consequences of sublethal exposure. However, the sublethal effects of insecticides may lead to harmful, neutral, or even beneficial responses that may affect (or not) the behavior and sexual fitness of the exposed insects. Intriguingly, little is known about such effects on stored product insect pests in general and the maize weevil in particular. Thus, we assessed the sublethal effects of spinosad and deltamethrin on female mate-searching, mating behavior, progeny emergence, and grain consumption by maize weevils. Insecticide exposure did not affect the resting time, number of stops, and duration of mate-searching by female weevils, but their walking velocity was compromised. Maize weevil couples sublethally exposed to deltamethrin and spinosad exhibited altered reproductive behavior (walking, interacting, mounting, and copulating), but deltamethrin caused greater impairment. Curiously, higher grain consumption and increased progeny emergence were observed in deltamethrin-exposed insects, suggesting that this pyrethroid insecticide elicits hormesis in maize weevils that may compromise control efficacy by this compound. Although spinosad has less of an impact on weevil reproductive behavior than deltamethrin, this bioinsecticide also benefited weevil progeny emergence, but did not affect grain consumption. Therefore, our findings suggest caution using either compound, and particularly deltamethrin, for controlling the maize weevil, as they may actually favor this species population growth when in sublethal exposure requiring further assessments. The same concern may be valid for other insecticides as well, what deserves future attention.

Cryptic forcible insemination: male snakes exploit female physiology, anatomy, and behavior to obtain coercive matings.

PubMed

Shine, Richard; Langkilde, Tracy; Mason, Robert T

2003-11-01

Whether males can inseminate uncooperative females is a central determinant of mating system evolution that profoundly affects the interpretation of phenomena such as multiple mating by females, mate choice, reproductive seasonality, and courtship tactics. Forcible insemination is usually inferred from direct physical battles between the sexes and has been dismissed on intuitive grounds for many kinds of animals. For example, snakes have elongate flexible bodies (making it difficult for a male to restrain a female physically), males are typically smaller than females, and copulation requires female cloacal gaping to enable intromission. Male garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) do not display any overt aggression during courtship and simply lie over the female and exhibit rhythmic pulsating caudocephalic waves of muscular contraction; previous studies have interpreted this behavior as a mechanism for eliciting female receptivity. In contrast, we show that male garter snakes forcibly inseminate females. They do so by taking advantage of specific features of snake physiology, respiratory anatomy, and antipredator behavior. The snake lung extends along most of the body, with the large posterior section (the saccular lung) lacking any respiratory exchange surface. Rhythmic caudocephalic waves by courting male garter snakes push anoxic air from the saccular lung forward and across the respiratory surfaces such that females cannot obtain oxygen. Their stress response involves cloacal gaping, which functions in other contexts to repel predators by extruding feces and musk but in this situation permits male intromission. Thus, superficially benign courtship behaviors may involve cryptic coercion even in species for which intuition dismisses any possibility of forcible insemination.

A cooperative function for multisensory stimuli in the induction of approach behavior of a potential mate

PubMed Central

Ågmo, Anders

2017-01-01

Intrasexual competition is an important element of natural selection in which the most attractive conspecific has a considerable reproductive advantage over the others. The conspecifics that are approached first often become the preferred mate partners, and could thus from a biological perspective have a reproductive advantage. This underlines the importance of the initial approach and raises the question of what induces this approach, or what makes a conspecific attractive. Identification of the sensory modalities crucial for the activation of approach is necessary for elucidating the central nervous processes involved in the activation of sexual motivation and eventually copulatory behavior. The initial approach to a potential mate depends on distant stimuli in the modalities of audition, olfaction, vision, and other undefined characteristics. This study investigated the role of the different modalities and the combination of these modalities in the sexual incentive value of a female rat. This study provides evidence that the presence of a single-sensory stimulus with one modality (olfaction, vision, or ‘others’, but not audition) is sufficient to attenuate the preference for a social contact with a male rat. However, a multisensory stimulus of multiple modalities is necessary to induce preference for the stimulus over social contact to a level of an intact receptive female. The initial approach behavior, therefore, seems to be induced by the combination of at least two modalities among which olfaction is crucial. This suggests that there is a cooperative function for the different modalities in the induction of approach behavior of a potential mate. PMID:28306729

Sex-specific trail pheromone mediates complex mate finding behavior in Anoplophora glabripennis

Treesearch

Kelli Hoover; Melody Keena; Maya Nehme; Shifa Wang; Peter Meng; Aijun Zhang

2014-01-01

Anoplophora glabripennis (Motsch.) is a polyphagous member of the Cerambycidae, and is considered, worldwide, to be one of the most serious quarantine pests of deciduous trees. We isolated four chemicals from the trail of A. glabripennis virgin and mated females that were not present in trails of mature males. These compounds were...

Who Finds Bill Gates Sexy? Creative Mate Preferences as a Function of Cognitive Ability, Personality, and Creative Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Scott Barry; Kozbelt, Aaron; Silvia, Paul; Kaufman, James C.; Ramesh, Sheela; Feist, Gregory J.

2016-01-01

Creativity is sexy, but are all creative behaviors equally sexy? We attempted to clarify the role of creativity in mate selection among an ethnically diverse sample of 815 undergraduates. First we assessed the sexual attractiveness of different forms of creativity: ornamental/aesthetic, applied/technological, and everyday/domestic creativity. Both…

Smelling fit: scent marking exposes parasitic infection status in the banded mongoose.

PubMed

Mitchell, Jessica; Cant, Michael A; Vitikainen, Emma I K; Nichols, Hazel J

2017-06-01

Preference for uninfected mates is presumed beneficial as it minimizes one's risk of contracting an infection and infecting one's offspring. In avian systems, visual ornaments are often used to indicate parasite burdens and facilitate mate choice. However, in mammals, olfactory cues have been proposed to act as a mechanism allowing potential mates to be discriminated by infection status. The effect of infection upon mammalian mate choice is mainly studied in captive rodents where experimental trials support preference for the odors of uninfected mates and some data suggest scent marking is reduced in individuals with high infection burdens. Nevertheless, whether such effects occur in nonmodel and wild systems remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the interplay between parasite load (estimated using fecal egg counts) and scent marking behavior in a wild population of banded mongooses Mungos mungo . Focusing on a costly protozoan parasite of the genus Isospora and the nematode worm Toxocara , we first show that banded mongooses that engage in frequent, intensive scent marking have lower Isospora loads, suggesting marking behavior may be an indicator trait regarding infection status. We then use odor presentations to demonstrate that banded mongooses mark less in response to odors of opposite sexed individuals with high Isospora and Toxocara loads. As both of these parasites are known to have detrimental effects upon the health of preweaned young in other species, they would appear key targets to avoid during mate choice. Results provide support for scent as an important ornament and mechanism for advertising parasitic infection within wild mammals.

Hit or Miss: Fertilization Outcomes of Natural Inseminations by Japanese Quail

PubMed Central

Adkins-Regan, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Variation in fertilization success underlies sexual selection, yet mating does not guarantee fertilization. The relationship between natural inseminations and fertilization success is essential for understanding sexual selection, yet that relationship and its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood in sperm-storing vertebrates such as birds. Here the relationship is analyzed in mating trials using Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica), which show striking variation in the fertilizing success of inseminations. Failures of males’ inseminations to fertilize eggs were mainly due to failures prior to sperm-egg contact. Fertilization probabilities on any given day were unrelated to whether the female had laid an egg the previous day, arguing against stimulation of sperm release from sperm storage tubules by the events of the daily egg-laying cycle. Instead, an unfertilized egg laid between two fertilized eggs predicted a longer sperm storage interval. Both sexes gained similar numbers of fertilized eggs by mating with a second partner the next day, but males, unlike females in a previous study, did not gain by having two females to mate with at the same time. Instead, they were both behaviorally and sperm limited, whereas females gain by mating twice in quick succession. Even double inseminations often failed to fertilize any eggs, and multiple matings would be needed for an entire clutch to be fertilized with high certainty. Paradoxically, this low and probabilistic fertilization success co-occurs with other notable characteristics of male quail suggestive of past sexual selection for increased success, including vigorous copulatory behavior, forced copulations, foamy secretion aiding in sperm competition, large testes and unusual sperm morphology. PMID:26222780

Sex begets violence: mating motives, social dominance, and physical aggression in men.

PubMed

Ainsworth, Sarah E; Maner, Jon K

2012-11-01

There are sizable gender differences in aggressive behavior, with men displaying a much higher propensity for violence than women. Evolutionary theories suggest that men's more violent nature derives in part from their historically greater need to compete over access to potential mates. The current research investigates this link between mating and male violence and provides rigorous experimental evidence that mating motives cause men to behave violently toward other men. In these studies, men and women were primed with a mating motive and then performed a noise-blast aggression task. Being primed with mating led men, but not women, to deliver more painful blasts of white noise to a same-sex partner (but not an opposite-sex partner). This effect was particularly pronounced among men with an unrestricted sociosexual orientation, for whom competition over access to new mates is an especially relevant concern. Findings also suggest that mating-induced male violence is motivated by a desire to assert one's dominance over other men: when men were given feedback that they had won a competition with their partner (and thus had achieved dominance through nonaggressive means), the effect of the mating prime on aggression was eliminated. These findings provide insight into the motivational roots of male aggression and illustrate the value of testing theories from evolutionary biology with rigorous experimental methods. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Marriage-Market Constraints and Mate-Selection Behavior: Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in Intermarriage

PubMed Central

Choi, Kate H.; Tienda, Marta

2016-01-01

Despite theoretical consensus that marriage markets constrain mate selection behavior, few studies directly evaluate how local marriage market conditions influence intermarriage patterns. Using data from the American Community Survey, we examine what aspects of marriage markets influence mate selection; assess whether the associations between marriage market conditions and intermarriage are uniform by gender and across pan-ethnic groups; and investigate the extent to which marriage market conditions account for group differences in intermarriage patterns. Relative group size is the most salient and consistent determinant of intermarriage patterns across pan-ethnic groups and by gender. Marriage market constraints typically explain a larger share of pan-ethnic differences in intermarriage rates than individual traits, suggesting that scarcity of co-ethnic partners is a key reason behind decisions to intermarry. When faced with market constraints, men are more willing or more successful than women in crossing racial and ethnic boundaries in marriage. PMID:28579638

Functional identification of an aggression locus in the mouse hypothalamus

PubMed Central

Lin, Dayu; Boyle, Maureen P.; Dollar, Piotr; Lee, Hyosang; Perona, Pietro; Lein, Ed S.; Anderson, David J.

2010-01-01

Electrical stimulation of certain hypothalamic regions in cats and rodents can elicit attack behavior, but the exact location of relevant cells within these regions, their requirement for naturally occurring aggression and their relationship to mating circuits have not been clear. Genetic methods for neural circuit manipulation in mice provide a potentially powerful approach to this problem, but brain stimulation-evoked aggression has never been demonstrated in this species. Here we show that optogenetic, but not electrical, stimulation of neurons in the ventromedial hypothalamus, ventrolateral subdivision (VMHvl) causes male mice to attack both females and inanimate objects, as well as males. Pharmacogenetic silencing of VMHvl reversibly inhibits inter-male aggression. Immediate early gene analysis and single unit recordings from VMHvl during social interactions reveal overlapping but distinct neuronal subpopulations involved in fighting and mating. Neurons activated during attack are inhibited during mating, suggesting a potential neural substrate for competition between these behaviors. PMID:21307935

The effect of individual differences and manipulated life expectancies on the willingness to engage in sexual coercion.

PubMed

Dunkel, Curtis S; Mathes, Eugene

2011-12-16

The role of the individual difference variables of mate value, short-term and long-term mating preferences, and life history strategy along with the manipulated variable of life expectancy were used to predict differences in the willingness to engage in sexually coercive behaviors. Short-term preferences and long-term preferences were correlated with the willingness to engage in sexual coercion at all life expectancies. Life history strategy was correlated with the willingness to engage in sexual coercion at only the shortest and longest life expectancies. Most importantly short-term and long-term mating preferences interacted with life expectancy to predict the willingness to engage in sexually coercive behaviors. Short life expectancies increased willingness in individuals with high short-term and low long-term preferences. The results are discussed in terms of the varying theories of sexual coercion with emphasis put on a life history approach.

Mate attraction, retention and expulsion.

PubMed

Miner, Emily J; Shackelford, Todd K

2010-02-01

Sexual selection theory and parental investment theory have guided much of the evolutionary psychological research on human mating. Based on these theories, researchers have predicted and found sex differences in mating preferences and behaviors. Men generally prefer that their long-term partners are youthful and physically attractive. Women generally prefer that their long-term partners have existing resources or clear potential for securing resources and display a willingness to invest those resources in children the relationship might produce. Both men and women, however, desire long-term partners who are kind and intelligent. Once a partner is obtained, men and women act in sex-specific ways to ensure the continuation and exclusivity of the relationship. Men, in particular, engage in behaviors designed to prevent, correct, and anticipate their partner's sexual infidelity. Relationships dissolve for evolutionarily-relevant reasons: infidelity, childlessness, and infertility. The discussion addresses directions for future research.

Genetic mapping of a food preference gene in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs).

PubMed

Mase, Keisuke; Iizuka, Tetsuya; Yamamoto, Toshio; Okada, Eiji; Hara, Wajirou

2007-06-01

The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, has strict food preferences and grows by feeding on mulberry leaves. However, "Sawa-J", an abnormal feeding habit strain selected from the genetic stock, feeds on an artificial diet without mulberry leaf powder. In this study, the food preference gene in Sawa-J was genetically identified using restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of a cDNA clone on each linkage group. Taking advantage of a lack of genetic recombination in females, reciprocal backcrossed F1 (BC1) progenies were independently prepared using a non-feeding strain, C108, as a mating partner of Sawa-J. Our results of linkage analysis and mapping proved that the feeding behavior is primarily controlled by a major recessive gene mapped at 20.2 cM on RFLP linkage group 9 (RFLG9), and clone e73 at a distance of 4.2 cM was found as the first linked molecular marker.

Good mates retain us right: investigating the relationship between mate retention strategies, mate value, and relationship satisfaction.

PubMed

Salkicevic, Svjetlana; Stanic, Ajana L; Grabovac, Masa T

2014-12-07

Mate retention strategies are an important tool in keeping a partner, and their use is determined by the mate value (MV) of the partner one is trying to keep. The type of strategy used is also dependent on one's own MV: mates of lower MV are more prone to exhibiting strategies that are cost-inflicting for their partners, whereas partner-benefiting strategies are used by mates of higher value. The type of strategies used affects relationship satisfaction (RS), and is also affected by the perceived difference in MVs. However, it is unclear how someone's perception of their partner's MV is related to that partner's behavior and their own RS. To this aim, we investigated the relationship between these variables on a sample of 178 couples. Our results showed that benefit-inducing strategies were used more by--and towards--partners of higher MV, and were positively connected with RS. Cost-inflicting strategies were more used by--and towards--partners of lower MV, and were negatively connected with RS. Less MV difference was positively correlated with RS and benefiting strategies, and negatively correlated with cost-inflicting strategies. It seems that good mates use strategies that benefit their partners, which, in turn, make them more valuable and, consequently, their partner more satisfied.

Comparative analysis of the mating-type loci from Neurospora crassa and Sordaria macrospora: identification of novel transcribed ORFs.

PubMed

Pöggeler, S; Kück, U

2000-03-01

The mating-type locus controls mating and sexual development in filamentous ascomycetes. In the heterothallic ascomycete Neurospora crassa, the genes that confer mating behavior comprise dissimilar DNA sequences (idiomorphs) in the mat a and mat A mating partners. In the homothallic fungus Sordaria macrospora, sequences corresponding to both idiomorphs are located contiguously in the mating-type locus, which contains one chimeric gene, Smt A-3, that includes sequences which are similar to sequences found at the mat A and mat a mating-type idiomorphs in N. crassa. In this study, we describe the comparative transcriptional analysis of the chimeric mating-type region of S. macrospora and the corresponding region of the N. crassa mat a idiomorph. By means of RT-PCR experiments, we identified novel intervening sequences in the mating-type loci of both ascomycetes and, hence, concluded that an additional ORF, encoding a putative polypeptide of 79 amino acids, is present in the N. crassa mat a idiomorph. Furthermore, our analysis revealed co-transcription of the novel gene with the mat a-1 gene in N. crassa. The same mode of transcription was found in the corresponding mating-type region of S. macrospora, where the chimeric Smt A-3 gene is co-transcribed with the mat a-specific Smt a-1 gene. Analysis of a Smt A-3 cDNA revealed optional splicing of two introns. We believe that this is the first report of co-transcription of protein-encoding nuclear genes in filamentous fungi. Possible functions of the novel ORFs in regulating mating-type gene expression are discussed.

On the Adult Behavioral Repertoire of the Sawfly Perreyia flavipes Konow, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Pergidae): Movement, Mating, and Thanatosis.

PubMed

Neves, F M; Pie, M R

2018-02-01

Perreyia flavipes Konow, 1899 (Pergidae: Perreyinae) is a sawfly species with gregarious larvae commonly found in open areas in southern Brazil through Uruguay and northern Argentina. The combination of highly gregarious larvae with the production of a variety of toxins in P. flavipes has led to severe cases of intoxication in a variety of livestock species. Over the years, considerable information was discovered on the larval natural history of P. flavipes; however, virtually nothing is known about the adult behavior, particularly because of its short life-span. In this study, we report on the first extensive study on the adult behavior of P. flavipes, including movement, mating (with oviposition and maternal care), and thanatosis. Our results show some unusual behavioral adaptations presented by P. flavipes, such as irregular activity behavior (i.e., deficient gait pattern), thanatosis behavior-like display, and primitive maternal care. Individual behavioral acts are described and compared among sexes, and their potential functions are discussed.

Specification of select hypothalamic circuits and innate behaviors by the embryonic patterning gene Dbx1

PubMed Central

Sokolowski, Katie; Esumi, Shigeyuki; Hirata, Tsutomu; Kamal, Yasman; Tran, Tuyen; Lam, Andrew; Oboti, Livio; Brighthaupt, Sherri-Chanelle; Zaghlula, Manar; Martinez, Jennifer; Ghimbovschi, Svetlana; Knoblach, Susan; Pierani, Alessandra; Tamamaki, Nobuaki; Shah, Nirao M; Jones, Kevin S; Corbin, Joshua G

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The hypothalamus integrates information required for the production of a variety of innate behaviors such as feeding, mating, aggression and predator avoidance. Despite an extensive knowledge of hypothalamic function, how embryonic genetic programs specify circuits that regulate these behaviors remains unknown. Here, we find that in the hypothalamus the developmentally regulated homeodomain-containing transcription factor Dbx1 is required for the generation of specific subclasses of neurons within the lateral hypothalamic area/zona incerta (LH) and the arcuate (Arc) nucleus. Consistent with this specific developmental role, Dbx1 hypothalamic-specific conditional-knockout mice display attenuated responses to predator odor and feeding stressors but do not display deficits in other innate behaviors such as mating or conspecific aggression. Thus, activity of a single developmentally regulated gene, Dbx1, is a shared requirement for the specification of hypothalamic nuclei governing a subset of innate behaviors. PMID:25864637

Sexual selection and mating chronology of Lesser Prairie-Chickens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Behney, Adam C.; Grisham, Blake A.; Boal, Clint W.; Whitlaw, Heather A.; Haukos, David A.

2012-01-01

Little is known about mate selection and lek dynamics of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). We collected data on male territory size and location on leks, behavior, and morphological characteristics and assessed the importance of these variables on male Lesser Prairie-Chicken mating success during spring 2008 and 2009 in the Texas Southern High Plains. We used discrete choice models and found that males that were less idle were chosen more often for mating. Our results also suggest that males with smaller territories obtained more copulations. Morphological characteristics were weaker predictors of male mating success. Peak female attendance at leks occurred during the 1-week interval starting 13 April during both years of study. Male prairie-chickens appear to make exploratory movements to, and from, leks early in the lekking season; 13 of 19 males banded early (23 Feb–13 Mar) in the lekking season departed the lek of capture and were not reobserved (11 yearlings, 2 adults). Thirty-three percent (range  =  26–51%) of males on a lek mated (yearlings  =  44%, adults  =  20%) and males that were more active experienced greater mating success.

Indirect genetic effect model using feeding behaviour traits to define the degree of interaction between mates: an implementation in pigs growth rate.

PubMed

Ragab, M; Piles, M; Quintanilla, R; Sánchez, J P

2018-06-06

An alternative implementation of the animal model including indirect genetic effect (IGE) is presented considering pair-mate-specific interaction degrees to improve the performance of the model. Data consisted of average daily gain (ADG) records from 663 pigs kept in groups of 10 to 14 mates during the fattening period. Three types of models were used to fit ADG data: (i) animal model (AM); (ii) AM with classical IGE (AM-IGE); and (iii) AM fitting IGE with a specific degree of interaction between each pair of mates (AM-IGEi). Several feeding behavior phenotypes were used to define the pair-mate-specific degree of interaction in AM-IGEi: feeding rate (g/min), feeding frequency (min/day), the time between consecutive visits to the feeder (min/day), occupation time (min/day) and an index considering all these variables. All models included systematic effects batch, initial age (covariate), final age (covariate), number of pigs per pen (covariate), plus the random effect of the pen. Estimated posterior mean (posterior SD) of heritability was 0.47 (0.15) using AM. Including social genetic effects in the model, total heritable variance expressed as a proportion of total phenotypic variance (T 2) was 0.54 (0.29) using AM-IGE, whereas it ranged from 0.51 to 0.55 (0.12 to 0.14) with AM-IGEi, depending on the behavior trait used to define social interactions. These results confirm the contribution of IGEs to the total heritable variation of ADG. Moreover, important differences between models were observed in EBV rankings. The percentage of coincidence of top 10% animals between AM and AM-IGEi ranged from 0.44 to 0.89 and from 0.41to 0.68 between AM-IGE and AM-IGEi. Based on the goodness of fit and predictive ability, social models are preferred for the genetic evaluation of ADG. Among models including IGEs, when the pair-specific degree of interaction was defined using feeding behavior phenotypes we obtained an increase in the accuracy of genetic parameters estimates, the better goodness of fit and higher predictive ability. We conclude that feeding behavior variables can be used to measure the interaction between pen mates and to improve the performance of models including IGEs.

[The relationship between the abnormal behavior and serum C-reactive protein in children with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Li, Yanzhong; Wang, Xin

2009-12-01

To explore the pathogenesis of abnormal behavior in children with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). The behavioral problems and C-reactive protein were measured in 40 children with OSAHS and 30 children with habitual snoring who underwent overnight Polysomnography, 40 cases of healthy children for the control group. The ratio of abnormal behavior in OSAHS and habitual snoring children was significantly higher than that of the healthy control group, while no significant difference between the two groups. The content of C-reactive protein in OSAHS children (4.24 mg/L) was significantly higher than habitual snoring (2.76 mg/L) and healthy control group (1.27 mg/L); in habitual snoring children C-reactive protein was higher than in healthy control group. The content of serum C-reactive protein in OSAHS children accompanied by abnormal behavior (4.63 mg/L) was significantly higher than that without abnormal behavior (3.23 mg/L). The content of serum C-reactive protein content in habitual snoring children accompanied by abnormal behavior (3.63 mg/L) was significantly higher than that without abnormal behavior (1.76 mg/L). OSAHS and habitual snoring children have more behavior problems. C-reactive protein levels are higher in children with OSAHS and habitual snoring, and the levels of C-reactive protein are related to the abnormal behavior in these children.

Pair-bonded humans conform to sexual stereotypes in web-based advertisements for extra-marital partners.

PubMed

Kelley, Trish C; Hare, James F

2010-10-20

Partners advertisements provide advertisers with access to a large pool of prospective mates, and have proven useful in documenting sex differences in human mating preferences. We coded data from an Internet site (AshleyMadison.com) catering to advertisers engaged in existing pair-bonded relationships. While we predicted that pair-bonding may liberate advertisers from conforming to sexual stereotypes of male promiscuity and female choosiness, our results are uniformly consistent with those stereotypes. Our findings thus provide further evidence that human mating behavior is highly constrained by fundamental biological differences between males and females.

Choosy but not chaste: multiple mating in human females.

PubMed

Scelza, Brooke A

2013-01-01

When Charles Darwin set out to relate his theory of evolution by natural selection to humans he discovered that a complementary explanation was needed to properly understand the great variation seen in human behavior. The resulting work, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, laid out the defining principles and evidence of sexual selection. In brief, this work is best known for illuminating the typically male strategy of intrasexual competition and the typically female response of intersexual choice. While these sexual stereotypes were first laid out by Darwin, they grew in importance when, years later, A. J. Bateman, in a careful study of Drosophila mating strategies, noted that multiple mating appeared to provide great benefit to male reproductive success, but to have no such effect on females. As a result, female choice soon became synonymous with being coy, and only males were thought to gain from promiscuous behavior. However, the last thirty years of research have served to question much of the traditional wisdom about sex differences proposed by Darwin and Bateman, illuminating the many ways that women (and females more generally) can and do engage in multiple mating. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Body odor quality predicts behavioral attractiveness in humans.

PubMed

Roberts, S Craig; Kralevich, Alexandra; Ferdenzi, Camille; Saxton, Tamsin K; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C; Havlicek, Jan

2011-12-01

Growing effort is being made to understand how different attractive physical traits co-vary within individuals, partly because this might indicate an underlying index of genetic quality. In humans, attention has focused on potential markers of quality such as facial attractiveness, axillary odor quality, the second-to-fourth digit (2D:4D) ratio and body mass index (BMI). Here we extend this approach to include visually-assessed kinesic cues (nonverbal behavior linked to movement) which are statistically independent of structural physical traits. The utility of such kinesic cues in mate assessment is controversial, particularly during everyday conversational contexts, as they could be unreliable and susceptible to deception. However, we show here that the attractiveness of nonverbal behavior, in 20 male participants, is predicted by perceived quality of their axillary body odor. This finding indicates covariation between two desirable traits in different sensory modalities. Depending on two different rating contexts (either a simple attractiveness rating or a rating for long-term partners by 10 female raters not using hormonal contraception), we also found significant relationships between perceived attractiveness of nonverbal behavior and BMI, and between axillary odor ratings and 2D:4D ratio. Axillary odor pleasantness was the single attribute that consistently predicted attractiveness of nonverbal behavior. Our results demonstrate that nonverbal kinesic cues could reliably reveal mate quality, at least in males, and could corroborate and contribute to mate assessment based on other physical traits.

Female Moth Calling and Flight Behavior Are Altered Hours Following Pheromone Autodetection: Possible Implications for Practical Management with Mating Disruption.

PubMed

Stelinski, Lukasz; Holdcraft, Robert; Rodriguez-Saona, Cesar

2014-06-19

Female moths are known to detect their own sex pheromone-a phenomenon called "autodetection". Autodetection has various effects on female moth behavior, including altering natural circadian rhythm of calling behavior, inducing flight, and in some cases causing aggregations of conspecifics. A proposed hypothesis for the possible evolutionary benefits of autodetection is its possible role as a spacing mechanism to reduce female-female competition. Here, we explore autodetection in two species of tortricids (Grapholita molesta (Busck) and Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris)). We find that females of both species not only "autodetect," but that learning (change in behavior following experience) occurs, which affects behavior for at least 24 hours after pheromone pre-exposure. Specifically, female calling in both species is advanced at least 24 hours, but not 5 days, following pheromone pre-exposure. Also, the propensity of female moths to initiate flight and the duration of flights, as quantified by a laboratory flight mill, were advanced in pre-exposed females as compared with controls. Pheromone pre-exposure did not affect the proportion of mated moths when they were confined with males in small enclosures over 24 hours in laboratory assays. We discuss the possible implications of these results with respect to management of these known pest species with the use of pheromone-based mating disruption.

Low level of polyandry constrains phenotypic plasticity of male body size in mites.

PubMed

Schausberger, Peter; Walzer, Andreas; Murata, Yasumasa; Osakabe, Masahiro

2017-01-01

Polyandry, i.e. females mating with multiple males, is more common than previously anticipated and potentially provides both direct and indirect fitness benefits to females. The level of polyandry (defined by the lifetime number of male mates of a female) is an important determinant of the occurrence and intensity of sexual selection acting on male phenotypes. While the forces of sexual selection acting on phenotypic male traits such as body size are relatively well understood, sexual selection acting on phenotypic plasticity of these traits is unexplored. We tackled this issue by scrutinizing the link between polyandry and phenotypic plasticity of male body size in two sympatric plant-inhabiting predatory mite species, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus. These two species are similar in life history, ecological niche requirements, mating behavior, polygyny and female body size plasticity but strikingly differ in the level of both polyandry and phenotypic plasticity of male body size (both lower in P. persimilis). We hypothesized that deviations from standard body size, i.e. the size achieved under favorable conditions, incur higher costs for males in the less polyandrous P. persimilis. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two experiments on (i) the effects of male body size on spermatophore transfer in singly mating females and (ii) the effects of mate sequence (switching the order of standard-sized and small males) on mating behavior and paternity success in doubly mating females. In P. persimilis but not N. californicus, small males transferred fewer but larger spermatophores to the females; in both species, females re-mated more likely with standard-sized following small than small following standard-sized males; in P. persimilis, first standard-sized males sired a higher proportion of offspring produced after re-mating by the female than first small males, whereas in N. californicus the paternity success of small and standard-sized males was independent of the mating sequence. Based on our results and pertinent previous studies, which showed that females of P. persimilis, but not N. californicus, prefer mating with standard-sized over small males and allow them fertilizing more eggs, the lack of interspecific difference in female body size plasticity, and the absence of any clue pointing at a role of natural selection, we suggest that the interspecific difference in male body size plasticity is sexually selected. Our study provides an indication of sexual selection constraining plasticity of male phenotypes, suggesting that the level of polyandry may be an important co-determinant of the level of phenotypic plasticity of male body size.

Low level of polyandry constrains phenotypic plasticity of male body size in mites

PubMed Central

Walzer, Andreas; Murata, Yasumasa; Osakabe, Masahiro

2017-01-01

Polyandry, i.e. females mating with multiple males, is more common than previously anticipated and potentially provides both direct and indirect fitness benefits to females. The level of polyandry (defined by the lifetime number of male mates of a female) is an important determinant of the occurrence and intensity of sexual selection acting on male phenotypes. While the forces of sexual selection acting on phenotypic male traits such as body size are relatively well understood, sexual selection acting on phenotypic plasticity of these traits is unexplored. We tackled this issue by scrutinizing the link between polyandry and phenotypic plasticity of male body size in two sympatric plant-inhabiting predatory mite species, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus. These two species are similar in life history, ecological niche requirements, mating behavior, polygyny and female body size plasticity but strikingly differ in the level of both polyandry and phenotypic plasticity of male body size (both lower in P. persimilis). We hypothesized that deviations from standard body size, i.e. the size achieved under favorable conditions, incur higher costs for males in the less polyandrous P. persimilis. To test our hypotheses, we conducted two experiments on (i) the effects of male body size on spermatophore transfer in singly mating females and (ii) the effects of mate sequence (switching the order of standard-sized and small males) on mating behavior and paternity success in doubly mating females. In P. persimilis but not N. californicus, small males transferred fewer but larger spermatophores to the females; in both species, females re-mated more likely with standard-sized following small than small following standard-sized males; in P. persimilis, first standard-sized males sired a higher proportion of offspring produced after re-mating by the female than first small males, whereas in N. californicus the paternity success of small and standard-sized males was independent of the mating sequence. Based on our results and pertinent previous studies, which showed that females of P. persimilis, but not N. californicus, prefer mating with standard-sized over small males and allow them fertilizing more eggs, the lack of interspecific difference in female body size plasticity, and the absence of any clue pointing at a role of natural selection, we suggest that the interspecific difference in male body size plasticity is sexually selected. Our study provides an indication of sexual selection constraining plasticity of male phenotypes, suggesting that the level of polyandry may be an important co-determinant of the level of phenotypic plasticity of male body size. PMID:29190832

How Song Experience Affects Female Mate-Choice, Male Song, and Monoaminergic Activity in the Auditory Telencephalon in Lincoln's Sparrows.

PubMed

Sockman, Keith W; Lyons, Susan M

2017-10-01

A sexual signal can indicate not only the signaler's attractiveness as a potential mate but also the signaler's competitiveness relative to rivals. As the attractiveness or competitiveness of the prevailing signaling environment increases, individuals prospecting for mates should change their choice threshold, whereas competing individuals should shift resources toward elevating their own competitiveness. Previous studies show that experimental elevations of song competition increase male competitive behavior in Lincoln's sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Through a series of experimental manipulations using laboratory-housed Lincoln's sparrows, we have also discovered that females change the strength of their song preferences depending on the attractiveness of the song environment to which they have recently been exposed; compared to a less-attractive environment, a highly-attractive environment elevates the threshold for releasing phonotaxis behavior toward male song. These behavioral adjustments are associated with changes in forebrain monoaminergic activity that are triggered by experimental manipulations of the quality of the song environment. Findings from these studies suggest possible neural mechanisms for the regulation of adaptive behavioral plasticity associated with dynamic sexual signaling environments. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Is incest common in gray wolf packs?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Deborah E; Meier, Thomas J.; Geffen, Eli; Mech, L. David; Burch, John W.; Adams, Layne G.; Wayne, Robert K.

1997-01-01

Wolf packs generally consist of a breeding pair and their maturing offspring that help provision and protect pack young. Because the reproductive tenure in wolves is often short, reproductively mature offspring might replace their parents, resulting in sibling or parent-offspring matings. To determine the extent of incestuous pairings, we measured relatedness based on variability in 20 microsatellite loci of mated pairs, parent-offspring pairs, and siblings in two populations of gray wolves. Our 16 sampled mated pairs had values of relatedness not overlapping those of known parent-offspring or sibling dyads, which is consistent with their being unrelated or distantly related. These results suggest that full siblings or a parent and its offspring rarely mate and that incest avoidance is an important constraint on gray wolf behavioral ecology.

The Effect of Otolith Malformation on Behavior and Cortisol Levels in Juvenile Red Drum Fish (Sciaenops ocellatus)

PubMed Central

Browning, Zoe S; Wilkes, Allison A; Moore, Erica J; Lancon, Trevor W; Clubb, Fred J

2012-01-01

Captive-raised red drum fish were observed with phenotypic abnormalities, including deformities of the spine, jaw, and cephalic region, that were consistent with vitamin C deficiency during the larval stage. In light of their visible exterior skeletal abnormalities, we suspected that the affected fish would also have abnormal otoliths. Otoliths are dense calcareous structures that function in fish hearing. We hypothesized that abnormal fish would have irregular otoliths that would alter behavior and cortisol levels as compared with those of phenotypically normal fish. The normal and abnormal fish had statistically significant differences in behavior, cortisol levels, and otolith volume and density. MicroCT assessment of abnormal fish revealed operculum abnormalities, malocclusions, and several types of otolith malformations. Therefore, the affected fish had not only an abnormal skeletal appearance but also significantly abnormal behavior and cortisol responses. PMID:23043776

Chronic social stress in puberty alters appetitive male sexual behavior and neural metabolic activity.

PubMed

Bastida, Christel C; Puga, Frank; Gonzalez-Lima, Francisco; Jennings, Kimberly J; Wommack, Joel C; Delville, Yvon

2014-07-01

Repeated social subjugation in early puberty lowers testosterone levels. We used hamsters to investigate the effects of social subjugation on male sexual behavior and metabolic activity within neural systems controlling social and motivational behaviors. Subjugated animals were exposed daily to aggressive adult males in early puberty for postnatal days 28 to 42, while control animals were placed in empty clean cages. On postnatal day 45, they were tested for male sexual behavior in the presence of receptive female. Alternatively, they were tested for mate choice after placement at the base of a Y-maze containing a sexually receptive female in one tip of the maze and an ovariectomized one on the other. Social subjugation did not affect the capacity to mate with receptive females. Although control animals were fast to approach females and preferred ovariectomized individuals, subjugated animals stayed away from them and showed no preference. Cytochrome oxidase activity was reduced within the preoptic area and ventral tegmental area in subjugated hamsters. In addition, the correlation of metabolic activity of these areas with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior parietal cortex changed significantly from positive in controls to negative in subjugated animals. These data show that at mid-puberty, while male hamsters are capable of mating, their appetitive sexual behavior is not fully mature and this aspect of male sexual behavior is responsive to social subjugation. Furthermore, metabolic activity and coordination of activity in brain areas related to sexual behavior and motivation were altered by social subjugation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic Social Stress in Puberty Alters Appetitive Male Sexual Behavior and Neural Metabolic Activity

PubMed Central

Bastida, Christel C.; Puga, Frank; Gonzalez-Lima, Francisco; Jennings, Kimberly J.; Wommack, Joel C.; Delville, Yvon

2014-01-01

Repeated social subjugation in early puberty lowers testosterone levels. We used hamsters to investigate the effects of social subjugation on male sexual behavior and metabolic activity within neural systems controlling social and motivational behaviors. Subjugated animals were exposed daily to aggressive adult males in early puberty for postnatal days 28 to 42, while control animals were placed in empty clean cages. On postnatal day 45, they were tested for male sexual behavior in the presence of receptive female. Alternatively, they were tested for mate choice after placement at the base of a Y-maze containing a sexually receptive female in one tip of the maze and an ovariectomized one on the other. Social subjugation did not affect the capacity to mate with receptive females. Although control animals were fast to approach females and preferred ovariectomized individuals, subjugated animals stayed away from them and showed no preference. Cytochrome oxidase activity was reduced within the preoptic area and ventral tegmental area in subjugated hamsters. In addition, the correlation of metabolic activity of these areas with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior parietal cortex changed significantly from positive in controls to negative in subjugated animals. These data show that at mid-puberty, while male hamsters are capable of mating, their appetitive sexual behavior is not fully mature and this aspect of male sexual behavior is responsive to social subjugation. Furthermore, metabolic activity and coordination of activity in brain areas related to sexual behavior and motivation was altered by social subjugation. PMID:24852486

Timing of Maternal Immunization Affects Immunological and Behavioral Outcomes of Adult Offspring in Siberian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

PubMed Central

French, Susannah S.; Chester, Emily M.; Demas, Gregory E.

2016-01-01

Maternal influences are an important contributing factor to offspring survival, development, and behavior. Common environmental pathogens can induce maternal immune responses and affect subsequent development of offspring. There are likely sensitive periods during pregnancy when animals are particularly vulnerable to environmental disruption. Here we characterize the effects of maternal immunization across pregnancy and postpartum on offspring physiology and behavior in Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Hamsters were injected with the antigen keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) 1) prior to pairing with a male (pre-mating), 2) at separation (post-mating), 3) at mid-pregnancy, or 4) after birth (lactation). Maternal food intake, body mass, and immunity were monitored throughout gestation, and litters were measured weekly for growth until adulthood when social behavior, hormone concentrations, and immune responses were determined. We found that immunizations altered maternal immunity throughout pregnancy and lactation. The effects of maternal treatment differed between male and female offspring. Aggressive behavior was enhanced in offspring of both sexes born to mothers treated post-mating and thus early in pregnancy relative to other stages. In contrast, maternal treatment and maternal stage differentially affected innate immunity in males and females. Offspring cortisol, however, was unaffected by maternal treatment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that maternal immunization affects offspring physiology and behavior in a time-dependent and sex-specific manner. More broadly, these findings contribute to our understanding of the effects of maternal immune activation, whether it be from environmental exposure or immunization, on immunological and behavioral responses of offspring. PMID:27320639

Reproductive behavior of the great hornbill (Buceros bicornis).

PubMed

Kozlowski, Corinne P; Bauman, Karen L; Asa, Cheryl S

2015-01-01

Great hornbills (Buceros bicornis) are a long-lived, monogamous species that forms strong pair-bonds, and mate compatibility is thought to be important for successful reproduction. Within AZA, great hornbills are listed as a red SSP. The population consists of a limited number of individuals that do not breed reliably, and improving reproduction is a top priority for the Coraciiformes TAG. To better understand mating behavior and evaluate mate compatibility, this study documented the behavior of pairs of great hornbills during and immediately after courtship. Using live observations, the study followed one female, an experienced and successful breeder, as she was paired with four successive males over 11 breeding seasons. Initially, males frequently vocalized, investigated the nest, and approached the female. As the female spent more time in the nest, these behaviors were replaced by regurgitation and food offering. The female was most often observed plastering and vocalizing. Behavioral differences between successful and unsuccessful pairs, possibly indicative of pair compatibility, included rates of approaching, billing, and biting. Numerous behaviors occurred more frequently during years that a chick hatched, including pseudoregurgitation, regurgitation, offering food items, and nest investigation. Males also spent more time in proximity to both the female and the nest during years that a chick hatched. Together, these results suggest that the amount of time pairs spend in proximity, the amount of time a male spends near the nest, and the frequency of certain behaviors may help evaluate compatibility and the likelihood of successful reproduction for pairs of great hornbills. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Probable neuro sexual mode of action of Casimiroa edulis seed extract versus [correction of verses] sildenafil citrate (Viagra(tm)) on mating behavior in normal male rats.

PubMed

Ali, Syed Tabrez; Rakkah, Nabeeh I

2008-01-01

The present study deals with the aphrodisiac actions of the aqueous extract of the seeds of the hypotensive plant Casimiroa edulis on the sexual behavior of normal male rats. In this investigation 30 healthy male Wister strain white albino rats showing the brisk sexual activity age 15 weeks, weighing 400-450 grams were included. Female rats were artificially brought into estrous by hormonal treatment. Receptivity was checked by exposing them to the male rats and the most receptive females were selected for the stud The mating responses including Mounting Frequency (MF), Intromission Frequency (IF), Mounting Latency (ML), Intromission Latency (IL), Ejaculatory Latency in first and second series (EL1 and EL2) and Post Ejaculatory Interval (PEI) were recorded after treating the animals with 250 mg/kg casimiroa edulis extract (test reference) and 5 mg/kg sildenafil citrate (standard reference) respectively orally per day for 7 days. Both the groups exhibited a significant increase in Mounting Frequency, Intromission Frequency, and first and second ejaculatory latencies, where as Mounting and Intromission latencies and the Post Ejaculatory Interval showed a significant reduction than the controls. Although a similar pattern of mating behavior was observed among the test and the standard groups, however in all the cases as expected, sildenafil produced greater activity than the casimiroa edulis extract. These results suggest the possibility of a similar mode of action of casimiroa edulis and sildenafil citrate on mating behavior in these animals. Our work reported in this research thus provide preliminary evidence that the aqueous seed extract of casimiroa edulis possesses alphrodisiac activity and may be used as an alternative drug therapy to restore sexual functions probably via a neurogenic mode of action.

Heterospecific pairing and hybridization between Nasutitermes corniger and N. ephratae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartke, Tamara R.; Rosengaus, Rebeca B.

2011-09-01

The sympatric neotropical termites Nasutitermes corniger and Nasutitermes ephratae are clearly distinguishable based on morphology, nest architecture, defensive secretion composition, and molecular markers. However, given the extensive ecological, geographical, and behavioral overlap of these closely related species, the potential for interbreeding may exist. To explore this possibility, heterospecific pairs were formed experimentally to examine courtship and colony-establishment behaviors, and reproductive potential. Courtship and nest construction behavior occurred in heterospecific pairs in a similar manner to that of conspecific pairs. Survival of pairs depended upon the species of the female partner. N. ephratae females paired with N. corniger males produced as many offspring as conspecific pairs. N. corniger females mated to N. ephratae males, however, produced significantly fewer offspring at 60 days post-establishment than the reciprocal cross or conspecific N. ephratae or N. corniger pairs. This was also the only pairing in which any aggression was observed. Heterospecific pairs and groups formed in mate choice mesocosms, suggesting that species recognition between these two termites is not an important aspect of mate choice. Overall, species mismatch tolerance and hybrid offspring viability are high. The present data, together with previous evidence from defensive secretions and isozyme analysis, suggest that hybridization may periodically occur in nature, and that reproductive barriers between these two species may be incomplete. Hybridization could provide a rare but important source of genetic diversity and may ensure mating opportunities for the more abundant sex of alates in each species.

Mating behavior and the evolution of sperm design

PubMed Central

Schärer, Lukas; Littlewood, D. Timothy J.; Waeschenbach, Andrea; Yoshida, Wataru; Vizoso, Dita B.

2011-01-01

Sperm are the most diverse of all animal cell types, and much of the diversity in sperm design is thought to reflect adaptations to the highly variable conditions under which sperm function and compete to achieve fertilization. Recent work has shown that these conditions often evolve rapidly as a consequence of multiple mating, suggesting a role for sexual selection and sexual conflict in the evolution of sperm design. However, very little of the striking diversity in sperm design is understood functionally, particularly in internally fertilizing organisms. We use phylogenetic comparative analyses covering 16 species of the hermaphroditic flatworm genus Macrostomum to show that a complex sperm design is associated with reciprocal mating and that this complexity is lost secondarily when hypodermic insemination—sperm injection through the epidermis—evolves. Specifically, the complex sperm design, which includes stiff lateral bristles, is likely a male persistence trait associated with sexual conflicts over the fate of received ejaculates and linked to female resistance traits, namely an intriguing postcopulatory sucking behavior and a thickened epithelium of the sperm-receiving organ. Our results suggest that the interactions between sperm donor, sperm, and sperm recipient can change drastically when hypodermic insemination evolves, involving convergent evolution of a needle-like copulatory organ, a simpler sperm design, and a simpler female genital morphology. Our study documents that a shift in the mating behavior may alter fundamentally the conditions under which sperm compete and thereby lead to a drastic change in sperm design. PMID:21220334

Genetic and environmental factors associated with laboratory rearing affect survival and assortative mating but not overall mating success in Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto.

PubMed

Paton, Doug; Touré, Mahamoudou; Sacko, Adama; Coulibaly, Mamadou B; Traoré, Sékou F; Tripet, Frédéric

2013-01-01

Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, the main vector of malaria in Africa, is characterized by its vast geographical range and complex population structure. Assortative mating amongst the reproductively isolated cryptic forms that co-occur in many areas poses unique challenges for programs aiming to decrease malaria incidence via the release of sterile or genetically-modified mosquitoes. Importantly, whether laboratory-rearing affects the ability of An. gambiae individuals of a given cryptic taxa to successfully mate with individuals of their own form in field conditions is still unknown and yet crucial for mosquito-releases. Here, the independent effects of genetic and environmental factors associated with laboratory rearing on male and female survival, mating success and assortative mating were evaluated in the Mopti form of An. gambiae over 2010 and 2011. In semi-field enclosures experiments and despite strong variation between years, the overall survival and mating success of male and female progeny from a laboratory strain was not found to be significantly lower than those of the progeny of field females from the same population. Adult progeny from field-caught females reared at the larval stage in the laboratory and from laboratory females reared outdoors exhibited a significant decrease in survival but not in mating success. Importantly, laboratory individuals reared as larvae indoors were unable to mate assortatively as adults, whilst field progeny reared either outdoors or in the laboratory, as well as laboratory progeny reared outdoors all mated significantly assortatively. These results highlight the importance of genetic and environment interactions for the development of An. gambiae's full mating behavioral repertoire and the challenges this creates for mosquito rearing and release-based control strategies.

Abnormal behavior and associated risk factors in captive baboons (Papio hamadryas spp.).

PubMed

Lutz, Corrine K; Williams, Priscilla C; Sharp, R Mark

2014-04-01

Abnormal behavior, ranging from motor stereotypies to self-injurious behavior, has been documented in captive nonhuman primates, with risk factors including nursery rearing, single housing, and veterinary procedures. Much of this research has focused on macaque monkeys; less is known about the extent of and risk factors for abnormal behavior in baboons. Because abnormal behavior can be indicative of poor welfare, either past or present, the purpose of this study was to survey the presence of abnormal behavior in captive baboons and to identify potential risk factors for these behaviors with an aim of prevention. Subjects were 144 baboons (119 females, 25 males) aged 3-29 (median = 9.18) years temporarily singly housed for research or clinical reasons. A 15-min focal observation was conducted on each subject using the Noldus Observer® program. Abnormal behavior was observed in 26% of the subjects, with motor stereotypy (e.g., pace, rock, swing) being the most common. Motor stereotypy was negatively associated with age when first singly housed (P < 0.005) while self-directed behavior (e.g., hair pull, self-bite) was positively associated with the lifetime number of days singly housed (P < 0.05) and the average number of blood draws per year (P < 0.05). In addition, abnormal appetitive behavior was associated with being male (P < 0.05). Although the baboons in this study exhibited relatively low levels of abnormal behavior, the risk factors for these behaviors (e.g., social restriction, routine veterinary procedures, and sex) appear to remain consistent across primate species. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Haploid, diploid, and triploid--discrimination ability against polyploid mating partner in the parasitic wasp, Bracon brevicornis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

PubMed

Thiel, Andra; Weeda, Anne C

2014-01-01

Because the quality of mating partners varies, females of several taxa have evolved the ability to discriminate against low-quality mates. Although males in the Hymenoptera are usually haploid, diploid males may occur in species with complementary sex determination. Diploid males are almost always sterile in most of the species studied so far. They are thus of very low quality as mating partners, especially when females mate only once in life. We hypothesize that hymenopteran females might have evolved the ability to discriminate against infertile diploid males and avoid mating with them. To test this hypothesis, we studied diploid male fitness in the parasitoid wasp Bracon brevicornis Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) by measuring survival rate and fertility and then estimated their chances of actually mating with a female. Flow cytometry was used to determine the ploidy level of wasps. The fitness costs of mating a diploid male are indeed high in this species: only 15% were able to sire daughters, of which 97% were triploid and hardly able to produce viable offspring. In contrast to the hypothesis of unsuitable mate discrimination though, no evidence was found for increased rejection of diploid males by females. Male discrimination against an unsuitable partner did also not occur: triploid females elicited the same intensity of courtship behavior in males than did diploid ones. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

When not to avoid inbreeding.

PubMed

Kokko, Hanna; Ots, Indrek

2006-03-01

Avoidance of incestuous matings is widely reported across many animal taxa, and the adaptive value of such behavior is explained through inbreeding depression. However, an old and somewhat neglected theoretical result predicts that inbred matings offer another, positive effect on the inclusive fitness of parents: an individual who mates with a relative will help that relative to spread genes identical by descent. This benefit can be substantial, if the additional mating achieved by the relative does not harm his mating success otherwise, and in the context of selfing in plants the phenomenon is well known. Here, we develop a model that derives expected values of inbreeding tolerance, that is, the magnitude of inbreeding depression that is required to make individuals avoid inbreeding, for different animal life histories and parental investment patterns. We also distinguish between simultaneous and sequential mate choice, and show that inbreeding tolerance should often be remarkably high in the latter scenario in particular, although egalitarian parental care will lead to lower tolerance. There is a mismatch between theory and data: the almost complete lack of cases where individuals prefer to mate incestuously is at odds with a large overlap between the predicted range of inbreeding tolerance and estimates of inbreeding depression found in nature. We discuss four different solutions to this enigma, and suggest that inbreeding tolerance, where it is found, should not always be attributed to a simple constraint that has prevented finding any other mate.

The Significance of Mating System and Nonbreeding Behavior to Population and Forest Patch Use by Migrant Birds

Treesearch

Eugene S. Morton; Bridget J. M. Stutchbury

2005-01-01

Migratory birds are birds of two worlds, breeding in the temperate zone then living as tropical birds for most of the year. We show two aspects of this unique biology that are important considerations for their conservation. First, habitat selection for breeding must include their need for extra-pair mating opportunities. Second, non-breeding distributions in tropical...

Egg Viability, Mating Frequency and Male Mating Ability Evolve in Populations of Drosophila melanogaster Selected for Resistance to Cold Shock

PubMed Central

Singh, Karan; Kochar, Ekta; Prasad, N. G.

2015-01-01

Background Ability to resist temperature shock is an important component of fitness of insects and other ectotherms. Increased resistance to temperature shock is known to affect life-history traits. Temperature shock is also known to affect reproductive traits such as mating ability and viability of gametes. Therefore selection for increased temperature shock resistance can affect the evolution of reproductive traits. Methods We selected replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster for resistance to cold shock. We then investigated the evolution of reproductive behavior along with other components of fitness- larval survivorship, adult mortality, fecundity, egg viability in these populations. Results We found that larval survivorship, adult mortality and fecundity post cold shock were not significantly different between selected and control populations. However, compared to the control populations, the selected populations laid significantly higher percentage of fertile eggs (egg viability) 24 hours post cold shock. The selected populations had higher mating frequency both with and without cold shock. After being subjected to cold shock, males from the selected populations successfully mated with significantly more non-virgin females and sired significantly more progeny compared to control males. Conclusions A number of studies have reported the evolution of survivorship in response to selection for temperature shock resistance. Our results clearly indicate that adaptation to cold shock can involve changes in components of reproductive fitness. Our results have important implications for our understanding of how reproductive behavior can evolve in response to thermal stress. PMID:26065704

Sex-specific rejection in mate-guarding pair formation in the intertidal copepod, Tigriopus californicus

PubMed Central

Burton, Ronald S.

2017-01-01

Securing a potential mate is one of the most important processes in sexual reproduction of animals. Intertidal copepods of the genus Tigriopus show mate-guarding behavior where a male captures a female and continues to clasp her for up to two weeks prior to copulation. Although these copepods form a mate-guarding pair between a male and a female with high accuracy, interactions between the sexes in pair formation have not been well described and the mechanism allowing successful male-female pair formation is not yet understood. In this study, we performed experiments with Tigriopus californicus to analyze the behavior of both a capturer (male) and a captured individual (female or male) in formation of a guarding pair. While capturer males were attracted by both females and males, capture of virgin males was terminated in a significantly shorter time than that of virgin females. However, when presented freshly killed females or males, regardless of the sex of the body, capturer males continued to clasp the body for a comparable time as in an attempt on a living female. Our results suggest that a sex-specific rejection signal actively sent by captured males prevents male-male pair formation. Experiments also suggest that mated females reject an attempt of pair formation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest involvement of active rejection by a captured individual in facilitation of reproductively successful male-female guarding pair formation in the genus Tigriopus. PMID:28832683

Maintaining heterokaryosis in pseudo-homothallic fungi

PubMed Central

Grognet, Pierre; Silar, Philippe

2015-01-01

Among all the strategies displayed by fungi to reproduce and propagate, some species have adopted a peculiar behavior called pseudo-homothallism. Pseudo-homothallic fungi are true heterothallics, i.e., they need 2 genetically-compatible partners to mate, but they produce self-fertile mycelium in which the 2 different nuclei carrying the compatible mating types are present. This lifestyle not only enables the fungus to reproduce without finding a compatible partner, but also to cross with any mate it may encounter. However, to be fully functional, pseudo-homothallism requires maintaining heterokaryosis at every stage of the life cycle. We recently showed that neither the structure of the mating-type locus nor hybrid-enhancing effect due to the presence of the 2 mating types accounts for the maintenance of heterokaryosis in the pseudo-homothallic fungus P. anserina. In this addendum, we summarize the mechanisms creating heterokaryosis in P. anserina and 2 other well-known pseudo-homothallic fungi, Neurospora tetrasperma and Agaricus bisporus. We also discuss mechanisms potentially involved in maintaining heterokaryosis in these 3 species. PMID:26479494

Maintaining heterokaryosis in pseudo-homothallic fungi.

PubMed

Grognet, Pierre; Silar, Philippe

2015-01-01

Among all the strategies displayed by fungi to reproduce and propagate, some species have adopted a peculiar behavior called pseudo-homothallism. Pseudo-homothallic fungi are true heterothallics, i.e., they need 2 genetically-compatible partners to mate, but they produce self-fertile mycelium in which the 2 different nuclei carrying the compatible mating types are present. This lifestyle not only enables the fungus to reproduce without finding a compatible partner, but also to cross with any mate it may encounter. However, to be fully functional, pseudo-homothallism requires maintaining heterokaryosis at every stage of the life cycle. We recently showed that neither the structure of the mating-type locus nor hybrid-enhancing effect due to the presence of the 2 mating types accounts for the maintenance of heterokaryosis in the pseudo-homothallic fungus P. anserina. In this addendum, we summarize the mechanisms creating heterokaryosis in P. anserina and 2 other well-known pseudo-homothallic fungi, Neurospora tetrasperma and Agaricus bisporus. We also discuss mechanisms potentially involved in maintaining heterokaryosis in these 3 species.

Beyond the pleistocene: using phylogeny and constraint to inform the evolutionary psychology of human mating.

PubMed

Eastwick, Paul W

2009-09-01

Evolutionary psychologists explore the adaptive function of traits and behaviors that characterize modern Homo sapiens. However, evolutionary psychologists have yet to incorporate the phylogenetic relationship between modern Homo sapiens and humans' hominid and pongid relatives (both living and extinct) into their theorizing. By considering the specific timing of evolutionary events and the role of evolutionary constraint, researchers using the phylogenetic approach can generate new predictions regarding mating phenomena and derive new explanations for existing evolutionary psychological findings. Especially useful is the concept of the adaptive workaround-an adaptation that manages the maladaptive elements of a pre-existing evolutionary constraint. The current review organizes 7 features of human mating into their phylogenetic context and presents evidence that 2 adaptive workarounds played a critical role as Homo sapiens's mating psychology evolved. These adaptive workarounds function in part to mute or refocus the effects of older, previously evolved adaptations and highlight the layered nature of humans' mating psychology. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Cell Activation during Male Rat Sexual Behavior Regulates Neuroplasticity and d-Amphetamine Cross-Sensitization following Sex Abstinence.

PubMed

Beloate, Lauren N; Omrani, Azar; Adan, Roger A; Webb, Ian C; Coolen, Lique M

2016-09-21

Experience with sexual behavior causes cross-sensitization of amphetamine reward, an effect dependent on a period of sexual reward abstinence. We previously showed that ΔFosB in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key mediator of this cross-sensitization, potentially via dopamine receptor activation. However, the role of mesolimbic dopamine for sexual behavior or cross-sensitization between natural and drug reward is unknown. This was tested using inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine cells. rAAV5/hSvn-DIO-hm4D-mCherry was injected into the VTA of TH::Cre adult male rats. Males received clozapine N-oxide (CNO) or vehicle injections before each of 5 consecutive days of mating or handling. Following an abstinence period of 7 d, males were tested for amphetamine conditioned place preference (CPP). Next, males were injected with CNO or vehicle before mating or handling for analysis of mating-induced cFos, sex experience-induced ΔFosB, and reduction of VTA dopamine soma size. Results showed that CNO did not affect mating behavior. Instead, CNO prevented sexual experience-induced cross-sensitization of amphetamine CPP, ΔFosB in the NAc and medial prefrontal cortex, and decreases in VTA dopamine soma size. Expression of hm4D-mCherry was specific to VTA dopamine cells and CNO blocked excitation and mating-induced cFos expression in VTA dopamine cells. These findings provide direct evidence that VTA dopamine activation is not required for initiation or performance of sexual behavior. Instead, VTA dopamine directly contributes to increased vulnerability for drug use following loss of natural reward by causing neuroplasticity in the mesolimbic pathway during the natural reward experience. Drugs of abuse act on the neural pathways that mediate natural reward learning and memory. Exposure to natural reward behaviors can alter subsequent drug-related reward. Specifically, experience with sexual behavior, followed by a period of abstinence from sexual behavior, causes increased reward for amphetamine in male rats. This study demonstrates that activation of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons during sexual experience regulates cross-sensitization of amphetamine reward. Finally, ventral tegmental area dopamine cell activation is essential for experience-induced neural adaptations in the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area. These findings demonstrate a role of mesolimbic dopamine in the interaction between natural and drug rewards, and identify mesolimbic dopamine as a key mediator of changes in vulnerability for drug use after loss of natural reward. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/369949-13$15.00/0.

Neuroanatomical dichotomy of sexual behaviors in rodents: a special emphasis on brain serotonin.

PubMed

Angoa-Pérez, Mariana; Kuhn, Donald M

2015-09-01

Much of the social behavior in which rodents engage is related to reproduction, such as maintaining a breeding territory, seeking mates, mating, and caring for their young. Rodents belong to the internally fertilizing species that require sexual behavior for reproduction. The dyadic, heterosexual patterns of most mammalian species are sexually dimorphic, but they also share mutual components in both sexes: sexual attraction is reciprocal, sexual initiative is assumed, appetitive behavior is engaged in, and mating involves consummatory and postconsummatory phases in females as well as in males. Serotonin, a phylogenetically ancient molecule, is the most widely distributed neurotransmitter in the brain and its signaling pathways are essential for numerous functions including sexual behavior. Since the late 1960s, brain serotonergic neurotransmission has been considered to exert an inhibitory influence on the neural mechanisms mediating sexual behavior. This contention was based mainly on the observations that a decrease in central serotonergic activity facilitated the elicitation of sexual behavior, whereas an increase in central serotonergic activity attenuated it. However, the discovery of over 14 types of serotonin receptors has added numerous layers of complexity to the study of serotonin and sexual behavior. Evidence shows that, upon activation, certain receptor subtypes facilitate, whereas some others suppress, sexual behavior, as well as sexual arousal and motivation. Furthermore, the role of these receptors has been shown to be different in the male and female sexes. The use of serotonergic pharmacological interventions, mouse strains with genetic polymorphisms causing alterations in the levels of brain serotonin, and animal models with genetic manipulations of various serotonin effectors has helped delineate the fundamental role of this neurotransmitter in the regulation of sexual behavior. This review aims to examine the basics of the components of female and male sexual behavior and the participation of the serotonin system in the modulation of these behaviors, with emphasis on rodents.

Neuroanatomical dichotomy of sexual behaviors in rodents: a special emphasis on brain serotonin

PubMed Central

Angoa-Pérez, Mariana; Kuhn, Donald M.

2016-01-01

Much of the social behavior in which rodents engage is related to reproduction, such as maintaining a breeding territory, seeking mates, mating, and caring for young. Rodents belong to the internally fertilizing species that require sexual behavior for reproduction. The dyadic, heterosexual patterns of most mammalian species are sexually dimorphic, but they also share mutual components in both sexes: sexual attraction is reciprocal, sexual initiative is assumed, appetitive behavior is engaged in and mating involves consummatory and postconsummatory phases in females as well as in males. Serotonin, a phylogenetically ancient molecule, is the most widely distributed neurotransmitter in the brain and its signaling pathways are essential for numerous functions including sexual behavior. Since the late 1960’s, brain serotonergic neurotransmission has been considered to exert an inhibitory influence on the neural mechanisms mediating sexual behavior. This contention was based mainly on the observations that a decrease in central serotonergic activity facilitated the elicitation of sexual behavior while an increase in central serotonergic activity attenuated it. However, the discovery of over 14 types of serotonin receptors has added numerous layers of complexity to the study of serotonin and sexual behavior. Evidence shows that upon activation, certain receptor subtypes facilitate while some others suppress sexual behavior as well as sexual arousal and motivation. Furthermore, the role of these receptors has been shown to be differential in males versus females. The use of serotonergic pharmacological interventions, mouse strains with genetic polymorphisms causing alterations in the levels of brain serotonin as well as animal models with genetic manipulations of various serotonin effectors has helped delineate the fundamental role of this neurotransmitter in the regulation of sexual behavior. This review aims to examine the basics of the components of female and male sexual behavior and the participation of the serotonin system in the modulation of these behaviors with emphasis on rodents. PMID:26110223

Psychosocial correlates, outcome, and stability of abnormal adolescent eating behavior in community samples of young people.

PubMed

Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Gavez, Silvia; Winkler Metzke, Christa

2005-03-01

The current study investigated psychosocial correlates of abnormal adolescent eating behavior at three times during adolescence and young adulthood and its association with psychiatric diagnosis in young adulthood in a community sample. Sixty-four (10.5%) high-risk subjects (mean age 15 years) with abnormal eating behavior were identified at Time 1, another 252 (16.9%) were identified at Time 2 (mean age 16.2 years), and 164 (16.9%) were identified at Time 3 (mean age 19.7 years) and compared with three control groups matched for age and gender. Dependent measures included emotional and behavioral problems, life events, coping capacities, self-related cognition, social network, and family functions. Outcome was measured additionally by structured psychiatric interviews, and stability of abnormal eating behavior was studied in a longitudinal sample of 330 subjects. Few subjects showed more than one of five criteria of abnormal eating behavior. High-risk subjects shared a very similar pattern at all three times. They were characterized by higher scores for emotional and behavioral problems, more life events including more negative impact, less active coping, lower self-esteem, and less family cohesion. Among 10 major psychiatric disorders, only clinical eating disorders at Time 3 shared a significant association with abnormal eating disorder at the same time whereas high-risk status at Times 1 and 2 did not predict any psychiatric disorder at Time 3. Stability of abnormal eating behavior across time was very low. Stability of abnormal eating behavior across time was very low. Abnormal eating behavior in adolescence and young adulthood is clearly associated with various indicators of psychosocial maladaption. In adolescence, it does not significantly predict any psychiatric disorder including eating disorder in young adulthood and it is predominantly a transient feature. (c) 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pheromone communication in amphibians and reptiles.

PubMed

Houck, Lynne D

2009-01-01

This selective review considers herpetological papers that feature the use of chemical cues, particularly pheromones involved in reproductive interactions between potential mates. Primary examples include garter snake females that attract males, lacertid lizards and the effects of their femoral gland secretions, aquatic male newts that chemically attract females, and terrestrial salamander males that chemically persuade a female to mate. Each case study spans a number of research approaches (molecular, biochemical, behavioral) and is related to sensory processing and the physiological effects of pheromone delivery. These and related studies show that natural pheromones can be identified, validated with behavioral tests, and incorporated in research on vomeronasal functional response.

Love Is Blind: Indiscriminate Female Mating Responses to Male Courtship Pheromones in Newts (Salamandridae)

PubMed Central

Matthijs, Severine; Du Four, Dimitri; Janssenswillen, Sunita; Willaert, Bert; Bossuyt, Franky

2013-01-01

Internal fertilization without copulation or prolonged physical contact is a rare reproductive mode among vertebrates. In many newts (Salamandridae), the male deposits a spermatophore on the substrate in the water, which the female subsequently takes up with her cloaca. Because such an insemination requires intense coordination of both sexes, male newts have evolved a courtship display, essentially consisting of sending pheromones under water by tail-fanning towards their potential partner. Behavioral experiments until now mostly focused on an attractant function, i.e. showing that olfactory cues are able to bring both sexes together. However, since males start their display only after an initial contact phase, courtship pheromones are expected to have an alternative function. Here we developed a series of intraspecific and interspecific two-female experiments with alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) and palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus) females, comparing behavior in male courtship water and control water. We show that male olfactory cues emitted during tail-fanning are pheromones that can induce all typical features of natural female mating behavior. Interestingly, females exposed to male pheromones of their own species show indiscriminate mating responses to conspecific and heterospecific females, indicating that visual cues are subordinate to olfactory cues during courtship. PMID:23457580

Sexual Behavior Increases Cell Proliferation in the Rostral Migratory Stream and Promotes the Differentiation of the New Cells into Neurons in the Accessory Olfactory Bulb of Female Rats.

PubMed

Corona, Rebeca; Retana-Márquez, Socorro; Portillo, Wendy; Paredes, Raúl G

2016-01-01

We have previously demonstrated, that 15 days after female rats pace the sexual interaction, there is an increase in the number of new cells that reach the granular cell layer (GrL) of the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). The aim of the present study was to evaluate, if the first sexual experience in the female rat increases cell proliferation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the rostral migratory stream (RMS). We also tested if this behavior promotes the survival of the new cells that integrate into the main olfactory bulb (MOB) and AOB 45 days after the behavioral test. Sexually, naive female rats were injected with the DNA synthesis marker 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) on the day of the behavioral test. They were randomly divided into the following groups: Female rats placed alone in the mating cage (1); Females exposed to amyl acetate odor [banana scent, (2)]; Females that could see, hear, and smell the male but physical contact was not possible [exposed to male, (3)]; Female rats that could pace the sexual interaction (4); and females that mated without the possibility of pacing the sexual interaction (5). Animals were sacrificed 2 days after the behavioral test (proliferation) or 45 days later (survival). Our results show that 2 days after females were exposed to banana scent or to the male, they had a higher number of cells in the SVZ. Females, that mated in pace and no-paced conditions had more new cells in the RMS. At 45 days, no significant differences were found in the number of new cells that survived in the MOB or in the AOB. However, mating increased the percentage of new cells, that differentiated into neurons in the GrL of the AOB. These new cells expressed c-Fos after a second sexual encounter just before the females were sacrificed. No significant differences in plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone were observed between groups. Our results indicate that the first sexual experience increases cell proliferation in the RMS and mating 45 days later enhances the number of new cells that differentiate into neurons in the AOB. These new neurons are activated by sexual stimulation.

Non-intromissive mating stimuli are sufficient to enhance sexual behaviors in ovariectomized female rats.

PubMed

Blaustein, Jeffrey D; Farrell, Sara; Ghavami, Gila; Laroche, Julie; Mohan, Govini

2009-03-01

When ovariectomized/adrenalectomized female rats, injected with subthreshold doses of estradiol are given copulatory stimulation by a male rat at half hour intervals, the level of lordosis gradually increases over the course of a few hours. We tested the hypothesis that paracopulatory behaviors (behaviors that occur repetitively prior to and between mounts), also generally considered to be heavily dependent on progesterone, are enhanced by this stimulation as well. We have reported previously that the enhancement of copulatory behavior is dependent to a large extent on intromissive stimulation by the male. In the present study, mating stimulation induced high levels of paracopulatory behaviors, as well as lordosis. Surprisingly, though, and in contrast to previous findings, this increase was seen not only in rats receiving intromissive stimulation, but in those receiving non-intromissive stimulation as well. Furthermore, intromissive stimulation induced high levels of rejection behavior. In a subsequent experiment, experimenter-induced, mechanical stimulation increased only rejection behaviors, not copulatory behavior. The results collectively demonstrate that, under the conditions used in these experiments, non-intromissive stimulation is sufficient for inducing both copulatory and paracopulatory behaviors in estradiol-primed rats. However, under the conditions used in these studies, intromissive stimulation increases rejection behaviors.

Sensory aspects of trail-following behaviors in the Asian longhorned beetle, anoplophora glabripennis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Anoplophora glabripennis has a complex suite of mate-finding behaviors, the functions of which are not entirely understood. These behaviors are elicited by a number of factors, including visual and chemical cues. Chemical cues include a male-produced volatile semiochemical acting as a long-range sex...

Reproductive behaviors of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the laboratory

Treesearch

Melody A. Keena; Vicente Sanchez

2007-01-01

There is a critical need for information on the reproductive behavior of Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky) to provide the biological basis for predicting population dynamics, especially as the population size declines due to eradication efforts. To document the reproductive behaviors (both mating and oviposition) five males each from the Chicago...

Effect of Temperature on Galling Behavior of SS 316, 316 L and 416 Under Self-Mated Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsha, A. P.; Limaye, P. K.; Tyagi, Rajnesh; Gupta, Ankit

2016-11-01

Galling behavior of three different stainless steels (SS 316, 316 L and 416) was evaluated at room temperature and 300 °C under a self-mated condition. An indigenously fabricated galling tester was used to evaluate the galling performance of mated materials as per ASTM G196-08 standard. The variation in frictional torque was recorded online during the test to assess the onset of galling. The galling50 (G50) stress value was used to compare the galling resistance of a combination of materials, and the results indicate a significant influence of temperature on the galling resistance of the materials tested. This has been attributed to the decrease in hardness and yield strength at elevated temperature which results in softening of the steel and limits its ability to resist severe deformation. Scanning electron micrographs of the galled surface reflected a severe plastic deformation in sliding direction, and a typical adhesive wear mechanism is prevalent during the galling process.

Ultimate Drivers and Proximate Correlates of Polyandry in Predatory Mites

PubMed Central

Schausberger, Peter; Patiño-Ruiz, J. David; Osakabe, Masahiro; Murata, Yasumasa; Sugimoto, Naoya; Uesugi, Ryuji; Walzer, Andreas

2016-01-01

Polyandry is more widespread than anticipated from Bateman’s principle but its ultimate (evolutionary) causes and proximate (mechanistic) correlates are more difficult to pinpoint than those of polygyny. Here, we combined mating experiments, quantification of reproductive traits and microsatellite genotyping to determine the fitness implications of polyandry in two predatory mite species, where males are highly polygynous (up to 45 fertilized females during life), whereas females range from monandry to various polyandry levels. The medium-level polyandrous (up to eight male mates possible) Neoseiulus californicus received clear direct and indirect benefits: multiply mated females produced more offspring with higher survival chances over longer times than singly mated females. In contrast, singly and multiply mated females of the low-level polyandrous (commonly two male mates at maximum) Phytoseiulus persimilis produced similar numbers of offspring having similar survival chances. In both species, multiple mating resulted in mixed offspring paternities, opening the chance for indirect fitness benefits such as enhanced genetic compatibility, complementarity and/or variability. However, the female re-mating likelihood and the paternity chance of non-first male mates were lower in P. persimilis than in N. californicus. Regarding proximate factors, in both species first mating duration and female re-mating likelihood were negatively correlated. Based on occasional fertilization failure of first male mates in P. persimilis, and mixed offspring paternities in both species, we argue that fertilization assurance and the chance to gain indirect fitness benefits are the ultimate drivers of polyandry in P. persimilis, whereas those of N. californicus are higher offspring numbers coupled with enhanced offspring viability and possibly other indirect fitness benefits. Overall, the adaptive significance and proximate events well reflected the polyandry levels. Our study provides a key example for linking behavioral experiments, quantification of reproductive traits and paternity analysis via offspring genotyping to explain the evolution of differing levels of polyandry. PMID:27100395

Ultimate Drivers and Proximate Correlates of Polyandry in Predatory Mites.

PubMed

Schausberger, Peter; Patiño-Ruiz, J David; Osakabe, Masahiro; Murata, Yasumasa; Sugimoto, Naoya; Uesugi, Ryuji; Walzer, Andreas

2016-01-01

Polyandry is more widespread than anticipated from Bateman's principle but its ultimate (evolutionary) causes and proximate (mechanistic) correlates are more difficult to pinpoint than those of polygyny. Here, we combined mating experiments, quantification of reproductive traits and microsatellite genotyping to determine the fitness implications of polyandry in two predatory mite species, where males are highly polygynous (up to 45 fertilized females during life), whereas females range from monandry to various polyandry levels. The medium-level polyandrous (up to eight male mates possible) Neoseiulus californicus received clear direct and indirect benefits: multiply mated females produced more offspring with higher survival chances over longer times than singly mated females. In contrast, singly and multiply mated females of the low-level polyandrous (commonly two male mates at maximum) Phytoseiulus persimilis produced similar numbers of offspring having similar survival chances. In both species, multiple mating resulted in mixed offspring paternities, opening the chance for indirect fitness benefits such as enhanced genetic compatibility, complementarity and/or variability. However, the female re-mating likelihood and the paternity chance of non-first male mates were lower in P. persimilis than in N. californicus. Regarding proximate factors, in both species first mating duration and female re-mating likelihood were negatively correlated. Based on occasional fertilization failure of first male mates in P. persimilis, and mixed offspring paternities in both species, we argue that fertilization assurance and the chance to gain indirect fitness benefits are the ultimate drivers of polyandry in P. persimilis, whereas those of N. californicus are higher offspring numbers coupled with enhanced offspring viability and possibly other indirect fitness benefits. Overall, the adaptive significance and proximate events well reflected the polyandry levels. Our study provides a key example for linking behavioral experiments, quantification of reproductive traits and paternity analysis via offspring genotyping to explain the evolution of differing levels of polyandry.

Systemic ICI 182,780 alters the display of sexual behaviors in the female rat.

PubMed

Gardener, H E; Clark, A S

2001-03-01

The present study investigates the effects of the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 (ICI) on the display of sexual behaviors in female rats. ICI 182,780 is a pure anti-estrogen and when given systemically, ICI is thought to act only in the periphery, and is not believed to cross the blood brain barrier. The present study examines the effects of ICI on sexual receptivity and on paced mating behavior following treatment with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P) (Experiment 1) or with EB alone (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, ICI (250.0 microg) did not affect the display of receptivity or paced mating behavior induced by EB and P. In contrast, in Experiment 2 female rats receiving EB alone displayed a decrease in the level of sexual receptivity following treatment with 500.0 and 750.0 microg ICI (but not 250.0 microg ICI). In addition, in Experiment 2 EB-treated female rats receiving 250.0 microg ICI spent more time away from the male rat following an intromission and were more likely to exit from the male compartment following a mount. Last, ICI had potent antiestrogenic effects on vaginal cytology (Experiment 2) and on the uterus (Experiments 1 and 2). The present study supports a role for peripheral estrogen receptors in sexual receptivity and paced mating behavior and suggests that estrogen receptor activation may decrease the aversive sensation associated with sexual stimulation. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Free mate choice does not influence reproductive success in humans.

PubMed

Sorokowski, Piotr; Groyecka, Agata; Karwowski, Maciej; Manral, Upma; Kumar, Amit; Niemczyk, Agnieszka; Marczak, Michalina; Misiak, Michał; Sorokowska, Agnieszka; Huanca, Thomas; Conde, Esther; Wojciszke, Bogdan; Pawłowski, Bogusław

2017-08-31

The effect of free mate choice on the relative magnitude of fitness benefits has been examined among various species. The majority of the data show significant fitness benefits of mating with partners of an individual's own choice, highlighting elevated behavioral compatibility between partners with free mate choice. Similarities between humans and other species that benefit from free mate choice led us to hypothesize that it also confers reproductive benefits in Homo sapiens. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a study among three indigenous societies-the Tsimane', Yali, and Bhotiya-who employ natural birth control. In all three samples, we compared the marriages arranged by parents with the non-arranged ones in terms of number of offspring. Here, we show that there were no significant relationships between type of marriage and the total number of alive children and number of dead children among the three sampled groups. The presented study is the first to date to examine the fitness benefits of free mate choice in humans. In discussion we present limitations of our research and discuss the possibility of love having a beneficial influence in terms of the number of offspring.

The use of ultrasound for communication by the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grilliot, Matthew E.

2007-12-01

Communication signals are important regulators of mating behavior in many animals. Various pre- and post-copulatory mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in the reproductive success and mating strategies of many mammals. Recent studies have cited sperm competition as a possible post-copulatory mechanism of selection in bats, but few studies have examined which pre-copulatory mechanisms influence mate selection. Although it is generally accepted that bats emit vocalizations that function for communication purposes as well as the more universally recognized echolocation function, there is lack of actual empirical support for this idea. In this dissertation, I test the hypothesis that ultrasonic vocalizations of big brown bats are sexually dimorphic and differ contextually in the mating season. I used playback experiments to test the response of male and female big brown bats to variations in ultrasonic vocalizations of the opposite sex and to determine if ultrasonic vocalizations are used for mate selection. My data suggest that males were likely to select ultrasonic vocalization of frequently copulating females, but females did not select ultrasonic vocalizations of frequently copulating males over infrequently copulating males. These results suggest that mate selection of male big brown bats is influenced by ultrasonic vocalizations of females.

Female mate choice by chemical signals in a semi-terrestrial crab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sal Moyano, María Paz; Silva, Paola; Luppi, Tomás; Gavio, María Andrea

2014-01-01

Information about the roles of both sexes in pair formation is required to better understand the mechanisms involved in sexual selection. Mate choice could depend on the courtship behavior, involving chemical, tactile and visual signals. We determined if Neohelice granulata mate choice is based on female or male choice, considering visual and chemical with contact and without contact signals between partners and different categories of individuals: receptive and unreceptive females; and large, small, mated or unmated males. Experiments showed that mate selection was based on receptive female's choice using chemical signals, but not visual ones. Since copulation occurs during high and low tides, water-borne chemical signals would be preferentially used during high tide, while contact ones during low tide. Females preferred large and unmated males, while males did not seem to recognize receptive females using chemical neither visual signals. Females were capable of detecting the presence of the chemical signals released by large and unmated males, but not its amount. It is proposed that small and mated males are probably releasing different types of chemical signals, not attractive to females, or that they are not emitting any signal.

The evolution of monogamy in response to partner scarcity

PubMed Central

Schacht, Ryan; Bell, Adrian V.

2016-01-01

The evolution of monogamy and paternal care in humans is often argued to have resulted from the needs of our expensive offspring. Recent research challenges this claim, however, contending that promiscuous male competitors and the risk of cuckoldry limit the scope for the evolution of male investment. So how did monogamy first evolve? Links between mating strategies and partner availability may offer resolution. While studies of sex roles commonly assume that optimal mating rates for males are higher, fitness payoffs to monogamy and the maintenance of a single partner can be greater when partners are rare. Thus, partner availability is increasingly recognized as a key variable structuring mating behavior. To apply these recent insights to human evolution, we model three male strategies – multiple mating, mate guarding and paternal care – in response to partner availability. Under assumed ancestral human conditions, we find that male mate guarding, rather than paternal care, drives the evolution of monogamy, as it secures a partner and ensures paternity certainty in the face of more promiscuous competitors. Accordingly, we argue that while paternal investment may be common across human societies, current patterns should not be confused with the reason pairing first evolved. PMID:27600189

The evolution of monogamy in response to partner scarcity.

PubMed

Schacht, Ryan; Bell, Adrian V

2016-09-07

The evolution of monogamy and paternal care in humans is often argued to have resulted from the needs of our expensive offspring. Recent research challenges this claim, however, contending that promiscuous male competitors and the risk of cuckoldry limit the scope for the evolution of male investment. So how did monogamy first evolve? Links between mating strategies and partner availability may offer resolution. While studies of sex roles commonly assume that optimal mating rates for males are higher, fitness payoffs to monogamy and the maintenance of a single partner can be greater when partners are rare. Thus, partner availability is increasingly recognized as a key variable structuring mating behavior. To apply these recent insights to human evolution, we model three male strategies - multiple mating, mate guarding and paternal care - in response to partner availability. Under assumed ancestral human conditions, we find that male mate guarding, rather than paternal care, drives the evolution of monogamy, as it secures a partner and ensures paternity certainty in the face of more promiscuous competitors. Accordingly, we argue that while paternal investment may be common across human societies, current patterns should not be confused with the reason pairing first evolved.

No pain, no gain: Male plasticity in burrow digging according to female rejection in a sand-dwelling wolf spider.

PubMed

Carballo, Matilde; Baldenegro, Fabiana; Bollatti, Fedra; Peretti, Alfredo V; Aisenberg, Anita

2017-07-01

Behavioral plasticity allows individuals to reversibly respond to short-term variations in their ecological and social environment in order to maximize their fitness. Allocosa senex is a burrow-digging spider that inhabits the sandy coasts of South America. This species shows a reversal in typical sex roles expected in spiders: females are wanderers that visit males at their burrows and initiate courtship. They prefer males with long burrows for mating, and males prefer virgin over mated females. We tested whether female sexual rejection induced males to enlarge their burrows and if female reproductive status affected males' responses. We exposed males who had constructed burrows to: a) virgin females or b) mated females, (n=16 for each category). If female rejection occurred, we repeated the trial 48h later with the same female. As control, we maintained a group of males without female exposure (unexposed group, n=32). Rejected males enlarged their burrows more frequently and burrows were longer compared to unexposed males. However, frequency and length of enlargement did not differ according to female reproductive status. Males of A. senex showed plasticity in digging behavior in response to the availability of females, as a way to maximize the possibilities of future mating. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aphrodisiac activity of polyherbal formulation in experimental models on male rats

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Himanshu Bhusan; Nandy, Subhangkar; Senapati, Aswini Kumar; Sarangi, Sarada Prasad; Sahoo, Saroj Kumar

2014-01-01

Objective: To investigate the aphrodisiac potential of polyherbal formulations prepared from different parts of Tribulus terrestris, Curculigo orchioides, Allium tuberosum, Cucurbita pepo, Elephant creeper, Mucuna pruriens, and Terminalia catappa in Albino rats in specified ratio as suspension. Materials and Methods: The different concentrations of prepared polyherbal formulations i.e. 150, 300, and 600 mg/kg and sildenafil citrate as standard (5 mg/kg) and vehicle (control) were administered orally to rats (n = 6 animals per group) for 3 weeks. Mating behavior parameters in male rats was monitored in first week and third week week of treatment pairing with receptive females. After termination of drug treatment, the mating performance, hormonal analysis, sperm count, and testes-body weight ratio were also evaluated. Results: The polyherbal formulation showed a significant increase in mating behavior as well as mating performance, serum hormonal levels, sperm count, and testes-body weight ratio with dose-dependent relationship as compared to vehicle control. But the dose of 600 mg/kg of polyherbal formulation assumes closer resemblance of above parameters with the standard used. Conclusion: The results of the study strongly suggest that the polyherbal formulations have a good aphrodisiac activity on rats in the above experimental models, which may be an alternative weapon for various sexual dysfunctions in future. PMID:24761115

The effects of genotype, age, and social environment on male ornamentation, mating behavior, and attractiveness.

PubMed

Miller, Lisa K; Brooks, Robert

2005-11-01

The traits thought to advertise genetic quality are often highly susceptible to environmental variation and prone to change with age. These factors may either undermine or reinforce the potential for advertisement traits to signal quality depending on the magnitude of age-dependent expression, environmental variation, and genotype-age and genotype-environment interaction. Measurements of the magnitude of these effects are thus a necessary step toward assessing the implications of age dependence and environmental variability for the evolution of signals of quality. We conducted a longitudinal study of male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from 22 full-sibling families. Each fish was assigned at maturity to one of three treatments in order to manipulate his allocation of resources to reproduction: a control in which the male was kept alone, a courtship-only treatment in which he could see and court a female across a clear partition, and a mating treatment in which he interacted freely with a female. We measured each male's size, ornamental color patterns, courtship, attractiveness to females, and mating success at three ages. Size was influenced by treatment and age-treatment interactions, indicating that courtship and mating may impose costs on growth. Tail size and color patterns were influenced by age but not by treatment, suggesting fixed age-dependent trajectories in these advertisement traits. By contrast, display rate and attempted sneak copulation rate differed among treatments but not among ages, suggesting greater plasticity of these behavioral traits. As a result of the different patterns of variation in ornamentation and behavior, male attractiveness and mating success responded to male age, treatment, and the interaction between age and treatment. Neither age nor treatment obscured the presence of genetic variation, and the genetic relationship between male ornamentation and attractiveness remained the same among treatments. Our findings suggest that neither age-dependent variation nor environmentally induced variation in reproductive effort is likely to undermine the reliability of male signaling.

DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF THE ANTIPROGESTIN, RU486, ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOR OF NATURALLY-CYCLING FISCHER RATS

PubMed Central

Uphouse, Lynda

2015-01-01

Regularly cycling Fischer female rats were treated with either a low (5 mg/kg) or high (5 mg/RAT; approximately 30 mg/kg) dose of the antiprogestin, RU486, before the morning of proestrus or on the morning of proestrus. The emergence of sexual behavior after treatment with RU486 was examined in a mating test with a sexually active male rat. Lordosis behavior was remarkably resistant to the effects of RU486. Only the high dose of RU486 given the evening before proestrus, approximately 22 hours before mating, reduced lordosis behavior. Independent of dose or time of treatment, proceptivity was reduced and resistance to the male’s attempts to mount was increased by RU486 treatment. In addition, the effect of a 5 min restraint stress on sexual behavior was examined. In contrast to the relative resistance of lordosis behavior of unrestrained rats to RU486 treatment, RU486 treated rats showed a significant decline in lordosis behavior after restraint. These findings allow the suggestion that the emergence of lordosis behavior is relatively resistant to the antiprogestin while the maintenance of lordosis behavior after restraint may require participation of intracellular progesterone receptors. PMID:25591479

Prenuptial perfume: Alloanointing in the social rituals of the crested auklet ( Aethia cristatella) and the transfer of arthropod deterrents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Hector D.

2008-01-01

Alloanointing, the transfer of chemicals between conspecifics, is known among mammals, but hitherto, the behavior has not been documented for birds. The crested auklet ( Aethia cristatella), a colonial seabird of Alaskan and Siberian waters, alloanoints during courtship with fragrant aldehydes that are released from specialized wick-like feathers located in the interscapular region. Crested auklets solicit anointment at the colony, and prospective mates rub bill, breast, head, and neck over wick feathers of their partners. This distributes aldehydes over the head, neck, and face where the birds cannot self-preen. The resulting chemical concentrations are sufficient to deter ectoparasites. Auklets that emit more odorant can transfer more defensive chemicals to mates and are thus more sexually attractive. Behavioral studies showed that crested auklets are attracted to their scent. Wild birds searched for dispensers that emitted their scent and rubbed their bills on the dispensers and engaged in vigorous anointment behaviors. In captive experiments, naïve crested auklets responded more strongly to synthetic auklet scent than controls, and the greatest behavioral response occurred during early courtship. This study extends scientific knowledge regarding functions of alloanointing. Alloanointing had previously been attributed to scent marking and individual recognition in vertebrates. Alloanointing is described here in the context of an adaptive social cue — the transfer of arthropod deterrents between prospective mates.

Evidence that the notochord may be pivotal in the development of sacral and anorectal malformations.

PubMed

Qi, Bao Quan; Beasley, Spencer W; Frizelle, Francis A

2003-09-01

The notochord is known to organize normal development of central axial structures, such as the spinal cord, vertebral column, and anorectum, but its role in abnormal development of these organs has not been well documented. The current study has used Ethylenethiourea to induce anorectal malformations in fetal rats, allowing investigation of abnormalities of the notochord and their relationship to the axial structural abnormalities that occur. Timed-mated pregnant rats were fed Ethylenethiourea by gavage on gestational day 10. Their embryos were harvested on gestational days 13 to 16 and sectioned in either the transverse or sagittal plane. Sections were stained with H and E and examined serially. Anorectal malformations were identified in 29 of 34 embryos and neural tube defects in 24, ranging from an accessory neural tube to lumbo-sacral rachischisis. There was no tail or only a rudimentary tail in the majority of embryos. Abnormalities of the notochord in the lumbo-sacral area included ventro-dorsal branching, ventral deviation, and ectopic notochordal tissue. Most abnormal notochord branches and ectopic notochordal tissue were abnormally close to or in contact with the wall of the cloaca or neural tube. Given the known role of the notochord in controlling normal development, this study would suggest that abnormal notochord development may be pivotal in producing neural tube defects and anorectal malformations, possibly by altering sonic hedgehog signalling.

Internuclear Genetic Transfer in Vegetative Dikaryons of SCHIZOPHYLLUM COMMUNE: I. Di-Mon Mating Analysis

PubMed Central

Leonard, Thomas J.; Dick, Stanley; Gaber, Richard F.

1978-01-01

A series of hemi-compatible dikaryon x monokaryon (di-mon) matings was designed to determine whether there was any genetic interaction between the dikaryotic nuclei. One of the nuclei in each dikaryon was known to carry a recessive gene (mnd) that promoted the development of an abnormal growth form, mound. Dikaryons containing both mnd + and mnd nuclei produced mosaic colonies that consisted of three distinct kinds of hyphae: mound, fruiting body, and vegetative (devoid of any multihyphal structure). When dikaryotic hyphae from each of these morphological regions were used in di-mon matings, the genetic and developmental characteristics of the selected nuclear types were examined in the resulting derived dikaryons. The results showed that fruiting-body and vegetative cells contained the expected mnd and mnd+ nuclei. Dikaryotic mound hyphae, however, contained only mnd nuclei. In a manner as yet unresolved, but clearly dependent on the presence of the mnd allele, the mnd + allele of a wild nucleus was altered to, or acquired, the mnd allele. A number of hypotheses were considered to explain the genetic event(s) that generates [mnd + mnd*] dikaryotic cells from [mnd+ + mnd] cells, but none was found to be entirely satisfactory. PMID:17248788

Sex in Millipedes: Laboratory Studies on Sexual Selection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telford, S. R.; Dangerfield, J. M.

1990-01-01

Activities that consider the courtship behavior and mating patterns of millipedes are presented. The functional significance of a behavior that has evolved through indirect competition between males is discussed. The procedures for seven experiments, results, and interpretations are included. (KR)

Flight response ofHeliothis subflexa (Gn.) females (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to an attractant from groundcherry,Physalis angulata L.

PubMed

Tingle, F C; Heath, R R; Mitchell, E R

1989-01-01

Mated femaleHeliothis subflexa (Gn.) (HS) moths 1-7 days old responded positively in a Plexiglas flight tunnel to an attractant extracted with methanol from fresh whole-leaf washes of groundcherry,Physalis angulata L. Response to the groundcherry extract, as indicated by plume-tracking (i.e., upwind flight toward the odor source) and contact with the chemical dispenser did not change significantly during the first 5 hr of scotophase. Overall, ca. 50% of the responding moths also landed on the chemical dispenser; ca. 50% of the moths that landed also deposited eggs. There were no significant differences in the behavioral responses of females mating only once and those that had mated two or more times. Virgin females and male moths were significantly less responsive to the groundcherry attractant than mated females. The flight tunnel bioassay described provides an excellent system for evaluating plant allelochemics associated with host-plant selection.

Evidence of Polyandry for Aedes aegypti in Semifield Enclosures

PubMed Central

Helinski, Michelle E. H.; Valerio, Laura; Facchinelli, Luca; Scott, Thomas W.; Ramsey, Janine; Harrington, Laura C.

2012-01-01

Female Aedes aegypti are assumed to be primarily monandrous (i.e., mate only once in their lifetime), but true estimates of mating frequency have not been determined outside the laboratory. To assess polyandry in Ae. aegypti with first-generation progeny from wild mosquitoes, stable isotope semen-labeled males (15N or 13C) were allowed to mate with unlabeled females in semifield enclosures (22.5 m3) in a dengue-endemic area in southern Mexico. On average, 14% of females were positive for both labels, indicating that they received semen from more than one male. Our results provide evidence of a small but potentially significant rate of multiple mating within a 48-hour period and provide an approach for future open-field studies of polyandry in this species. Polyandry has implications for understanding mosquito ecology, evolution, and reproductive behavior as well as genetic strategies for mosquito control. PMID:22492148

Reproductive ecology of lampreys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Nicholas S.; Buchinger, Tyler J.; Li, Weiming

2014-01-01

Lampreys typically spawn in riffle habitats during the spring. Spawning activity and diel (i.e., during daylight and at night) behavioral patterns are initiated when spring water temperatures increase to levels that coincide with optimal embryologic development. Nests are constructed in gravel substrate using the oral disc to move stones and the tail to fan sediment out of the nest. Spawning habitat used by individual species is generally a function of adult size, where small-bodied species construct nests in shallower water with slower flow and smaller gravel than large-bodied species. The mating system of lampreys is primarily polygynandrous (i.e., where multiple males mate with multiple females). Lamprey species with adult total length less than 30 cm generally spawn communally, where a nest may contain 20 or more individuals of both sexes. Lamprey species with adult sizes greater than 35 cm generally spawn in groups of two to four. Operational sex ratios of lampreys are highly variable across species, populations, and time, but are generally male biased. The act of spawning typically starts with the male attaching with his oral disc to the back of the female’s head; the male and female then entwine and simultaneously release gametes. However, alternative mating behaviors (e.g., release of gametes without paired courtship and sneaker males) have been observed. Future research should determine how multiple modalities of communication among lampreys (including mating pheromones) are integrated to inform species recognition and mate choice. Such research could inform both sea lamprey control strategies and provide insight into possible evolution of reproductive isolation mechanisms between paired lamprey species in sympatry.

Sensory aspects of trail-following behaviors in the Asian longhorned beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis

Treesearch

Fern Graves; Thomas C. Baker; Aijun Zhang; Melody Keena; Kelli Hoover

2016-01-01

Anoplophora glabripennis has a complex suite of mate-finding behaviors, the functions of which are not entirely understood. These behaviors are elicited by a number of factors, including visual and chemical cues. Chemical cues include a maleproduced volatile semiochemical acting as a long-range sex pheromone, a femaleproduced cuticular hydrocarbon...

Mating Success, Longevity, and Fertility of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) in Relation to Body Size and Cry3Bb1-Resistant and Cry3Bb1-Susceptible Genotypes

PubMed Central

French, Bryan Wade; Hammack, Leslie; Tallamy, Douglas W.

2015-01-01

Insect resistance to population control methodologies is a widespread problem. The development of effective resistance management programs is often dependent on detailed knowledge regarding the biology of individual species and changes in that biology associated with resistance evolution. This study examined the reproductive behavior and biology of western corn rootworm beetles of known body size from lines resistant and susceptible to the Cry3Bb1 protein toxin expressed in transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis maize. In crosses between, and within, the resistant and susceptible genotypes, no differences occurred in mating frequency, copulation duration, courtship duration, or fertility; however, females mated with resistant males showed reduced longevity. Body size did not vary with genotype. Larger males and females were not more likely to mate than smaller males and females, but larger females laid more eggs. Moderately strong, positive correlation occurred between the body sizes of successfully mated males and females; however, weak correlation also existed for pairs that did not mate. Our study provided only limited evidence for fitness costs associated with the Cry3Bb1-resistant genotype that might reduce the persistence in populations of the resistant genotype but provided additional evidence for size-based, assortative mating, which could favor the persistence of resistant genotypes affecting body size. PMID:26569315

Serotonin 1A Agonism Decreases Affiliative Behavior in Pair-Bonded Titi Monkeys

PubMed Central

Larke, Rebecca H.; Maninger, Nicole; Ragen, Benjamin J; Mendoza, Sally P.; Bales, Karen L.

2016-01-01

Relatively little is known about serotonergic involvement in pair-bonding despite its putative role in regulating social behavior. Here we sought to determine if pharmacological elevation of serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor activity would lead to changes in social behavior in pair-bonded male titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). Adult males in established heterosexual pairs were injected daily with the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT or saline for 15 days using a within-subjects design. Social behavior with the female pair-mate was quantified, and plasma concentrations of oxytocin, vasopressin, and cortisol were measured. When treated with saline, subjects showed reduced plasma oxytocin concentrations, while 8-OH-DPAT treatment buffered this decrease. Treatment with 8-OH-DPAT also led to decreased plasma cortisol 15 minutes post-injection and decreased social behavior directed toward the pair-mate including approaching, initiating contact, lipsmacking, and grooming. The reduction in affiliative behavior seen with increased activity at 5-HT1A receptors indicates a substantial role of serotonin activity in the expression of social behavior. In addition, results indicate that the effects of 5-HT1A agonism on social behavior in adulthood differ between rodents and primates. PMID:27712925

Timing reproduction in teleost fish: cues and mechanisms

PubMed Central

Juntti, Scott A; Fernald, Russell D

2016-01-01

Fish comprise half of extant vertebrate species and use a rich variety of reproductive strategies that have yielded insights into the basic mechanisms that evolved for sex. To maximize the chances of fertilization and survival of offspring, fish species time reproduction to occur at optimal times. For years, ethologists have performed painstaking experiments to identify sensory inputs and behavioral outputs of the brain during mating. Here we review known mechanisms that generate sexual behavior, focusing on the factors that govern the timing of these displays. The development of new technologies, including high-throughput sequencing and genome engineering, have the potential to provide novel insights into how the vertebrate brain consummates mating at the appropriate time. PMID:26952366

Polygyny, mate-guarding, and posthumous fertilization as alternative male mating strategies.

PubMed

Zamudio, K R; Sinervo, B

2000-12-19

Alternative male mating strategies within populations are thought to be evolutionarily stable because different behaviors allow each male type to successfully gain access to females. Although alternative male strategies are widespread among animals, quantitative evidence for the success of discrete male strategies is available for only a few systems. We use nuclear microsatellites to estimate the paternity rates of three male lizard strategies previously modeled as a rock-paper-scissors game. Each strategy has strengths that allow it to outcompete one morph, and weaknesses that leave it vulnerable to the strategy of another. Blue-throated males mate-guard their females and avoid cuckoldry by yellow-throated "sneaker" males, but mate-guarding is ineffective against aggressive orange-throated neighbors. The ultradominant orange-throated males are highly polygynous and maintain large territories; they overpower blue-throated neighbors and cosire offspring with their females, but are often cuckolded by yellow-throated males. Finally, yellow-throated sneaker males sire offspring via secretive copulations and often share paternity of offspring within a female's clutch. Sneaker males sire more offspring posthumously, indicating that sperm competition may be an important component of their strategy.

Mate choice theory and the mode of selection in sexual populations.

PubMed

Carson, Hampton L

2003-05-27

Indirect new data imply that mate and/or gamete choice are major selective forces driving genetic change in sexual populations. The system dictates nonrandom mating, an evolutionary process requiring both revised genetic theory and new data on heritability of characters underlying Darwinian fitness. Successfully reproducing individuals represent rare selections from among vigorous, competing survivors of preadult natural selection. Nonrandom mating has correlated demographic effects: reduced effective population size, inbreeding, low gene flow, and emphasis on deme structure. Characters involved in choice behavior at reproduction appear based on quantitative trait loci. This variability serves selection for fitness within the population, having only an incidental relationship to the origin of genetically based reproductive isolation between populations. The claim that extensive hybridization experiments with Drosophila indicate that selection favors a gradual progression of "isolating mechanisms" is flawed, because intra-group random mating is assumed. Over deep time, local sexual populations are strong, independent genetic systems that use rich fields of variable polygenic components of fitness. The sexual reproduction system thus particularizes, in small subspecific populations, the genetic basis of the grand adaptive sweep of selective evolutionary change, much as Darwin proposed.

The Relationship between Personality Dimensions and Resiliency to Environmental Stress in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots (Amazona amazonica), as Indicated by the Development of Abnormal Behaviors.

PubMed

Cussen, Victoria A; Mench, Joy A

2015-01-01

Parrots are popular companion animals, but are frequently relinquished because of behavioral problems, including abnormal repetitive behaviors like feather damaging behavior and stereotypy. In addition to contributing to pet relinquishment, these behaviors are important as potential indicators of diminished psychological well-being. While abnormal behaviors are common in captive animals, their presence and/or severity varies between animals of the same species that are experiencing the same environmental conditions. Personality differences could contribute to this observed individual variation, as they are known risk factors for stress sensitivity and affective disorders in humans. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between personality and the development and severity of abnormal behaviors in captive-bred orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). We monitored between-individual behavioral differences in enrichment-reared parrots of known personality types before, during, and after enrichment deprivation. We predicted that parrots with higher scores for neurotic-like personality traits would be more susceptible to enrichment deprivation and develop more abnormal behaviors. Our results partially supported this hypothesis, but also showed that distinct personality dimensions were related to different forms of abnormal behavior. While neuroticism-like traits were linked to feather damaging behavior, extraversion-like traits were negatively related to stereotypic behavior. More extraverted birds showed resiliency to environmental stress, developing fewer stereotypies during enrichment deprivation and showing lower levels of these behaviors following re-enrichment. Our data, together with the results of the few studies conducted on other species, suggest that, as in humans, certain personality types render individual animals more susceptible or resilient to environmental stress. Further, this susceptibility/resiliency can have a long-term effect on behavior, as evidenced by behavioral changes that persisted despite re-enrichment. Ours is the first study evaluating the relationship between personality dimensions, environment, and abnormal behaviors in an avian species.

The Relationship between Personality Dimensions and Resiliency to Environmental Stress in Orange-Winged Amazon Parrots (Amazona amazonica), as Indicated by the Development of Abnormal Behaviors

PubMed Central

Cussen, Victoria A.; Mench, Joy A.

2015-01-01

Parrots are popular companion animals, but are frequently relinquished because of behavioral problems, including abnormal repetitive behaviors like feather damaging behavior and stereotypy. In addition to contributing to pet relinquishment, these behaviors are important as potential indicators of diminished psychological well-being. While abnormal behaviors are common in captive animals, their presence and/or severity varies between animals of the same species that are experiencing the same environmental conditions. Personality differences could contribute to this observed individual variation, as they are known risk factors for stress sensitivity and affective disorders in humans. The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between personality and the development and severity of abnormal behaviors in captive-bred orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). We monitored between-individual behavioral differences in enrichment-reared parrots of known personality types before, during, and after enrichment deprivation. We predicted that parrots with higher scores for neurotic-like personality traits would be more susceptible to enrichment deprivation and develop more abnormal behaviors. Our results partially supported this hypothesis, but also showed that distinct personality dimensions were related to different forms of abnormal behavior. While neuroticism-like traits were linked to feather damaging behavior, extraversion-like traits were negatively related to stereotypic behavior. More extraverted birds showed resiliency to environmental stress, developing fewer stereotypies during enrichment deprivation and showing lower levels of these behaviors following re-enrichment. Our data, together with the results of the few studies conducted on other species, suggest that, as in humans, certain personality types render individual animals more susceptible or resilient to environmental stress. Further, this susceptibility/resiliency can have a long-term effect on behavior, as evidenced by behavioral changes that persisted despite re-enrichment. Ours is the first study evaluating the relationship between personality dimensions, environment, and abnormal behaviors in an avian species. PMID:26114423

Attractants for ACP trapping technology: Challenges, status, and opportunities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Psyllid host searching behavior is complex and sophisticated. It can be influenced by host species, growth stage, and physiological condition, psyllid gender and mating status, behavioral plasticity, usurpation by phytopathogens of host aromas, and psyllid-induced emission of foliar volatiles. Asian...

Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics.

PubMed

Clark, Kevin B

2012-01-01

Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate's initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens' Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The present findings indicate sparseness performs a similar function in single aneural cells by tuning the size and density of encoded computational architectures useful for decision making in social contexts.

Social biases determine spatiotemporal sparseness of ciliate mating heuristics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Ciliates become highly social, even displaying animal-like qualities, in the joint presence of aroused conspecifics and nonself mating pheromones. Pheromone detection putatively helps trigger instinctual and learned courtship and dominance displays from which social judgments are made about the availability, compatibility, and fitness representativeness or likelihood of prospective mates and rivals. In earlier studies, I demonstrated the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum improves mating competence by effecting preconjugal strategies and inferences in mock social trials via behavioral heuristics built from Hebbian-like associative learning. Heuristics embody serial patterns of socially relevant action that evolve into ordered, topologically invariant computational networks supporting intra- and intermate selection. S. ambiguum employs heuristics to acquire, store, plan, compare, modify, select, and execute sets of mating propaganda. One major adaptive constraint over formation and use of heuristics involves a ciliate’s initial subjective bias, responsiveness, or preparedness, as defined by Stevens’ Law of subjective stimulus intensity, for perceiving the meaningfulness of mechanical pressures accompanying cell-cell contacts and additional perimating events. This bias controls durations and valences of nonassociative learning, search rates for appropriate mating strategies, potential net reproductive payoffs, levels of social honesty and deception, successful error diagnosis and correction of mating signals, use of insight or analysis to solve mating dilemmas, bioenergetics expenditures, and governance of mating decisions by classical or quantum statistical mechanics. I now report this same social bias also differentially affects the spatiotemporal sparseness, as measured with metric entropy, of ciliate heuristics. Sparseness plays an important role in neural systems through optimizing the specificity, efficiency, and capacity of memory representations. The present findings indicate sparseness performs a similar function in single aneural cells by tuning the size and density of encoded computational architectures useful for decision making in social contexts. PMID:22482001

Heart rate patterns during courtship and mating in rams and in estrous and nonestrous ewes ().

PubMed

Orihuela, A; Omaña, J C; Ungerfeld, R

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to compare the heart rate (HR) patterns in rams mated with estrous or nonestrous ewes and in mated estrous and nonestrous ewes () during courtship and mating. For this purpose, HR and behavior were recorded using a radio telemetry recording system and a closed-circuit television system with video recording, respectively. Rams were joined with either an estrous ( = 10) or a nonestrous ( = 10) ewe that was restrained in a stanchion by the neck. Data were continuously recorded until each ram performed 3 ejaculations. Eight days later, the HR of the 10 estrous and 10 nonestrous ewes was recorded during mating. Although the time between entrance into the yard and the first ejaculation was similar across rams, rams that mounted estrous ewes were faster at attaining their second (3min5s ± 17 s vs. 5min28s ± 18 s) and third (7min58s ± 45 s vs. 12 min ± 1min14s) ejaculations (all < 0.05). By contrast, no differences in HR were observed between rams that interacted with estrous versus nonestrous ewes. In all cases, HR reached maximum values immediately after each ejaculation and the HR pattern was similar across ejaculations (first, second, and third). Although HR was similar between estrous and nonestrous ewes before mating, nonestrous ewes had higher HR ( < 0.05) during mating. In summary, 1) rams that mated estrous ewes displayed shorter interejaculation periods but HR did not differ between groups of rams during any ejaculation (first, second, or third), 2) HR for both groups of rams peaked shortly after each ejaculation, and 3) HR increased more in nonestrous than in estrous ewes while mating.

Sexual selection is influenced by both developmental and adult environments.

PubMed

Gillespie, Stephanie R; Scarlett Tudor, M; Moore, Allen J; Miller, Christine W

2014-12-01

Sexual selection is often assumed to be strong and consistent, yet increasing research shows it can fluctuate over space and time. Few experimental studies have examined changes in sexual selection in response to natural environmental variation. Here, we use a difference in resource quality to test for the influence of past environmental conditions and current environmental conditions on male and female mate choice and resulting selection gradients for leaf-footed cactus bugs, Narnia femorata. We raised juveniles on natural high- and low-quality diets, cactus pads with and without ripe cactus fruits. New adults were again assigned a cactus pad with or without fruit, paired with a potential mate, and observed for mating behaviors. We found developmental and adult encounter environments affected mating decisions and the resulting patterns of sexual selection for both males and females. Males were not choosy in the low-quality encounter environment, cactus without fruit, but they avoided mating with small females in the high-quality encounter environment. Females were choosy in both encounter environments, avoiding mating with small males. However, they were the choosiest when they were in the low-quality encounter environment. Female mate choice was also context dependent by male developmental environment. Females were more likely to mate with males that had developed on cactus with fruit when they were currently in the cactus with fruit environment. This pattern disappeared when females were in the cactus without fruit environment. Altogether, these results experimentally demonstrate context-dependent mate choice by both males and females. Furthermore, we demonstrate that simple, seasonal changes in resources can lead to fluctuations in sexual selection. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

[Behavioral characteristics of children with Prader-Willi syndrome in preschool and school age: an exploratory study on ritualistic behavior].

PubMed

Sarimski, Klaus; Ebner, Sarah; Wördemann, Claudia

2012-01-01

Parents of 64 children and youths with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) describe their children's behaviour on the "Temperament and Atypical Behavior Scale" (TABS) and the German version of the "Developmental Behavior Checklist" (VFE). In the younger age group, there are no specific behavioural abnormalities which characterize a behavioral phenotype. In the older age group the data reveal elevated levels of abnormal behaviors (communication disturbance, social relations and disruptive behaviors). Parents stress ritualistic behaviors as especially challenging. The results concerning form and age-dependency of abnormal behaviors are discussed in the context of prevention and treatment options.

The Evolution of Autistic-Like and Schizotypal Traits: A Sexual Selection Hypothesis

PubMed Central

Del Giudice, Marco; Angeleri, Romina; Brizio, Adelina; Elena, Marco R.

2010-01-01

In this paper we present a new hypothesis on the evolution of autistic-like and schizotypal personality traits. We argue that autistic-like and schizotypal traits contribute in opposite ways to individual differences in reproductive and mating strategies, and have been maintained – at least in part – by sexual selection through mate choice. Whereas positive schizotypy can be seen as a psychological phenotype oriented to high-mating effort and good genes displays in both sexes, autistic-like traits in their non-pathological form contribute to a male-typical strategy geared toward high parental investment, low-mating effort, and long-term resource allocation. At the evolutionary-genetic level, this sexual selection hypothesis is consistent with Crespi and Badcock's “imprinted brain” theory of autism and psychosis; the effect of offspring mating behavior on resource flow within the family connects sexual selection with genomic imprinting in the context of human biparental care. We conclude by presenting the results of an empirical study testing one of the predictions derived from our hypothesis. In a sample of 199 college students, autistic-like traits predicted lower interest in short-term mating, higher partner-specific investment, and stronger commitment to long-term romantic relations, whereas positive schizotypy showed the opposite pattern of effects. PMID:21833210

The significance of multiple mating in the social wasp Vespula maculifrons.

PubMed

Goodisman, Michael A D; Kovacs, Jennifer L; Hoffman, Eric A

2007-09-01

The evolution of the complex societies displayed by social insects depended partly on high relatedness among interacting group members. Therefore, behaviors that depress group relatedness, such as multiple mating by reproductive females (polyandry), are unexpected in social insects. Nevertheless, the queens of several social insect species mate multiply, suggesting that polyandry provides some benefits that counteract the costs. However, few studies have obtained evidence for links between rates of polyandry and fitness in naturally occurring social insect populations. We investigated if polyandry was beneficial in the social wasp Vespula maculifrons. We used genetic markers to estimate queen mate number in V. maculifrons colonies and assessed colony fitness by counting the number of cells that colonies produced. Our results indicated that queen mate number was directly, strongly, and significantly correlated with the number of queen cells produced by colonies. Because V. maculifrons queens are necessarily reared in queen cells, our results demonstrate that high levels of polyandry are associated with colonies capable of producing many new queens. These data are consistent with the explanation that polyandry is adaptive in V. maculifrons because it provides a fitness advantage to queens. Our research may provide a rare example of an association between polyandry and fitness in a natural social insect population and help explain why queens in this taxon mate multiply.

Does time after pair bond disruption affect subsequent reproduction in the socially monogamous woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum)?

PubMed Central

Renfro, Caroline A.; Pesek, Daniel W.; Bobeck, Kelly; Solomon, Nancy G.

2010-01-01

Disruption of the pair bond between socially monogamous animals leads to changes in behavior, which may have reproductive consequences. There are two alternative hypotheses to explain the effect of the length of time since pair bond disruption on subsequent reproduction. One hypothesis predicts that voles housed immediately with a new opposite-sex conspecific will be as likely to produce litters and will produce them as quickly as voles separated from their initial mate for longer. Alternatively, if attachment between mates is enduring, we expect that more voles separated longer from their previous mates will produce litters and produce them sooner than voles re-paired immediately after separation from their initial mates. Woodland voles, paired with opposite-sex conspecifics, remained together until parturition. Mates were then separated for zero, seven, or fourteen days until re-pairing with an opposite-sex conspecific. Pair bond disruption did not prevent males and females from mating subsequently, which was consistent with data from our breeding colony. In addition, the length of time an individual remained alone after pair bond disruption did not affect the latency to produce a litter. Our results show that having been paired previously does not affect subsequent reproduction in this socially monogamous vole. PMID:19429197

Sex-biased parental investment is correlated with mate ornamentation in eastern bluebirds.

PubMed

Ligon, Russell A; Hill, Geoffrey E

2010-03-01

Males typically have greater variance in reproductive success than females, so mothers should benefit by producing sons under favorable conditions. Being paired with a better-than-average mate is one such favorable circumstance. High-quality fathers can improve conditions for their offspring by providing good genes, good resources, or both, so females paired to such males should invest preferentially in sons. Ornamentation has been linked to male quality in many birds and, in support of differential allocation theory, females of several avian species invest more in entire broods when paired to attractive mates. Additionally, the females of some bird species apparently manipulate the primary sex-ratio of their broods in relation to the attractiveness of their mates. However, empirical support for a link between mate ornamentation and preferential feeding of sons (another form of biased investment) is lacking. We tested for correlations between sex-biased parental investment and mate plumage colour in the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis), a species in which juveniles have sexually dichromatic UV-blue plumage. We found that the proportion of maternal feeding attempts to fledgling sons (versus fledgling daughters) was positively correlated with structurally coloured plumage ornamentation of fathers. Additionally, paternal feeding attempts to sons were correlated with plumage ornamentation of mothers and increased in fathers exhibiting breast plumage characteristics typical of older males. These results provide further support for the idea that parental strategies are influenced by mate attractiveness and provide the first evidence that mate ornamentation can influence parental behavior even after offspring have left the nest.

A longitudinal study of the sociosexual dynamics in a captive family group of wolves: the University of Connecticut wolf project.

PubMed

Jenks, Susan M

2011-11-01

An interest in the role of the social environment on the evolution of behavior led Professor Benson Ginsburg to studies of wolf social behavior. He initiated the University of Connecticut wolf project with a family group of wolves housed in a protected enclosure in an isolated area of campus. One aim of this project was to conduct a longitudinal study of a family group of wolves in order to understand the proximate behavioral mechanisms underlying mating dynamics with a degree of control and opportunistic observation that could not be achieved through field studies. The development of social relationships and the dynamics of mating were observed for 9 years. As in nature, agonistic relationships strongly influenced reproductive success, successful breeding was limited to a single pair each season, and the behavioral dynamics included status transitions with breeder rotations. Our work, when combined with the results of other captive wolf studies, has contributed valuable information to the general understanding of wolf social behavior, especially regarding the proximate behavior patterns underlying group social interactions and reproduction. This understanding has broadened perspectives on the dynamic interplay between social behavior and evolutionary processes.

Factors affecting post-flight behavior in primary reproductives of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae).

PubMed

Park, Yong Ihl; Bland, John M; Raina, Ashok K

2004-06-01

After swarming, reproductive dealates of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, run together in tandem. The tandem running is an age-related behavioral activity in C. formosanus. This behavior was not evoked in pre-flight alates less than 6-d-old that were artificially dealated. Female age was more important than male age for evoking tandem behavior. Females and males, older than 35 days, did not exhibit this behavior. Mating status was not important for female and male dealates to form the tandem pairs. The titers of the major tergal gland component, trilinolein, did not decline significantly and remained high, not only in virgin females, but also in mated females for a period of time after swarming. On the other hand, increasing amounts of the female-specific compound trilinolein were detected in male dealates 7, 14, and 42 days after pairing. This suggests that trilinolein in the females might be transferred to the males as a nuptial gift in C. formosanus. In addition, females have structurally different lateral setae that may constitute a morphological factor involved in the tandem behavior in this species. Covering the setae with dimethyl sulfoxide prevented the tandem behavior.

The Problem with Paradigms: Bateman's Worldview as a Case Study.

PubMed

Tang-Martinez, Zuleyma; Ryder, T Brandt

2005-11-01

Bateman's principles, their corollaries and predictions constitute a paradigm for the study of sexual selection theory, evolution of mating systems, parental investment theory, and sexual dimorphism in male and female behavior. Some aspects of this paradigm have been challenged in recent years, while others have been supported by empirical and theoretical research. We re-examine Bateman's 1948 paper in detail, including some methodological problems. Additionally, we review three areas in which an over-reliance on Bateman's predictions about sexual dynamics hindered our ability to understand the potential importance of certain behaviors: 1) male mate choice and sperm allocation; 2) the role of females in initiating and soliciting extra-pair copulations and fertilizations; and 3) the role of females in lekking systems, in which recent evidence suggests that copulations with multiple males (polyandrous behavior) may be common. We conclude this introduction to the symposium by emphasizing the heuristic value of Bateman's contributions, as well as the problems that arise when Bateman's paradigm is viewed through the lens of modern behavioral ecology and evolutionary theory.

Male-mimicking females increase male-male interactions, and decrease male survival and condition in a female-polymorphic damselfly.

PubMed

Gering, Eben J

2017-05-01

Biologists are still discovering diverse and powerful ways sexual conflicts shape biodiversity. The present study examines how the proportion of females in a population that exhibit male mimicry, a mating resistance trait, influences conspecific males' behavior, condition, and survival. Like most female-polymorphic damselflies, Ischnura ramburii harbors both "andromorph" females, which closely resemble males, and sexually dimorphic "gynomorph" counterparts. There is evidence that male mimicry helps andromorphs evade detection and harassment, but males can also learn to target locally prevalent morph(s) via prior mate encounters. I hypothesized that the presence of male mimics could therefore predispose males to mate recognition errors, and thereby increase rates of costly male-male interactions. Consistent with this hypothesis, male-male interaction rates were highest in mesocosms containing more andromorph (vs. gynomorph) females. Males in andromorph-biased mesocosms also had lower final body mass and higher mortality than males assigned to gynomorph-majority treatments. Male survival and body mass were each negatively affected by mesocosm density, and mortality data revealed a marginally significant interaction between andromorph frequency and population density. These findings suggest that, under sufficiently crowded conditions, female mating resistance traits such as male mimicry could have pronounced indirect effects on male behavior, condition, and survival. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

PubMed Central

Lattanzio, Matthew S.; Metro, Kevin J.; Miles, Donald B.

2014-01-01

Non-random female mating preferences may contribute to the maintenance of phenotypic variation in color polymorphic species. However, the effect of female preference depends on the types of male traits used as signals by receptive females. If preference signals derive from discrete male traits (i.e., morph-specific), female preferences may rapidly fix to a morph. However, female preference signals may also include condition-dependent male traits. In this scenario, female preference may differ depending on the social context (i.e., male morph availability). Male tree lizards (Urosaurus ornatus) exhibit a dewlap color polymorphism that covaries with mating behavior. Blue morph males are aggressive and defend territories, yellow males are less aggressive and defend smaller territories, and orange males are typically nomadic. Female U. ornatus are also polymorphic in dewlap color, but the covariation between dewlap color and female behavior is unknown. We performed an experiment to determine how female mate choice depends on the visual and chemical signals produced by males. We also tested whether female morphs differ in their preferences for these signals. Female preferences involved both male dewlap color and size of the ventral color patch. However, the female morphs responded to these signals differently and depended on the choice between the types of male morphs. Our experiment revealed that females may be capable of distinguishing among the male morphs using chemical signals alone. Yellow females exhibit preferences based on both chemical and visual signals, which may be a strategy to avoid ultra-dominant males. In contrast, orange females may prefer dominant males. We conclude that female U. ornatus morphs differ in mating behavior. Our findings also provide evidence for a chemical polymorphism among male lizards in femoral pore secretions. PMID:25033282

Sex ratio and women's career choice: does a scarcity of men lead women to choose briefcase over baby?

PubMed

Durante, Kristina M; Griskevicius, Vladas; Simpson, Jeffry A; Cantú, Stephanie M; Tybur, Joshua M

2012-07-01

Although the ratio of males to females in a population is known to influence behavior in nonhuman animals, little is known about how sex ratio influences human behavior. We propose that sex ratio affects women's family planning and career choices. Using both historical data and experiments, we examined how sex ratio influences women's career aspirations. Findings showed that a scarcity of men led women to seek high-paying careers and to delay starting a family. This effect was driven by how sex ratio altered the mating market, not just the job market. Sex ratios involving a scarcity of men led women to seek lucrative careers because of the difficulty women have in finding an investing, long-term mate under such circumstances. Accordingly, this low-male sex ratio produced the strongest desire for lucrative careers in women who are least able to secure a mate. These findings demonstrate that sex ratio has far-reaching effects in humans, including whether women choose briefcase over baby. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Corazonin Signaling Is Required in the Male for Sperm Transfer in the Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis

PubMed Central

Hou, Qiu-Li; Chen, Er-Hu; Jiang, Hong-Bo; Yu, Shuai-Feng; Yang, Pei-Jin; Liu, Xiao-Qiang; Park, Yoonseong; Wang, Jin-Jun; Smagghe, Guy

2018-01-01

Corazonin (Crz) is a widely distributed neuropeptide (or neurohormone) in insects with diverse physiological functions. The present study aimed to reveal the functions of Crz and its receptor (CrzR) in the regulation of sexual behavior and fertility in male Bactrocera dorsalis. Tissue-specific expression analyses showed that the BdCrz transcript was most abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), and the BdCrzR transcript was most abundant in both the fat body and CNS. Immunochemical localization confirmed that three pairs of Crz-immunoreactive neurons are located in the dorsolateral protocerebrum region of male adult brain. Importantly, RNAi-mediated Crz knockdown lengthened mating duration in males, and knockdown of Crz or CrzR strongly decreased male fertility in the following 3 days, while the courtship behavior and mating efficiency were not affected. The reduced number of sperm in the reproductive organs of mated females indicated that Crz knockdown in males reduced sperm transfer. The findings of this study indicate that Crz contributes to the reproductive physiology of the oriental fruit fly B. dorsalis by regulating sperm transfer in male adults.

Masculine men articulate less clearly.

PubMed

Kempe, Vera; Puts, David A; Cárdenas, Rodrigo A

2013-12-01

In previous research, acoustic characteristics of the male voice have been shown to signal various aspects of mate quality and threat potential. But the human voice is also a medium of linguistic communication. The present study explores whether physical and vocal indicators of male mate quality and threat potential are linked to effective communicative behaviors such as vowel differentiation and use of more salient phonetic variants of consonants. We show that physical and vocal indicators of male threat potential, height and formant position, are negatively linked to vowel space size, and that height and levels of circulating testosterone are negatively linked to the use of the aspirated variant of the alveolar stop consonant /t/. Thus, taller, more masculine men display less clarity in their speech and prefer phonetic variants that may be associated with masculine attributes such as toughness. These findings suggest that vocal signals of men's mate quality and/or dominance are not confined to the realm of voice acoustics but extend to other aspects of communicative behavior, even if this means a trade-off with speech patterns that are considered communicatively advantageous, such as clarity and indexical cues to higher social class.

Corazonin Signaling Is Required in the Male for Sperm Transfer in the Oriental Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis.

PubMed

Hou, Qiu-Li; Chen, Er-Hu; Jiang, Hong-Bo; Yu, Shuai-Feng; Yang, Pei-Jin; Liu, Xiao-Qiang; Park, Yoonseong; Wang, Jin-Jun; Smagghe, Guy

2018-01-01

Corazonin (Crz) is a widely distributed neuropeptide (or neurohormone) in insects with diverse physiological functions. The present study aimed to reveal the functions of Crz and its receptor (CrzR) in the regulation of sexual behavior and fertility in male Bactrocera dorsalis . Tissue-specific expression analyses showed that the BdCrz transcript was most abundant in the central nervous system (CNS), and the BdCrzR transcript was most abundant in both the fat body and CNS. Immunochemical localization confirmed that three pairs of Crz-immunoreactive neurons are located in the dorsolateral protocerebrum region of male adult brain. Importantly, RNAi-mediated Crz knockdown lengthened mating duration in males, and knockdown of Crz or CrzR strongly decreased male fertility in the following 3 days, while the courtship behavior and mating efficiency were not affected. The reduced number of sperm in the reproductive organs of mated females indicated that Crz knockdown in males reduced sperm transfer. The findings of this study indicate that Crz contributes to the reproductive physiology of the oriental fruit fly B. dorsalis by regulating sperm transfer in male adults.

A Cholinergic-Regulated Circuit Coordinates the Maintenance and Bi-Stable States of a Sensory-Motor Behavior during Caenorhabditis elegans Male Copulation

PubMed Central

Liu, Yishi; LeBeouf, Brigitte; Guo, Xiaoyan; Correa, Paola A.; Gualberto, Daisy G.; Lints, Robyn; Garcia, L. Rene

2011-01-01

Penetration of a male copulatory organ into a suitable mate is a conserved and necessary behavioral step for most terrestrial matings; however, the detailed molecular and cellular mechanisms for this distinct social interaction have not been elucidated in any animal. During mating, the Caenorhabditis elegans male cloaca is maintained over the hermaphrodite's vulva as he attempts to insert his copulatory spicules. Rhythmic spicule thrusts cease when insertion is sensed. Circuit components consisting of sensory/motor neurons and sex muscles for these steps have been previously identified, but it was unclear how their outputs are integrated to generate a coordinated behavior pattern. Here, we show that cholinergic signaling between the cloacal sensory/motor neurons and the posterior sex muscles sustains genital contact between the sexes. Simultaneously, via gap junctions, signaling from these muscles is transmitted to the spicule muscles, thus coupling repeated spicule thrusts with vulval contact. To transit from rhythmic to sustained muscle contraction during penetration, the SPC sensory-motor neurons integrate the signal of spicule's position in the vulva with inputs from the hook and cloacal sensilla. The UNC-103 K+ channel maintains a high excitability threshold in the circuit, so that sustained spicule muscle contraction is not stimulated by fewer inputs. We demonstrate that coordination of sensory inputs and motor outputs used to initiate, maintain, self-monitor, and complete an innate behavior is accomplished via the coupling of a few circuit components. PMID:21423722

Sexually Selected Traits: A Fundamental Framework for Studies on Behavioral Epigenetics

PubMed Central

Jašarević, Eldin; Geary, David C.; Rosenfeld, Cheryl S.

2012-01-01

Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic-based mechanisms contribute to various aspects of sex differences in brain and behavior. The major obstacle in establishing and fully understanding this linkage is identifying the traits that are most susceptible to epigenetic modification. We have proposed that sexual selection provides a conceptual framework for identifying such traits. These are traits involved in intrasexual competition for mates and intersexual choice of mating partners and generally entail a combination of male–male competition and female choice. These behaviors are programmed during early embryonic and postnatal development, particularly during the transition from the juvenile to adult periods, by exposure of the brain to steroid hormones, including estradiol and testosterone. We evaluate the evidence that endocrine-disrupting compounds, including bisphenol A, can interfere with the vital epigenetic and gene expression pathways and with the elaboration of sexually selected traits with epigenetic mechanisms presumably governing the expression of these traits. Finally, we review the evidence to suggest that these steroid hormones can induce a variety of epigenetic changes in the brain, including the extent of DNA methylation, histone protein alterations, and even alterations of noncoding RNA, and that many of the changes differ between males and females. Although much previous attention has focused on primary sex differences in reproductive behaviors, such as male mounting and female lordosis, we outline why secondary sex differences related to competition and mate choice might also trace their origins back to steroid-induced epigenetic programming in disparate regions of the brain. PMID:23744965

Variation in social relationships relates to song preferences and EGR1 expression in a female songbird.

PubMed

Schubloom, Hannah E; Woolley, Sarah C

2016-09-01

Social experiences can profoundly shape social behavior and the underlying neural circuits. Across species, the formation of enduring social relationships is associated with both neural and behavioral changes. However, it remains unclear how longer-term relationships between individuals influence brain and behavior. Here, we investigated how variation in social relationships relates to variation in female preferences for and neural responses to song in a pair-bonding songbird. We assessed variation in the interactions between individuals in male-female zebra finch pairs and found that female preferences for their mate's song were correlated with the degree of affiliation and amount of socially modulated singing, but not with the frequency of aggressive interactions. Moreover, variation in measures of pair quality and preference correlated with variation in the song-induced expression of EGR1, an immediate early gene related to neural activity and plasticity, in brain regions important for auditory processing and social behavior. For example, females with weaker preferences for their mate's song had greater EGR1 expression in the nucleus Taeniae, the avian homologue of the mammalian medial amygdala, in response to playback of their mate's courtship song. Our data indicate that the quality of social interactions within pairs relates to variation in song preferences and neural responses to ethologically relevant stimuli and lend insight into neural circuits sensitive to social information. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 1029-1040, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Romance, risk, and replication: Can consumer choices and risk-taking be primed by mating motives?

PubMed

Shanks, David R; Vadillo, Miguel A; Riedel, Benjamin; Clymo, Ashley; Govind, Sinita; Hickin, Nisha; Tamman, Amanda J F; Puhlmann, Lara M C

2015-12-01

Interventions aimed at influencing spending behavior and risk-taking have considerable practical importance. A number of studies motivated by the costly signaling theory within evolutionary psychology have reported that priming inductions (such as looking at pictures of attractive opposite sex members) designed to trigger mating motives increase males' stated willingness to purchase conspicuous consumption items and to engage in risk-taking behaviors, and reduce loss aversion. However, a meta-analysis of this literature reveals strong evidence of either publication bias or p-hacking (or both). We then report 8 studies with a total sample of over 1,600 participants which sought to reproduce these effects. None of the studies, including one that was fully preregistered, was successful. The results question the claim that romantic primes can influence risk-taking and other potentially harmful behaviors. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Mate-choice copying: A fitness-enhancing behavior that evolves by indirect selection.

PubMed

Santos, Mauro; Sapage, Manuel; Matos, Margarida; Varela, Susana A M

2017-06-01

A spatially explicit, individual-based simulation model is used to study the spread of an allele for mate-choice copying (MCC) through horizontal cultural transmission when female innate preferences do or do not coevolve with a male viability-increasing trait. Evolution of MCC is unlikely when innate female preferences coevolve with the trait, as copier females cannot express a higher preference than noncopier females for high-fitness males. However, if a genetic polymorphism for innate preference persists in the population, MCC can evolve by indirect selection through hitchhiking: the copying allele hitchhikes on the male trait. MCC can be an adaptive behavior-that is, a behavior that increases a population's average fitness relative to populations without MCC-even though the copying allele itself may be neutral or mildly deleterious. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Effect of abnormal notochord delamination on hindgut development in the Adriamycin mouse model.

PubMed

Sato, Hideaki; Hajduk, Piotr; Furuta, Shigeyuki; Wakisaka, Munechika; Murphy, Paula; Puri, Prem; Kitagawa, Hiroaki

2013-11-01

Adriamycin mouse model (AMM) is a model of VACTERL anomalies. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway, sourced by the notochord, is implicated of anorectal malformations. We hypothesized hindgut anomalies observed in the AMM are the result of abnormal effect of the notochord. Time-mated CBA/Ca mice received two intraperitoneal injections of Adriamycin (6 mg/kg) or saline as control on embryonic day (E) 7 and 8. Fetuses were harvested from E9 to E11, stained following whole mount in situ hybridization with labeled RNA probes to detect Shh and Fork head box F1(Foxf1) transcripts. Immunolocalization with endoderm marker Hnf3β was used to visualize morphology. Embryos were scanned by OPT to obtain 3D representations of expressions. In AMM, the notochord was abnormally displaced ventrally with attachment to the hindgut endoderm in 71 % of the specimens. In 32 % of the treated embryos abnormal hindgut ended blindly in a cystic structure, and both of types were remarked in 29 % of treated embryos. Endodermal Shh and mesenchymal Foxf1 genes expression were preserved around the hindgut cystic malformation. The delamination of the developing notochord in the AMM is disrupted, which may influence signaling mechanisms from the notochord to the hindgut resulting in abnormal patterning of the hindgut.

Mating disruption of citrus leafminer mediated by a noncompetitive mechanism at a remarkably low pheromone release rate.

PubMed

Stelinski, L L; Miller, J R; Rogers, M E

2008-08-01

The citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), is a worldwide pest of citrus. A season-long investigation was conducted that evaluated mating disruption for this pest. Effective disruption of the male P. citrella orientation to pheromone traps (98%) and reduced flush infestation by larvae was achieved for 221 d with two deployments of a 3:1 blend of (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal/(Z,Z)-7,11-hexadecadienal at a remarkably low rate of 1.5 g active ingredient (AI)/ha per deployment. To gain insight into the mechanism that mediates the disruption of P. citrella, male moth catch was quantified in replicated plots of citrus treated with varying densities of pheromone dispensers. The densities of septum dispensers compared were: 0 (0/ha, 0.0 g AI/ha), 0.2 (one every fifth tree or 35/ha, 0.05 g AI/ha), 1 (215/ha, 0.29 g AI/ha), and 5 per tree (1,100/ha, 1.5 g AI/ha). Profile analysis by previously published mathematical methods matched predictions of noncompetitive mating disruption. Behavioral observations of male P. citrella in the field revealed that males did not approach mating disruption dispensers in any of the dispenser density treatments. The current report presents the first set of profile analyses combined with direct behavioral observations consistent with previously published theoretical predictions for a noncompetitive mechanism of mating disruption. The results suggest that disruption of P. citrella should be effective even at high population densities given the density-independent nature of disruption for this species and the remarkably low rate of pheromone per hectare required for efficacy.

Mating systems, reproductive success, and sexual selection in secretive species: a case study of the western diamond-backed rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox.

PubMed

Clark, Rulon W; Schuett, Gordon W; Repp, Roger A; Amarello, Melissa; Smith, Charles F; Herrmann, Hans-Werner

2014-01-01

Long-term studies of individual animals in nature contribute disproportionately to our understanding of the principles of ecology and evolution. Such field studies can benefit greatly from integrating the methods of molecular genetics with traditional approaches. Even though molecular genetic tools are particularly valuable for species that are difficult to observe directly, they have not been widely adopted. Here, we used molecular genetic techniques in a 10-year radio-telemetric investigation of the western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) for an analysis of its mating system and to measure sexual selection. Specifically, we used microsatellite markers to genotype 299 individuals, including neonates from litters of focal females to ascertain parentage using full-pedigree likelihood methods. We detected high levels of multiple paternity within litters, yet found little concordance between paternity and observations of courtship and mating behavior. Larger males did not father significantly more offspring, but we found evidence for size-specific male-mating strategies, with larger males guarding females for longer periods in the mating seasons. Moreover, the spatial proximity of males to mothers was significantly associated with reproductive success. Overall, our field observations alone would have been insufficient to quantitatively measure the mating system of this population of C. atrox, and we thus urge more widespread adoption of molecular tools by field researchers studying the mating systems and sexual selection of snakes and other secretive taxa.

Mating Systems, Reproductive Success, and Sexual Selection in Secretive Species: A Case Study of the Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox

PubMed Central

Clark, Rulon W.; Schuett, Gordon W.; Repp, Roger A.; Amarello, Melissa; Smith, Charles F.; Herrmann, Hans-Werner

2014-01-01

Long-term studies of individual animals in nature contribute disproportionately to our understanding of the principles of ecology and evolution. Such field studies can benefit greatly from integrating the methods of molecular genetics with traditional approaches. Even though molecular genetic tools are particularly valuable for species that are difficult to observe directly, they have not been widely adopted. Here, we used molecular genetic techniques in a 10-year radio-telemetric investigation of the western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) for an analysis of its mating system and to measure sexual selection. Specifically, we used microsatellite markers to genotype 299 individuals, including neonates from litters of focal females to ascertain parentage using full-pedigree likelihood methods. We detected high levels of multiple paternity within litters, yet found little concordance between paternity and observations of courtship and mating behavior. Larger males did not father significantly more offspring, but we found evidence for size-specific male-mating strategies, with larger males guarding females for longer periods in the mating seasons. Moreover, the spatial proximity of males to mothers was significantly associated with reproductive success. Overall, our field observations alone would have been insufficient to quantitatively measure the mating system of this population of C. atrox, and we thus urge more widespread adoption of molecular tools by field researchers studying the mating systems and sexual selection of snakes and other secretive taxa. PMID:24598810

Developmental antecedents of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors in adolescence.

PubMed

Le Grange, Daniel; O'Connor, Meredith; Hughes, Elizabeth K; Macdonald, Jacqui; Little, Keriann; Olsson, Craig A

2014-11-01

This study capitalizes on developmental data from an Australian population-based birth cohort to identify developmental markers of abnormal eating attitudes and behaviors in adolescence. The aims were twofold: (1) to develop a comprehensive path model identifying infant and childhood developmental correlates of Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in adolescence, and (2) to explore potential gender differences. Data were drawn from a 30-year longitudinal study that has followed the health and development of a population based cohort across 15 waves of data collection from infancy since 1983: The Australian Temperament Project. Participants in this analysis were the 1,300 youth who completed the 11th survey at 15-16 years (1998) and who completed the eating disorder inventory at this time point. Developmental correlates of Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in mid-adolescence were temperamental persistence, early gestational age, persistent high weight, teen depression, stronger peer relationships, maternal dieting behavior, and pubertal timing. Overall, these factors accounted for 28% of the variance in Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Behaviors at 15-16 years of age. Depressive symptoms, maternal dieting behavior, and early puberty were more important factors for girls. Late puberty was a more important factor for boys. Findings address an important gap in our understanding of the etiology of Abnormal Eating Attitudes and Behaviors in adolescence and suggest multiple targets for preventive intervention. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Safety evaluation of laninamivir octanoate hydrate through analysis of adverse events reported during early post-marketing phase vigilance.

PubMed

Nakano, Takashi; Okumura, Akihisa; Tanabe, Takuya; Niwa, Shimpei; Fukushima, Masato; Yonemochi, Rie; Eda, Hisano; Tsutsumi, Hiroyuki

2013-06-01

Abnormal behavior and delirium are common in children with influenza. While abnormal behavior and delirium are considered to be associated with influenza encephalopathy, an increased risk of such neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients receiving neuraminidase inhibitor treatment is suspected. Laninamivir octanoate hydrate, recently approved in Japan, is a long-acting neuraminidase inhibitor. It is important to establish a safety profile for laninamivir early, based on post-marketing experiences. Spontaneous safety reports collected in the early post-marketing phase vigilance were analyzed. Adverse events of interest such as abnormal behavior/delirium, dizziness/vertigo, respiratory disorders, shock/syncope, and any other serious events were intensively reviewed by the Safety Evaluation Committee. Abnormal behavior/delirium was a frequently reported event. Almost all the reported cases were considered to be due to influenza and not laninamivir. There were 32 cases of abnormal behavior/delirium that could lead to dangerous accidents, and these were observed more frequently in males and teenagers. Syncope probably related to the act of inhalation per se of laninamivir was reported during this survey. This safety review revealed that the safety profile of laninamivir for abnormal behavior/delirium and syncope was similar to that of other neuraminidase inhibitors. As stated in the labeling, teenage patients inhaling laninamivir should remain under constant parental supervision for at least 2 days and should be closely monitored for behavioral changes to prevent serious accidents associated with abnormal behavior/delirium. Furthermore, to avoid syncope because of inhalation, patients should be instructed to inhale in a relaxed sitting position.

Severe abnormal behavior incidence after administration of neuraminidase inhibitors using the national database of medical claims.

PubMed

Nakamura, Yuuki; Sugawara, Tamie; Ohkusa, Yasushi; Taniguchi, Kiyosu; Miyazaki, Chiaki; Momoi, Mariko; Okabe, Nobuhiko

2018-03-01

An earlier study using the number of abnormal behaviors reported to the study group as the numerator and the number of influenza patient prescribed each neuraminidase inhibitor (NI) estimated by respective pharmaceutical companies found no significant difference among incidence rates of the most severe abnormal behaviors by type of NI throughout Japan. However, the dataset for the denominator used in that earlier study was the estimated number of prescriptions. In the present study, to compare the incidence rates of abnormal behavior more precisely among influenza patients administered several sorts of NI or administered no NI, we used data obtained from the National Database of Electronic Medical Claims (NDBEMC) as the denominator to reach a definitive conclusion. Results show that patients not administered any NI (hereinafter un-administered) or those administered peramivir sometimes showed higher risk of abnormal behavior than those administered oseltamivir, zanamivir, or laninamivir. However, the un-administered or peramivir patients were fewer than those taking other NI. Therefore, accumulation of data through continued research is expected to be necessary to reach a definitive conclusion about the relation between abnormal behavior and NI in influenza patients. Since severe abnormal behaviors with all types of NI or of un-administered patients have been reported, there are some risks in the administration of NI or even in un-administered cases. Therefore, we infer that the policy mandating package inserts in all types of NI. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Behavioral and physiological polymorphism in males of the austral lizard Liolaemus sarmientoi.

PubMed

Fernández, Jimena B; Bastiaans, Elizabeth; Medina, Marlin; Méndez De la Cruz, Fausto R; Sinervo, Barry R; Ibargüengoytía, Nora R

2018-02-01

Integrative behavioral studies show that the interplay between individual physiology and social behavior influences the ecology of the species, ultimately affecting individual fitness. Particularly in lizards, color polymorphism is associated with differential behaviors and reproductive strategies, which are evident in mature males during the mating season. Dominant males generally have greater endurance, higher body temperature, and larger bodies than submissive males, so they can acquire and defend larger territories and have greater access to females for mating. We studied whether the color morphs observed in males of one of the world's southernmost reptiles, Liolaemus sarmientoi, are related to behavioral variation during agonistic interactions, thermal physiology, morphology, and/or locomotor stamina. Liolaemus sarmientoi males exhibit three color morphs: red (RR), red-yellow (RY), and yellow (YY). These lizards exhibit subtle behavioral displays and we did not observe stamina differences among morphs. However, we found that RR males are more aggressive than YY males during agonistic encounters. In addition, greater body temperature change during trials, higher field body temperatures, and greater head sizes of RR males compared to RY or YY indicate that RR is a dominant morph, which may influence their ability to acquire and defend territory and tactics for achieving reproductive success.

An assessment of dairy herd bulls in southern Australia: 2. Analysis of bull- and herd-level risk factors and their associations with pre- and postmating breeding soundness results.

PubMed

Hancock, A S; Younis, P J; Beggs, D S; Mansell, P D; Stevenson, M A; Pyman, M F

2016-12-01

In pasture-based, seasonally calving dairy herds of southern Australia, the mating period usually consists of an initial artificial insemination period followed by a period of natural service using herd bulls. The primary objective of this study was to identify associations between individual bull- and herd-level management factors and bull fertility as measured by a pre- and postmating bull breeding soundness evaluation (BBSE). Multivariable mixed effects logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with bulls being classified as high risk of reduced fertility at the premating and postmating BBSE. Bulls older than 4 yr of age at the premating BBSE were more likely to be classified high risk compared with bulls less than 4 yr of age. Bulls that were in herds in which concentrates were fed before mating were more likely to be classified as high risk at the postmating BBSE compared with bulls that were in herds where concentrates were not fed. Univariable analyses also identified areas in need of further research, including breed differences between dairy bulls, leg conformation and joint abnormalities, preventative hoof blocking for bulls, and mating ratios. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MSeq-CNV: accurate detection of Copy Number Variation from Sequencing of Multiple samples.

PubMed

Malekpour, Seyed Amir; Pezeshk, Hamid; Sadeghi, Mehdi

2018-03-05

Currently a few tools are capable of detecting genome-wide Copy Number Variations (CNVs) based on sequencing of multiple samples. Although aberrations in mate pair insertion sizes provide additional hints for the CNV detection based on multiple samples, the majority of the current tools rely only on the depth of coverage. Here, we propose a new algorithm (MSeq-CNV) which allows detecting common CNVs across multiple samples. MSeq-CNV applies a mixture density for modeling aberrations in depth of coverage and abnormalities in the mate pair insertion sizes. Each component in this mixture density applies a Binomial distribution for modeling the number of mate pairs with aberration in the insertion size and also a Poisson distribution for emitting the read counts, in each genomic position. MSeq-CNV is applied on simulated data and also on real data of six HapMap individuals with high-coverage sequencing, in 1000 Genomes Project. These individuals include a CEU trio of European ancestry and a YRI trio of Nigerian ethnicity. Ancestry of these individuals is studied by clustering the identified CNVs. MSeq-CNV is also applied for detecting CNVs in two samples with low-coverage sequencing in 1000 Genomes Project and six samples form the Simons Genome Diversity Project.

Transmission of Beauveria bassiana from male to female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Resistance to chemical insecticides plus high morbidity rates have lead to rising interest in fungi as candidates for biocontrol agents of mosquito vectors. In most studies fungal infections have been induced by exposure of mosquitoes to various surfaces treated with conidia. In the present study eight Mexican strains of Beauveria bassiana were assessed against Aedes aegypti by direct exposure of females to 6 × 108 conidia ml -1 on a filter paper, afterwards, the transmission of the least and most virulent isolates was evaluated by mating behavior from virgin, fungus-contaminated male to females, to examine this ethological pattern as a new approach to deliver conidia against the dengue vector. Methods In an exposure chamber with a filter paper impregnated with 6 × 108 conidia ml -1 of the least and most virulent strains of B. bassiana, 6-8 day old males of A. aegypti were exposed for 48 hours, and then transferred individually (each one was a replicate) to another chamber and confined with twenty healthy females of the same age. Clean males were used in controls. Survival, infection by true mating (insemination) or by mating attempts (no insemination) and fecundity were daily registered until the death of last female. Data analysis was conducted with proc glm for unbalanced experiments and means were separated with the Ryan test with SAS. Results All strains were highly virulent with LT50 ranging from 2.70 (± 0.29) to 5.33 (± 0.53) days. However the most (Bb-CBG2) and least virulent (Bb-CBG4) isolates were also transmitted by mating behavior; both killed 78-90% of females in 15 days after being confined with males that had previously been exposed for 48 hours to fungi. Of these mortality rates, 23 and 38% respectively, were infections acquired by copulations where insemination occurred. The LT50 for sexually-infected females were 7.92 (± 0.46) and 8.82 (± 0.45) days for both strains, while the one in control was 13.92 (± 0.58). Likewise, fecundity decreased by 95% and 60% for both Bb-CBG2 and Bb-CBG4 isolates in comparison with control. The role of mating attempts in this delivery procedure of B. bassiana is discussed. Conclusions This is the first report about transmission of B. bassiana by mating behavior from virgin, fungus-contaminated males to females in A. aegypti. Fungal infections acquired by this route (autodissemination) infringed high mortality rates (90%) in mated or approached females. However, prior to releasing virgin, fungus-contaminated males to spread B. basasiana among females of A. aegypti, this novel alternative needs further investigations. PMID:21352560

A PDF/NPF neuropeptide signaling circuitry of male Drosophila melanogaster controls rival-induced prolonged mating.

PubMed

Kim, Woo Jae; Jan, Lily Yeh; Jan, Yuh Nung

2013-12-04

A primary function of males for many species involves mating with females for reproduction. Drosophila melanogaster males respond to the presence of other males by prolonging mating duration to increase the chance of passing on their genes. To understand the basis of such complex behaviors, we examine the genetic network and neural circuits that regulate rival-induced Longer-Mating-Duration (LMD). Here, we identify a small subset of clock neurons in the male brain that regulate LMD via neuropeptide signaling. LMD requires the function of pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) in four s-LNv neurons and its receptor PDFR in two LNd neurons per hemisphere, as well as the function of neuropeptide F (NPF) in two neurons within the sexually dimorphic LNd region and its receptor NPFR1 in four s-LNv neurons per hemisphere. Moreover, rival exposure modifies the neuronal activities of a subset of clock neurons involved in neuropeptide signaling for LMD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A PDF/NPF neuropeptide signaling circuitry of male Drosophila melanogaster controls rival-induced prolonged mating

PubMed Central

Kim, Woo Jae; Jan, Lily Yeh; Jan, Yuh Nung

2013-01-01

SUMMARY A primary function of males for many species involves mating with females for reproduction. Drosophila melanogaster males respond to the presence of other males by prolonging mating duration to increase the chance of passing on their genes. To understand the basis of such complex behaviors, we examine the genetic network and neural circuits that regulate rival-induced longer mating duration (LMD). Here we identify a small subset of clock neurons in the male brain that regulate LMD via neuropeptide signaling. LMD requires the function of pigment-dispersing factor (PDF) in four s-LNv neurons and its receptor PDFR in two LNd neurons per hemisphere, as well as the function of neuropeptide F (NPF) in two neurons within the sexually dimorphic LNd region and its receptor NPFR1 in four s-LNv neurons per hemisphere. Moreover, rival exposure modifies the neuronal activities of a subset of clock neurons involved in neuropeptide signaling for LMD. PMID:24314729

Seminal Fluid Regulation of Female Sexual Attractiveness in Drosophila melanogaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tram, Uyen; Wolfner, Mariana F.

1998-03-01

Finding a willing and suitable mate is critical for sexual reproduction. Visual, auditory, and chemical cues aid in locating and/or attracting partners. After mating, females from many insect species become less attractive. This is caused by changes in the quantity and/or quality of pheromones synthesized by the female and to changes in the female's behavior. For example, female insects may stop releasing pheromones, assume a mate refusal posture, or move less in response to males. Many postmating changes in female insects are triggered by seminal fluid proteins from the male's accessory gland proteins (Acps) and by sperm. To determine the role of seminal fluid components in mediating changes in attractiveness, we measured the attractiveness of Drosophila melanogaster females that had been mated to genetically altered males that lack sperm and/or Acps. We found that the drop in female attractiveness occurs in two phases. A short-term drop in attractiveness is triggered independent of the receipt of sperm and Acps. Maintenance of lowered attractiveness is dependent upon sperm.

Surviving in sympatry: paragenital divergence and sexual mimicry between a pair of traumatically inseminating plant bugs.

PubMed

Tatarnic, Nikolai J; Cassis, Gerasimos

2013-10-01

Reproductive interactions between species can carry significant costs (e.g., wasted time, energy, and gametes). In traumatically inseminating insects, heterospecific mating costs may be intensified, with indiscriminate mating and damaging genitalia leading to damage or death. When closely related traumatically inseminating species are sympatric, we predict selection should favor the rapid evolution of reproductive isolation. Here we report on a cryptic species of traumatically inseminating plant bug, Coridromius taravao, living sympatrically with its sister species, Coridromius tahitiensis, in French Polynesia. Despite their sister-species relationship, they exhibit striking differences in reproductive morphology, with females of each species stabbed and inseminated through different parts of their abdomens. Furthermore, C. tahitiensis is sexually dimorphic in coloration and vestiture, while both sexes of C. taravao share the C. tahitiensis male expression of these traits. These findings support a role for (1) reproductive character divergence and (2) interspecies sexual mimicry in limiting interspecific mating brought about by indiscriminate male mating behavior.

Sexual Contests in Aquatic Crustaceans: What's Physiology Got To Do with It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keogh, Daniel P.; Sparkes, Timothy C.

2003-01-01

Describes a science laboratory on reproductive behavior and studies the dynamics in Lirceus, an aquatic crustacean of which the females evaluate the males' quality through mating contests. Explains collecting isopods and developing colonies in the lab environment. Investigates food deprivation, locomotor activity, and behavioral trials to…

Aggregations of masked shrews (Sorex cinereus): density related mating behavior?

Treesearch

Thomas J. Maier; Katherine L. Doyle

2006-01-01

Large aggregations of shrews have been reported and various explanations offered for this seemingly rare behavior; however, there has been little evidence to support any particular interpretation. We observed two small aggregations of highly active vocalizing Sorex cinereus while performing wildlife surveys in forested habitats in central...

Reactions of female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to urine volatiles from males of varying genetic distance.

PubMed

Mossotti, Regina H; Baskir, Eli A; Kozlowski, Corinne P; Franklin, Ashley D; Feldhamer, George A; Asa, Cheryl S

2018-06-13

Understanding the factors used by female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to make mate choice decisions could benefit zoo breeding programs, which currently assign mates based primarily on genetic distance. Because transporting animals between institutions is costly and can be stressful, females are often limited in the number of males available for mating. One solution would be to determine if an easily transported substance could be used to gauge interest by a female to a potential mate. Here, we investigate female interest in urine samples from males of different genetic distances. Twelve females at five institutions were offered scents from 17 males of varying genetic relatedness in a pair-wise choice paradigm. Behavioral responses of the females were recorded to determine preference. Results showed that females spent more time sniffing and in proximity to scents from the most distantly related males, but female response was not influenced by male urine testosterone concentration, female parity, age, or estrous cycling. Further research will be necessary to determine whether a female's interest in male urine translates to mate preference and acceptance before this technique can be applied to zoo breeding programs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Variability of Female Responses to Conspecific vs. Heterospecific Male Mating Calls in Polygynous Deer: An Open Door to Hybridization?

PubMed Central

Wyman, Megan T.; Charlton, Benjamin D.; Locatelli, Yann; Reby, David

2011-01-01

Males of all polygynous deer species (Cervinae) give conspicuous calls during the reproductive season. The extreme interspecific diversity that characterizes these vocalizations suggests that they play a strong role in species discrimination. However, interbreeding between several species of Cervinae indicates permeable interspecific reproductive barriers. This study examines the contribution of vocal behavior to female species discrimination and mating preferences in two closely related polygynous deer species known to hybridize in the wild after introductions. Specifically, we investigate the reaction of estrous female red deer (Cervus elaphus) to playbacks of red deer vs. sika deer (Cervus nippon) male mating calls, with the prediction that females will prefer conspecific calls. While on average female red deer preferred male red deer roars, two out of twenty females spent more time in close proximity to the speaker broadcasting male sika deer moans. We suggest that this absence of strict vocal preference for species-specific mating calls may contribute to the permeability of pre-zygotic reproductive barriers observed between these species. Our results also highlight the importance of examining inter-individual variation when studying the role of female preferences in species discrimination and intraspecific mate selection. PMID:21887242

Selection on an antagonistic behavioral trait can drive rapid genital coevolution in the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides

PubMed Central

Hopwood, Paul E.; Head, Megan L.; Jordan, Eleanor J.; Carter, Mauricio J.; Davey, Emma; Moore, Allen J.; Royle, Nick J.

2016-01-01

Male and female genital morphology varies widely across many taxa, and even among populations. Disentangling potential sources of selection on genital morphology is problematic because each sex is predicted to respond to adaptations in the other due to reproductive conflicts of interest. To test how variation in this sexual conflict trait relates to variation in genital morphology we used our previously developed artificial selection lines for high and low repeated mating rates. We selected for high and low repeated mating rates using monogamous pairings to eliminate contemporaneous female choice and male–male competition. Male and female genital shape responded rapidly to selection on repeated mating rate. High and low mating rate lines diverged from control lines after only 10 generations of selection. We also detected significant patterns of male and female genital shape coevolution among selection regimes. We argue that because our selection lines differ in sexual conflict, these results support the hypothesis that sexually antagonistic coevolution can drive the rapid divergence of genital morphology. The greatest divergence in morphology corresponded with lines in which the resolution of sexual conflict over mating rate was biased in favor of male interests. PMID:27144373

Polygyny, mate-guarding, and posthumous fertilization as alternative male mating strategies

PubMed Central

Zamudio, Kelly R.; Sinervo, Barry

2000-01-01

Alternative male mating strategies within populations are thought to be evolutionarily stable because different behaviors allow each male type to successfully gain access to females. Although alternative male strategies are widespread among animals, quantitative evidence for the success of discrete male strategies is available for only a few systems. We use nuclear microsatellites to estimate the paternity rates of three male lizard strategies previously modeled as a rock-paper-scissors game. Each strategy has strengths that allow it to outcompete one morph, and weaknesses that leave it vulnerable to the strategy of another. Blue-throated males mate-guard their females and avoid cuckoldry by yellow-throated “sneaker” males, but mate-guarding is ineffective against aggressive orange-throated neighbors. The ultradominant orange-throated males are highly polygynous and maintain large territories; they overpower blue-throated neighbors and cosire offspring with their females, but are often cuckolded by yellow-throated males. Finally, yellow-throated sneaker males sire offspring via secretive copulations and often share paternity of offspring within a female's clutch. Sneaker males sire more offspring posthumously, indicating that sperm competition may be an important component of their strategy. PMID:11106369

Mating Changes Sexually Dimorphic Gene Expression in the Seed Beetle Callosobruchus maculatus.

PubMed

Immonen, Elina; Sayadi, Ahmed; Bayram, Helen; Arnqvist, Göran

2017-03-01

Sexually dimorphic phenotypes arise largely from sex-specific gene expression, which has mainly been characterized in sexually naïve adults. However, we expect sexual dimorphism in transcription to be dynamic and dependent on factors such as reproductive status. Mating induces many behavioral and physiological changes distinct to each sex and is therefore expected to activate regulatory changes in many sex-biased genes. Here, we first characterized sexual dimorphism in gene expression in Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles. We then examined how females and males respond to mating and how it affects sex-biased expression, both in sex-limited (abdomen) and sex-shared (head and thorax) tissues. Mating responses were largely sex-specific and, as expected, females showed more genes responding compared with males (∼2,000 vs. ∼300 genes in the abdomen, ∼500 vs. ∼400 in the head and thorax, respectively). Of the sex-biased genes present in virgins, 16% (1,041 genes) in the abdomen and 17% (243 genes) in the head and thorax altered their relative expression between the sexes as a result of mating. Sex-bias status changed in 2% of the genes in the abdomen and 4% in the head and thorax following mating. Mating responses involved de-feminization of females and, to a lesser extent, de-masculinization of males relative to their virgin state: mating decreased rather than increased dimorphic expression of sex-biased genes. The fact that regulatory changes of both types of sex-biased genes occurred in both sexes suggests that male- and female-specific selection is not restricted to male- and female-biased genes, respectively, as is sometimes assumed. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Mating Changes Sexually Dimorphic Gene Expression in the Seed Beetle Callosobruchus maculatus

PubMed Central

Sayadi, Ahmed; Bayram, Helen; Arnqvist, Göran

2017-01-01

Sexually dimorphic phenotypes arise largely from sex-specific gene expression, which has mainly been characterized in sexually naïve adults. However, we expect sexual dimorphism in transcription to be dynamic and dependent on factors such as reproductive status. Mating induces many behavioral and physiological changes distinct to each sex and is therefore expected to activate regulatory changes in many sex-biased genes. Here, we first characterized sexual dimorphism in gene expression in Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles. We then examined how females and males respond to mating and how it affects sex-biased expression, both in sex-limited (abdomen) and sex-shared (head and thorax) tissues. Mating responses were largely sex-specific and, as expected, females showed more genes responding compared with males (∼2,000 vs. ∼300 genes in the abdomen, ∼500 vs. ∼400 in the head and thorax, respectively). Of the sex-biased genes present in virgins, 16% (1,041 genes) in the abdomen and 17% (243 genes) in the head and thorax altered their relative expression between the sexes as a result of mating. Sex-bias status changed in 2% of the genes in the abdomen and 4% in the head and thorax following mating. Mating responses involved de-feminization of females and, to a lesser extent, de-masculinization of males relative to their virgin state: mating decreased rather than increased dimorphic expression of sex-biased genes. The fact that regulatory changes of both types of sex-biased genes occurred in both sexes suggests that male- and female-specific selection is not restricted to male- and female-biased genes, respectively, as is sometimes assumed. PMID:28391318

Chemical and visual communication during mate searching in rock shrimp.

PubMed

Díaz, Eliecer R; Thiel, Martin

2004-06-01

Mate searching in crustaceans depends on different communicational cues, of which chemical and visual cues are most important. Herein we examined the role of chemical and visual communication during mate searching and assessment in the rock shrimp Rhynchocinetes typus. Adult male rock shrimp experience major ontogenetic changes. The terminal molt stages (named "robustus") are dominant and capable of monopolizing females during the mating process. Previous studies had shown that most females preferably mate with robustus males, but how these dominant males and receptive females find each other is uncertain, and is the question we examined herein. In a Y-maze designed to test for the importance of waterborne chemical cues, we observed that females approached the robustus male significantly more often than the typus male. Robustus males, however, were unable to locate receptive females via chemical signals. Using an experimental set-up that allowed testing for the importance of visual cues, we demonstrated that receptive females do not use visual cues to select robustus males, but robustus males use visual cues to find receptive females. Visual cues used by the robustus males were the tumults created by agitated aggregations of subordinate typus males around the receptive females. These results indicate a strong link between sexual communication and the mating system of rock shrimp in which dominant males monopolize receptive females. We found that females and males use different (sex-specific) communicational cues during mate searching and assessment, and that the sexual communication of rock shrimp is similar to that of the American lobster, where females are first attracted to the dominant males by chemical cues emitted by these males. A brief comparison between these two species shows that female behaviors during sexual communication contribute strongly to the outcome of mate searching and assessment.

Mating Strategies and Sexual Functioning in Personality Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of Literature.

PubMed

Collazzoni, Alberto; Ciocca, Giacomo; Limoncin, Erika; Marucci, Carmela; Mollaioli, Daniele; Di Sante, Stefania; Di Lorenzo, Giorgio; Niolu, Cinzia; Siracusano, Alberto; Maggi, Mario; Castellini, Giovanni; Rossi, Alessandro; Jannini, Emmanuele A

2017-10-01

Personality disorders impair several aspects of intrapsychic and interpersonal life. In particular, mating strategies and sexual functioning could manifest in different and/or dysfunctional ways in people with personality disorders. To describe, through a comprehensive review of the literature, the mating strategies and sexual functioning in patients with personality disorders. We listed and discussed the principal studies on the relation between mating strategies and sexual functioning in personality disorders. The search strategy used search terms in PubMed for the main studies published from January 2000 to December 2016. We considered two main sections for our selection according to the aim of the present review: mating and sexuality. Interesting evidence on mating strategies in personality disorders was found. In particular, the major items were found in the dramatic-unpredictable cluster, with borderline personality disorder being the most studied. In contrast, the bizarre-eccentric cluster had fewer items, with the schizoid personality disorder being the least studied. For sexual behavior, borderline personality seems to be the unique disorder sufficiently studied, with evidence of major histories of child sexual abuse, the presence of sexual dysfunctions, and paraphilic interests. A large spectrum of mating strategies characterizes different personality disorders, although an inconsistent knowledge about the relation between sexual function and personality disorders emerged from our analysis of the literature. Hence, we invite clinicians and researchers to integrate psychodiagnostic and sexual assessments in psychiatric disciplines for people with personality disorders. Collazzoni A, Ciocca G, Limoncin E, et al. Mating Strategies and Sexual Functioning in Personality Disorders: A Comprehensive Review of Literature. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:414-428. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Sexual Medicine. All rights reserved.

Evaluating mating compatibility within fruit fly cryptic species complexes and the potential role of sex pheromones in pre-mating isolation

PubMed Central

Juárez, M. Laura; Devescovi, Francisco; Břízová, Radka; Bachmann, Guillermo; Segura, Diego F.; Kalinová, Blanka; Fernández, Patricia; Ruiz, M. Josefina; Yang, Jianquan; Teal, Peter E.A.; Cáceres, Carlos; Vreysen, Marc J.B.; Hendrichs, Jorge; Vera, M. Teresa

2015-01-01

Abstract The study of sexual behavior and the identification of the signals involved in mate recognition between con-specifics are key components that can shed some light, as part of an integrative taxonomic approach, in delimitating species within species complexes. In the Tephritidae family several species complexes have received particular attention as they include important agricultural pests such as the Ceratitis fasciventris (Bezzi), Ceratitis anonae (Graham) and Ceratitis rosa Karsch (FAR) complex, the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) complex and the Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) complex. Here the value and usefulness of a methodology that uses walk-in field cages with host trees to assess, under semi-natural conditions, mating compatibility within these complexes is reviewed, and the same methodology to study the role of chemical communication in pre-mating isolation among Anastrepha fraterculus populations is used. Results showed that under the same experimental conditions it was possible to distinguish an entire range of different outcomes: from full mating compatibility among some populations to complete assortative mating among others. The effectiveness of the methodology in contributing to defining species limits was shown in two species complexes: Anastrepha fraterculus and Bactrocera dorsalis, and in the case of the latter the synonymization of several established species was published. We conclude that walk-in field cages constitute a powerful tool to measure mating compatibility, which is also useful to determine the role of chemical signals in species recognition. Overall, this experimental approach provides a good source of information about reproductive boundaries to delimit species. However, it needs to be applied as part of an integrative taxonomic approach that simultaneously assesses cytogenetic, molecular, physiological and morphological traits in order to reach more robust species delimitations. PMID:26798257

Behavioural effect of low-dose BPA on male zebrafish: Tuning of male mating competition and female mating preference during courtship process.

PubMed

Li, Xiang; Guo, Jia-Yu; Li, Xu; Zhou, Hai-Jun; Zhang, Shu-Hui; Liu, Xiao-Dong; Chen, Dong-Yan; Fang, Yong-Chun; Feng, Xi-Zeng

2017-02-01

The ubiquity of environmental pollution by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA) is progressively considered as a major threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Numerous toxicological studies have proved that BPA are hazardous to aquatic environment, along with alterations in the development and physiology of aquatic vertebrates. However, generally, there is a paucity in knowledge of behavioural and physiological effects of BPA with low concentration, for example, 0.22 nM (50 ng/L) and 2.2 nM (500 ng/L). Here we show that treatment of adult male zebrafish (Danio rerio) with 7 weeks low-dose (0.22 nM-2.2 nM) BPA, resulted in alteration in histological structure of testis tissue and abnormality in expression levels of genes involved in testicular steroidogenesis. Furthermore, low-dose BPA treatment decreased the male locomotion during courtship; and was associated with less courtship behaviours to female but more aggressive behaviours to mating competitor. Interestingly, during the courtship test, we observed that female preferred control male to male under low-dose BPA exposure. Subsequently, we found that the ability of female to chose optimal mating male through socially mutual interaction and dynamics of male zebrafish, which was based on visual discrimination. In sum, our results shed light on the potential behavioural and physiological effect of low-dose BPA exposure on courtship behaviours of zebrafish, which could exert profound consequences on natural zebrafish populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oseltamivir use and severe abnormal behavior in Japanese children and adolescents with influenza: Is a self-controlled case series study applicable?

PubMed

Fukushima, Wakaba; Ozasa, Kotaro; Okumura, Akihisa; Mori, Masaaki; Hosoya, Mitsuaki; Nakano, Takashi; Tanabe, Takuya; Yamaguchi, Naoto; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Mori, Mitsuru; Hatayama, Hideaki; Ochiai, Hirotaka; Kondo, Kyoko; Ito, Kazuya; Ohfuji, Satoko; Nakamura, Yosikazu; Hirota, Yoshio

2017-08-24

Since the 1990s, self-controlled designs including self-controlled case series (SCCS) studies have been occasionally used in post-marketing evaluation of drug or vaccine safety. An SCCS study was tentatively applied to evaluate the relationship between oseltamivir use and abnormal behavior Type A (serious abnormal behavior potentially leading to an accident or harm to another person) in influenza patients. From the original prospective cohort study with approximately 10,000 Japanese children and adolescents with influenza (aged <18years), 28 subjects (mean age: 7.3years) who developed abnormal behavior Type A after the first visit to the collaborating hospitals/clinics were analyzed. We hypothesized four combination patterns of the effect period (i.e., the period that effect of oseltamivir on occurrence of abnormal behavior Type A is likely) and the control period. Mantel-Haenszel rate ratio (M-H RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated as the relative risk estimate. Among 28 subjects in the SCCS study, 24 subjects (86%) were administered oseltamivir and 4 subjects (14%) were not. Abnormal behavior Type A was more likely to occur in the effect period than the control period in every pattern (M-H RR: 1.90-29.1). We observed the highest estimate when the effect period was set between the initial intake of oseltamivir and T max (M-H RR: 29.1, 95% CI: 4.21-201). Abnormal behavior Type A was more likely to develop up to approximately 30 times during the period between the initial intake of oseltamivir and T max . However, this period overlapped with the early period of influenza where high fever was observed. Since useful approaches to control the influence of the natural disease course of influenza were not available in this study, we could not deny the possibility that abnormal behavior was induced by influenza itself. The SCCS study was not an optimal method to evaluate the relationship between oseltamivir use and abnormal behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An environmentally relevant endocrine-disrupting antiandrogen, vinclozolin, affects calling behavior of male Xenopus laevis.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Frauke; Kloas, Werner

2010-09-01

Vinclozolin (VIN) is an antiandrogenic model substance as well as a common fungicide that can affect the endocrine system of vertebrates. The objective of this study was to investigate how VIN affects mate calling behavior of South African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and whether it is effective at environmentally relevant concentrations. Male X. laevis were injected with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to stimulate their androgen-controlled mate calling behavior and were treated with VIN at concentrations of 10(-6), 10(-8) and 10(-10)M. VIN at 10(-6)M reduced calling activity. Furthermore, the vocalization composition of VIN-treated X. laevis was altered. The call types advertisement calls and chirping are uttered by reproductively active males, whereas the call types growling, ticking, and rasping indicate a sexually unaroused state of a male. VIN at any of the tested concentrations led to a decrease in utterance of calls, which indicate a sexually aroused state of the males, and an increase in relative proportions of calls, indicating a sexually unaroused state of the males. Additionally, the mean duration of clicks and the number of accentuated clicks during the advertisement calls decreased at all concentrations of VIN. No significant differences were observed in any other temporal or spectral calling parameters between the treatments. This study illustrates that exposure to the antiandrogen VIN might result in a reduced reproductive success by altering mate calling behavior of X. laevis. Moreover, it suggests that the behavioral parameters examined in this study can be used as sensitive biomarkers for detecting antiandrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds in amphibians. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Arrhenius-kinetics evidence for quantum tunneling in microbial "social" decision rates.

PubMed

Clark, Kevin B

2010-11-01

Social-like bacteria, fungi and protozoa communicate chemical and behavioral signals to coordinate their specializations into an ordered group of individuals capable of fitter ecological performance. Examples of microbial "social" behaviors include sporulation and dispersion, kin recognition and nonclonal or paired reproduction. Paired reproduction by ciliates is believed to involve intra- and intermate selection through pheromone-stimulated "courting" rituals. Such social maneuvering minimizes survival-reproduction tradeoffs while sorting superior mates from inferior ones, lowering the vertical spread of deleterious genes in geographically constricted populations and possibly promoting advantageous genetic innovations. In a previous article, I reported findings that the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum can out-complete mating rivals in simulated social trials by learning behavioral heuristics which it then employs to store and select sets of altruistic and deceptive signaling strategies. Frequencies of strategy use typically follow Maxwell-Boltzmann (MB), Fermi-Dirac (FD) or Bose-Einstein (BE) statistical distributions. For ciliates most adept at social decision making, a brief classical MB computational phase drives signaling behavior into a later quantum BE computational phase that condenses or favors the selection of a single fittest strategy. Appearance of the network analogue of BE condensation coincides with Hebbian-like trial-and-error learning and is consistent with the idea that cells behave as heat engines, where loss of energy associated with specific cellular machinery critical for mating decisions effectively reduces the temperature of intracellular enzymes cohering into weak Fröhlich superposition. I extend these findings by showing the rates at which ciliates switch serial behavioral strategies agree with principles of chemical reactions exhibiting linear and nonlinear Arrhenius kinetics during respective classical and quantum computations. Nonlinear Arrhenius kinetics in ciliate decision making suggest transitions from one signaling strategy to another result from a computational analogue of quantum tunneling in social information processing.

Effect of one anesthetic exposure on long-term behavioral changes in children.

PubMed

Chemaly, Maen; El-Rajab, Mariam A; Ziade, Fouad M; Naja, Zoher M

2014-11-01

To determine the association between one anesthetic exposure and behavioral outcome at age 10 to 12 years. Retrospective comparative study. University-affiliated pediatrics department. The medical records of children who underwent anesthesia between January 2004 and December 2005 at our institution were reviewed. The records of 292 children were included in the study group and 300 children in the control group. The study group involved children who had one anesthetic exposure before age of 4 years and the control group had children who were not exposed to anesthesia. The primary outcome was behavioral change as assessed by the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) questionnaire. The rate of behavioral abnormalities before the age of 11 years was 28.4% in the study group (P<0.001) and 5.7% in the control group. The risk of developing behavioral abnormalities was prominent in children being exposed to surgery versus those exposed during a diagnostic procedure (32.4% vs 4.8%; P<0.0001). Eighty-three point nine percent of the children who were exposed to longer duration anesthesia (more than 3 hrs) had behavioral abnormalities (P<0.0001), while 48.8% of children who received anesthesia at younger ages (0 - 6 mos) had behavioral abnormalities (P<0.0001). Exposure to multiple anesthetic agents versus one anesthetic agent was a significant risk factor for development of behavioral abnormalities (P<0.0001). The incidence of behavioral abnormalities increased when anesthesia and surgery were accompanied by younger age, longer duration of surgery, and use of multiple anesthetic agents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testosterone and reproductive effort in male primates

PubMed Central

Muller, Martin N.

2016-01-01

Considerable evidence suggests that the steroid hormone testosterone mediates major life-history trade-offs in vertebrates, promoting mating effort at the expense of parenting effort or survival. Observations from a range of wild primates support the “Challenge Hypothesis,” which posits that variation in male testosterone is more closely associated with aggressive mating competition than with reproductive physiology. In both seasonally and non-seasonally breeding species, males increase testosterone production primarily when competing for fecund females. In species where males compete to maintain long-term access to females, testosterone increases when males are threatened with losing access to females, rather than during mating periods. And when male status is linked to mating success, and dependent on aggression, high-ranking males normally maintain higher testosterone levels than subordinates, particularly when dominance hierarchies are unstable. Trade-offs between parenting effort and mating effort appear to be weak in most primates, because direct investment in the form of infant transport and provisioning is rare. Instead, infant protection is the primary form of paternal investment in the order. Testosterone does not inhibit this form of investment, which relies on male aggression. Testosterone has a wide range of effects in primates that plausibly function to support male competitive behavior. These include psychological effects related to dominance striving, analgesic effects, and effects on the development and maintenance of the armaments and adornments that males employ in mating competition. PMID:27616559

Elevated stress hormone diminishes the strength of female preferences for acoustic signals in the green treefrog.

PubMed

Davis, A Gabriell; Leary, Christopher J

2015-03-01

Mate selection can be stressful; time spent searching for mates can increase predation risk and/or decrease food consumption, resulting in elevated stress hormone levels. Both high predation risk and low food availability are often associated with increased variation in mate choice by females, but it is not clear whether stress hormone levels contribute to such variation in female behavior. We examined how the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) affects female preferences for acoustic signals in the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea. Specifically, we assessed whether CORT administration affects female preferences for call rate - an acoustic feature that is typically under directional selection via mate choice by females in most anurans and other species that communicate using acoustic signals. Using a dual speaker playback paradigm, we show that females that were administered higher doses of CORT were less likely to choose male advertisement calls broadcast at high rates. Neither CORT dose nor level was related to the latency of female phonotactic responses, suggesting that elevated CORT does not influence the motivation to mate. Results were also not related to circulating sex steroids (i.e., progesterone, androgens or estradiol) that have traditionally been the focus of studies examining the hormonal basis for variation in female mate choice. Our results thus indicate that elevated CORT levels decrease the strength of female preferences for acoustic signals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Female Genitalia Concealment Promotes Intimate Male Courtship in a Water Strider

PubMed Central

Han, Chang S.; Jablonski, Piotr G.

2009-01-01

Violent coercive mating initiation is typical for animals with sexual conflict over mating. In these species, the coevolutionary arms-race between female defenses against coercive mating and male counter-adaptations for increased mating success leads to coevolutionary chases of male and female traits that influence the mating. It has been controversial whether one of the sexes can evolve traits that allow them to “win” this arms race. Here, we use morphological analysis (traditional and scanning electron micrographs), laboratory experiments and comparative methods to show how females of a species characterized by typical coercive mating initiation appear to “win” a particular stage of the sexual conflict by evolving morphology to hide their genitalia from direct, forceful access by males. In an apparent response to the female morphological adaptation, males of this species added to their typically violent coercive mounting of the female new post-mounting, pre-copulatory courtship signals produced by tapping the water's surface with the mid-legs. These courtship signals are intimate in the sense that they are aimed at the female, on whom the male is already mounted. Females respond to the signals by exposing their hidden genitalia for copulatory intromission. Our results indicate that the apparent victory of coevolutionary arms race by one sex in terms of morphology may trigger evolution of a behavioral phenotype in the opposite sex. PMID:19516886

The Role of ΔFosB in the Medial Preoptic Area: Differential Effects of Mating and Cocaine History

PubMed Central

McHenry, Jenna A.; Robison, Christopher L.; Bell, Genevieve A.; Bolaños-Guzmán, Carlos A.; Vialou, Vincent V.; Nestler, Eric J.; Hull, Elaine M.

2016-01-01

The transcription factor deltaFosB (ΔFosB) is induced in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) by repeated exposure to drugs of abuse and natural rewards. Less is known about its role in other brain areas. Here, we compared the effects of mating versus cocaine history on induction of ΔFosB in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), an integral site for reproductive behavior, and in the NAc. ΔFosB immunoreactivity (ir) was increased in the MPOA of previously naïve and experienced male rats that mated the day before euthanasia, compared to unmated controls and experienced males with recent mating abstinence. Western immunoblots confirmed that the 35–37-kDa isoform of ΔFosB was increased more in recently mated males. Conversely, previous plus recent cocaine did not increase ΔFosB-ir in the MPOA, despite an increase in the NAc. Next, a viral vector expressing ΔFosB, its dominant negative antagonist ΔJunD, or green fluorescent protein (GFP) control, were microinjected bilaterally into the MPOA. ΔFosB overexpression impaired copulation and promoted female-directed aggression, compared to ΔJunD and control males. These data suggest that ΔFosB in the mPOA is expressed in an experience-dependent manner and affects systems that coordinate mating and aggression. PMID:27657309

Testosterone and reproductive effort in male primates.

PubMed

Muller, Martin N

2017-05-01

Considerable evidence suggests that the steroid hormone testosterone mediates major life-history trade-offs in vertebrates, promoting mating effort at the expense of parenting effort or survival. Observations from a range of wild primates support the "Challenge Hypothesis," which posits that variation in male testosterone is more closely associated with aggressive mating competition than with reproductive physiology. In both seasonally and non-seasonally breeding species, males increase testosterone production primarily when competing for fecund females. In species where males compete to maintain long-term access to females, testosterone increases when males are threatened with losing access to females, rather than during mating periods. And when male status is linked to mating success, and dependent on aggression, high-ranking males normally maintain higher testosterone levels than subordinates, particularly when dominance hierarchies are unstable. Trade-offs between parenting effort and mating effort appear to be weak in most primates, because direct investment in the form of infant transport and provisioning is rare. Instead, infant protection is the primary form of paternal investment in the order. Testosterone does not inhibit this form of investment, which relies on male aggression. Testosterone has a wide range of effects in primates that plausibly function to support male competitive behavior. These include psychological effects related to dominance striving, analgesic effects, and effects on the development and maintenance of the armaments and adornments that males employ in mating competition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Notes on a mating event of the deep-sea crab Chaecon affinis in the Gorringe Bank (NE Atlantic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilário, A.; Cunha, M. R.

2013-08-01

The deep-water red crab Chaceon affinis is the largest species of the family Geryonidae. Unlike other species of the same genus, C. affinis is not yet subject to intense commercial exploitation but it has been appointed as a new target resource in European waters, in spite of the lack of information on its biology, life cycle and distribution, which is essential to provide advice for a sustainable exploitation. Here we report for the first time the presence of C. affinis in the Gorringe Bank and give the first account of the mating behavior of this species. All mating pairs were found at the interface of the Mediterranean Outflow Water with North Atlantic Deep Water, suggesting that environmental parameters associated with the interface of these water masses may be relevant for mating in this species. The majority of C. affinis was mating which is an indication of synchrony and reproductive seasonality. A biennial female reproductive cycle is hypothesized, involving molting and mating in the first year with subsequent oviposition during the autumn, and spawning during spring of the second year. We suggest that synchrony and seasonality in the reproduction of C. affinis is linked to the formation of phytoplankton blooms in surface waters, with females carrying embryos from autumn to spring, possibly timing the release of planktotrophic larvae to exploit a seasonal peak in surface productivity and its export.

Dark eyes in female sand gobies indicate readiness to spawn.

PubMed

Olsson, Karin H; Johansson, Sandra; Blom, Eva-Lotta; Lindström, Kai; Svensson, Ola; Nilsson Sköld, Helen; Kvarnemo, Charlotta

2017-01-01

In animals, colorful and conspicuous ornaments enhance individual attractiveness to potential mates, but are typically tempered by natural selection for crypsis and predator protection. In species where males compete for females, this can lead to highly ornamented males competing for mating opportunities with choosy females, and vice versa. However, even where males compete for mating opportunities, females may exhibit conspicuous displays. These female displays are often poorly understood and it may be unclear whether they declare mating intent, signal intrasexual aggression or form a target for male mate preference. We examined the function of the conspicuous dark eyes that female sand gobies temporarily display during courtship by experimentally testing if males preferred to associate with females with artificially darkened eyes and if dark eyes are displayed during female aggression. By observing interactions between a male and two females freely associating in an aquarium we also investigated in which context females naturally displayed dark eyes. We found that dark eyes were more likely to be displayed by more gravid females than less gravid females and possibly ahead of spawning, but that males did not respond behaviorally to dark eyes or prefer dark-eyed females. Females behaving aggressively did not display dark eyes. We suggest that dark eyes are not a signal per se but may be an aspect of female mate choice, possibly related to vision.

Born both ways: the alloparenting hypothesis for sexual fluidity in women.

PubMed

Kuhle, Barry X; Radtke, Sarah

2013-04-07

Given the primacy of reproduction, same-sex sexual behavior poses an evolutionary puzzle. Why would selection fashion motivational mechanisms to engage in sexual behaviors with members of the same sex? We propose the alloparenting hypothesis, which posits that sexual fluidity in women is a contingent adaptation that increased ancestral women's ability to form pair bonds with female alloparents who helped them rear children to reproductive age. Ancestral women recurrently faced the adaptive problems of securing resources and care for their offspring, but were frequently confronted with either a dearth of paternal resources due to their mates' death, an absence of paternal investment due to rape, or a divestment of paternal resources due to their mates' extra-pair mating efforts. A fluid sexuality would have helped ancestral women secure resources and care for their offspring by promoting the acquisition of allomothering investment from unrelated women. Under this view, most heterosexual women are born with the capacity to form romantic bonds with both sexes. Sexual fluidity is a conditional reproductive strategy with pursuit of men as the default strategy and same-sex sexual responsiveness triggered when inadequate paternal investment occurs or when women with alloparenting capabilities are encountered. Discussion focuses on (a) evidence for alloparenting and sexual fluidity in humans and other primates; (b) alternative explanations for sexual fluidity in women; and(c) fourteen circumstances predicted to promote same-sex sexual behavior in women.

Periodic Limb Movements During Sleep Mimicking REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: A New Form of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder.

PubMed

Gaig, Carles; Iranzo, Alex; Pujol, Montserrat; Perez, Hernando; Santamaria, Joan

2017-03-01

To describe a group of patients referred because of abnormal sleep behaviors that were suggestive of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in whom video-polysomnography ruled out RBD and showed the reported behaviors associated with vigorous periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS). Clinical history and video-polysomnography review of patients identified during routine visits in a sleep center. Patients were 15 men and 2 women with a median age of 66 (range: 48-77) years. Reported sleep behaviors were kicking (n = 17), punching (n = 16), gesticulating (n = 8), falling out of bed (n = 5), assaulting the bed partner (n = 2), talking (n = 15), and shouting (n = 10). Behaviors resulted in injuries in 3 bed partners and 1 patient. Twelve (70.6%) patients were not aware of displaying abnormal sleep behaviors that were only noticed by their bed partners. Ten (58.8%) patients recalled unpleasant dreams such as being attacked or chased. Video-polysomnography showed (1) frequent and vigorous stereotyped PLMS involving the lower limbs, upper limbs, and trunk (median PLMS index 61.2; median PLMS index in NREM sleep 61.9; during REM sleep only 8 patients had PLMS and their median PLMS index in REM sleep was 39.5); (2) abnormal behaviors (e.g., punching, groaning) during some of the arousals that immediately followed PLMS in NREM sleep; and (3) ruled out RBD and other sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea. Dopaminergic agents were prescribed in 14 out of the 17 patients and resulted in improvement of abnormal sleep behaviors and unpleasant dreams in all of them. After dopaminergic treatment, follow-up video-polysomnography in 7 patients showed a decrease in the median PLMS index from baseline (108.9 vs. 19.2, p = .002) and absence of abnormal behaviors during the arousals. Abnormal sleep behaviors and unpleasant dreams simulating RBD symptomatology may occur in patients with severe PLMS. In these cases, video-polysomnography ruled out RBD and identified prominent PLMS followed by arousals containing abnormal behaviors. Our cases represent an objectively documented subtype of periodic limb movement disorder causing abnormal sleep behaviors. © Sleep Research Society 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mating patterns and post-mating isolation in three cryptic species of the Engystomops petersi species complex.

PubMed

Trillo, Paula A; Narvaez, Andrea E; Ron, Santiago R; Hoke, Kim L

2017-01-01

Determining the extent of reproductive isolation in cryptic species with dynamic geographic ranges can yield important insights into the processes that generate and maintain genetic divergence in the absence of severe geographic barriers. We studied mating patterns, propensity to hybridize in nature and subsequent fertilization rates, as well as survival and development of hybrid F1 offspring for three nominal species of the Engystomops petersi species complex in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador. We found at least two species in four out of six locations sampled, and 14.3% of the wild pairs genotyped were mixed-species (heterospecific) crosses. We also found reduced fertilization rates in hybrid crosses between E. petersi females and E. "magnus" males, and between E. "magnus" females and E. "selva" males but not in the reciprocal crosses, suggesting asymmetric reproductive isolation for these species. Larval development times decreased in F1 hybrid crosses compared to same species (conspecific) crosses, but we did not find significant reduction in larval survival or early metamorph survival. Our results show evidence of post-mating isolation for at least two hybrid crosses of the cryptic species we studied. The general decrease in fertilization rates in heterospecific crosses suggests that sexual selection and reinforcement might have not only contributed to the pattern of call variation and behavioral isolation we see between species today, but they may also contribute to further signal divergence and behavioral evolution, especially in locations where hybridization is common and fertilization success is diminished.

Knockout mutations of insulin-like peptide genes enhance sexual receptivity in Drosophila virgin females.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kazuki; Sakai, Takaomi

2016-01-01

In the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, females take the initiative to mate successfully because they decide whether to mate or not. However, little is known about the molecular and neuronal mechanisms regulating sexual receptivity in virgin females. Genetic tools available in Drosophila are useful for identifying molecules and neural circuits involved in the regulation of sexual receptivity. We previously demonstrated that insulin-producing cells (IPCs) in the female brain are critical to the regulation of female sexual receptivity. Ablation and inactivation of IPCs enhance female sexual receptivity, suggesting that neurosecretion from IPCs inhibits female sexual receptivity. IPCs produce and release insulin-like peptides (Ilps) that modulate various biological processes such as metabolism, growth, lifespan and behaviors. Here, we report a novel role of the Ilps in sexual behavior in Drosophila virgin females. Compared with wild-type females, females with knockout mutations of Ilps showed a high mating success rate toward wild-type males, whereas wild-type males courted wild-type and Ilp-knockout females to the same extent. Wild-type receptive females retard their movement during male courtship and this reduced female mobility allows males to copulate. Thus, it was anticipated that knockout mutations of Ilps would reduce general locomotion. However, the locomotor activity in Ilp-knockout females was significantly higher than that in wild-type females. Thus, our findings indicate that the high mating success rate in Ilp-knockout females is caused by their enhanced sexual receptivity, but not by improvement of their sex appeal or by general sluggishness.

Sexual behavior across ovarian cycles in wild black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra): male mate guarding and female mate choice.

PubMed

Van Belle, Sarie; Estrada, Alejandro; Ziegler, Toni E; Strier, Karen B

2009-02-01

We studied two multimale-multifemale groups of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) during a 14-month study (June 2006-July 2007) in Palenque National Park, Mexico to evaluate the ways in which their sexual behavior changes across ovarian cycles. We analyzed 231 fecal samples, collected every 2.2+/-1.4 days from five females. For four females, estradiol and progesterone profiles revealed an average (+/-SE) cycle length of 18.3+/-1.4 days. Copulations occurred significantly more frequently during the periovulatory period (POP), defined as the estimated day of ovulation +/-3 days (N=18). This was largely the result of cycling females soliciting sexual interactions during their POPs. Females directed their solicitations significantly more often toward "central" males of their group, who had close spatial associations with females at other times, compared with "noncentral" males, who did not associate closely with females. Central males rarely solicited sexual interactions, but instead monitored the females' reproductive status by sniffing their genitals, and maintained significantly closer proximity to females during their POPs, suggesting male mate guarding when conceptions are most likely to occur. Our findings indicate that the reproductive strategies of black howler central males and females coincide, highly skewing mating opportunities toward central males. Black howler females, however, occasionally choose to copulate with noncentral resident males or extra-group males during their POPs, undermining the ability of central males to monopolize all reproductive opportunities. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Drosophila Ovipositor Extension in Mating Behavior and Egg Deposition Involves Distinct Sets of Brain Interneurons

PubMed Central

Kimura, Ken-ichi; Sato, Chiaki; Koganezawa, Masayuki; Yamamoto, Daisuke

2015-01-01

Oviposition is a female-specific behavior that directly affects fecundity, and therefore fitness. If a fertilized female encounters another male that she has evaluated to be of better quality than her previous mate, it would be beneficial for her to remate with this male rather than depositing her eggs. Females who decided not to remate exhibited rejection behavior toward a courting male and engaged in oviposition. Although recent studies of Drosophila melanogaster identified sensory neurons and putative second-order ascending interneurons that mediate uterine afferents affecting female reproductive behavior, little is known about the brain circuitry that selectively activates rejection versus oviposition behaviors. We identified the sexually dimorphic pC2l and female-specific pMN2 neurons, two distinct classes of doublesex (dsx)-expressing neurons that can initiate ovipositor extension associated with rejection and oviposition behavior, respectively. pC2l interneurons, which induce ovipositor extrusion for rejection in females, have homologues that control courtship behavior in males. Activation of these two classes of neurons appears to be mutually exclusive and each governs hierarchical control of the motor program in the VNC either for rejection or oviposition, contributing centrally to the switching on or off of the alternative motor programs. PMID:25955600

Temperature-Dependent Friction and Wear Behavior of PTFE and MoS 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Babuska, T. F.; Pitenis, A. A.; Jones, M. R.

2016-06-16

We present an investigation of the temperature-dependent friction behavior of PTFE, MoS 2, and PTFE-on- MoS 2. Friction behavior was measured while continuously varying contact temperature in the range -150 to 175°C while sliding in dry nitrogen, as well as for self-mated PTFE immersed in liquid nitrogen. These results contrast with previous reports of monotonic inverse temperature dependent friction behavior, as well as reported high-friction transitions and plateaus at temperatures below about -20°C that were not observed, providing new insights about the molecular mechanisms of macro-scale friction. The temperature-dependent friction behavior characteristic of self-mated PTFE was found also on themore » PTFE-on-MoS 2 sliding contact, suggesting that PTFE friction was defined by sub-surface deformation mechanisms and internal friction even when sliding against a lamellar lubricant with extremely low friction coefficient (μ ~ 0.02). The various relaxation temperatures of PTFE were found in the temperature-dependent friction behavior, showing excellent agreement with reported values acquired using torsional techniques measuring internal friction. Additionally, hysteresis in friction behavior suggests an increase in near-surface crystallinity at upon exceeding the high temperature relaxation, T α~ 116°C.« less

Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti

PubMed Central

Degner, Ethan C.; Avila, Frank W.; Villarreal, Susan M.; Pleiss, Jeffrey A.; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Harrington, Laura C.

2016-01-01

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a significant public health threat, as it is the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Disease control efforts could be enhanced through reproductive manipulation of these vectors. Previous work has revealed a relationship between male seminal fluid proteins transferred to females during mating and female post-mating physiology and behavior. To better understand this interplay, we used short-read RNA sequencing to identify gene expression changes in the lower reproductive tract of females in response to mating. We characterized mRNA expression in virgin and mated females at 0, 6 and 24 hours post-mating (hpm) and identified 364 differentially abundant transcripts between mating status groups. Surprisingly, 60 transcripts were more abundant at 0hpm compared to virgin females, suggesting transfer from males. Twenty of these encode known Ae. aegypti seminal fluid proteins. Transfer and detection of male accessory gland-derived mRNA in females at 0hpm was confirmed by measurement of eGFP mRNA in females mated to eGFP-expressing males. In addition, 150 transcripts were up-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm, while 130 transcripts were down-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that proteases, a protein class broadly known to play important roles in reproduction, were among the most enriched protein classes. RNAs associated with immune system and antimicrobial function were also up-regulated at 24hpm. Collectively, our results suggest that copulation initiates broad transcriptome changes across the mosquito female reproductive tract, “priming” her for important subsequent processes of blood feeding, egg development and immune defense. Our transcriptome analysis provides a vital foundation for future studies of the consequences of mating on female biology and will aid studies seeking to identify specific gene families, molecules and pathways that support key reproductive processes in the female mosquito. PMID:26901677

Sex in murky waters: algal-induced turbidity increases sexual selection in pipefish.

PubMed

Sundin, Josefin; Aronsen, Tonje; Rosenqvist, Gunilla; Berglund, Anders

2017-01-01

Algal-induced turbidity has been shown to alter several important aspects of reproduction and sexual selection. However, while turbidity has been shown to negatively affect reproduction and sexually selected traits in some species, it may instead enhance reproductive success in others, implying that the impact of eutrophication is far more complex than originally believed. In this study, we aimed to provide more insight into these inconsistent findings. We used molecular tools to investigate the impact of algal turbidity on reproductive success and sexual selection on males in controlled laboratory experiments, allowing mate choice, mating competition, and mate encounter rates to affect reproduction. As study species, we used the broad-nosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle , a species practicing male pregnancy and where we have previously shown that male mate choice is impaired by turbidity. Here, turbidity instead enhanced sexual selection on male size and mating success as well as reproductive success. Effects from mating competition and mate encounter rates may thus override effects from mate choice based on visual cues, producing an overall stronger sexual selection in turbid waters. Hence, seemingly inconsistent effects of turbidity on sexual selection may depend on which mechanisms of sexual selection that have been under study. Algal blooms are becoming increasingly more common due to eutrophication of freshwater and marine environments. The high density of algae lowers water transparency and reduces the possibility for fish and other aquatic animals to perform behaviors dependent on vision. We have previously shown that pipefish are unable to select the best partner in mate choice trials when water transparency was reduced. However, fish might use other senses than vision to compensate for the reduction in water transparency. In this study, we found that when fish were allowed to freely interact, thereby allowing competition between partners and direct contact between the fish, the best partner was indeed chosen. Hence, the negative effects of reduced water visibility due to algal blooms may be counteracted by the use of other senses in fish.

Behavioral and physiological responses to male handicap in chick-rearing black-legged kittiwakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leclaire, S.; Bourret, V.; Wagner, R.H.; Hatch, Shyla A.; Helfenstein, F.; Chastel, O.; Danchin, E.

2011-01-01

Parental investment entails a trade-off between the benefits of effort in current offspring and the costs to future reproduction. Long-lived species are predicted to be reluctant to increase parental effort to avoid affecting their survival. We tested this hypothesis in black-legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla by clipping flight feathers of experimental males at the beginning of the chick-rearing period. We analyzed the consequences of this handicap on feeding and attendance behavior, body condition, integument coloration, and circulating levels of corticosterone and prolactin in handicapped males and their mates in comparison to unmanipulated controls. Chicks in both groups were compared in terms of aggressive behavior, growth, and mortality. Handicapped males lost more mass, had less bright integuments, and attended the nest less often than controls. Nevertheless, they fed their chicks at the same rate and had similar corticosterone and prolactin levels. Compared with control females, females mated with handicapped males showed a lower provisioning rate and higher nest attendance in the first days after manipulation. Their lower feeding rate probably triggered the increased sibling aggression and mortality observed in experimental broods. Our findings suggest that experimental females adaptively adjusted their effort to their mate's perceived quality or that their provisioning was constrained by their higher nest attendance. Overall, our results suggest that kittiwake males can decrease their condition for the sake of their chicks, which seems to contradict the hypothesis that kittiwakes should be reluctant to increase parental effort to avoid affecting their survival. ?? 2011 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology. All rights reserved.

No evidence for female discrimination against male house mice carrying a selfish genetic element

PubMed Central

Lindholm, Anna K.

2016-01-01

Meiotic drivers distort transmission to the next generation in their favor, with detrimental effects on the fitness of their homologues and the rest of the genome. Male carriers of meiotic drivers commonly inflict costs on their mates through genetic incompatibility, reduced fecundity, or biased brood sex ratios. Given these costs, evidence for female discrimination against male carriers is surprisingly rare. One of few examples is the t haplotype in house mice, a meiotic driver that shows strong transmission distortion in males and is typically homozygote lethal. As a consequence, mating between 2 t heterozygous (+/t) mice leads to high embryo mortality. Previous experiments showing that +/t females avoid this incompatibility cost by preferring +/+ versus +/t males have inferred preference based on olfactory cues or brief social interactions. Evidence from mating contexts in laboratory settings and semi-natural populations has been inconclusive. Here, we investigated female choice from a large number of no-choice mating trials. We found no evidence for discrimination against +/t males based on mating, remating, and copulatory behavior. Further, we found no evidence for avoidance of incompatibility through selective interactions between gametes. The likelihood of mating showed significant effects of female weight and genotype, suggesting that our test paradigm enabled females to exhibit mate choice. We discuss the strengths and limitations of our approach. By explicitly considering selection at both the individual and gene level, we argue why precopulatory female discrimination by +/t females may be less evolutionarily stable than discrimination by all females based on postcopulatory mechanisms. PMID:29491955

Exaggerated sexual swellings and male mate choice in primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the Amboseli baboons.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Courtney L; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C

2015-06-01

The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly, studies also report competitive females and choosy males. One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male mate choice is the exaggerated sexual swelling displayed by females of many Old World primate species. The reliable indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated swellings to compete for access to mates, and that the swellings advertise variation in female fitness. We tested the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild population of baboons ( Papio cynocephalus) . First, we examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of mate-guarding ('consortship') by the highest-ranking male and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts ('follower males'). Second, we asked whether a female's swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception) and that females with larger swellings did not have higher reproductive success. Our study-the only complete test of the reliable indicator hypothesis in a primate population-rejects the idea that female baboons compete for mates by advertising heritable fitness differences. Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased their mating decisions in favor of females who had experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear to track and target the potential for a given reproductive opportunity to result in fertilization.

Exaggerated sexual swellings and male mate choice in primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the Amboseli baboons

PubMed Central

Fitzpatrick, Courtney L.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

2015-01-01

The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly, studies also report competitive females and choosy males. One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male mate choice is the exaggerated sexual swelling displayed by females of many Old World primate species. The reliable indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated swellings to compete for access to mates, and that the swellings advertise variation in female fitness. We tested the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild population of baboons (Papio cynocephalus). First, we examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of mate-guarding (‘consortship’) by the highest-ranking male and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts (‘follower males’). Second, we asked whether a female’s swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception) and that females with larger swellings did not have higher reproductive success. Our study—the only complete test of the reliable indicator hypothesis in a primate population—rejects the idea that female baboons compete for mates by advertising heritable fitness differences. Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased their mating decisions in favor of females who had experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear to track and target the potential for a given reproductive opportunity to result in fertilization. PMID:26752790

Lack of Influence of Substrate on Ligand Interaction with the Human Multidrug and Toxin Extruder, MATE1

PubMed Central

Martínez-Guerrero, Lucy J.; Morales, Mark; Ekins, Sean

2016-01-01

Multidrug and toxin extruder (MATE) 1 plays a central role in mediating renal secretion of organic cations, a structurally diverse collection of compounds that includes ∼40% of prescribed drugs. Because inhibition of transport activity of other multidrug transporters, including the organic cation transporter (OCT) 2, is influenced by the structure of the transported substrate, the present study screened over 400 drugs as inhibitors of the MATE1-mediated transport of four structurally distinct organic cation substrates: the commonly used drugs: 1) metformin and 2) cimetidine; and two prototypic cationic substrates, 3) 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP), and 4) the novel fluorescent probe, N,N,N-trimethyl-2-[methyl(7-nitrobenzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazol-4-yl)amino]ethanaminium iodide. Transport was measured in Chinese hamster ovary cells that stably expressed the human ortholog of MATE1. Comparison of the resulting inhibition profiles revealed no systematic influence of substrate structure on inhibitory efficacy. Similarly, IC50 values for 26 structurally diverse compounds revealed no significant influence of substrate structure on the kinetic interaction of inhibitor with MATE1. The IC50 data were used to generate three-dimensional quantitative pharmacophores that identified hydrophobic regions, H-bond acceptor sites, and an ionizable (cationic) feature as key determinants for ligand binding to MATE1. In summary, in contrast to the behavior observed with some other multidrug transporters, including OCT2, the results suggest that substrate identity exerts comparatively little influence on ligand interaction with MATE1. PMID:27418674

No evidence for female discrimination against male house mice carrying a selfish genetic element.

PubMed

Sutter, Andreas; Lindholm, Anna K

2016-12-01

Meiotic drivers distort transmission to the next generation in their favor, with detrimental effects on the fitness of their homologues and the rest of the genome. Male carriers of meiotic drivers commonly inflict costs on their mates through genetic incompatibility, reduced fecundity, or biased brood sex ratios. Given these costs, evidence for female discrimination against male carriers is surprisingly rare. One of few examples is the t haplotype in house mice, a meiotic driver that shows strong transmission distortion in males and is typically homozygote lethal. As a consequence, mating between 2 t heterozygous (+/ t ) mice leads to high embryo mortality. Previous experiments showing that +/ t females avoid this incompatibility cost by preferring +/+ versus +/ t males have inferred preference based on olfactory cues or brief social interactions. Evidence from mating contexts in laboratory settings and semi-natural populations has been inconclusive. Here, we investigated female choice from a large number of no-choice mating trials. We found no evidence for discrimination against +/ t males based on mating, remating, and copulatory behavior. Further, we found no evidence for avoidance of incompatibility through selective interactions between gametes. The likelihood of mating showed significant effects of female weight and genotype, suggesting that our test paradigm enabled females to exhibit mate choice. We discuss the strengths and limitations of our approach. By explicitly considering selection at both the individual and gene level, we argue why precopulatory female discrimination by +/ t females may be less evolutionarily stable than discrimination by all females based on postcopulatory mechanisms.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrison, F.L.; Anderson, S.L.

The effects of lifetime exposure to chronic irradiation on reproductive success were assessed for laboratory populations of the polychaete worm Neanthes arenaceodentata. Lifetime exposure was initiated upon the spawning of the P1 female and was terminated upon spawning of the F1 female. Groups of experimental worms received either no radiation (controls) or 0.19, 2.1, or 17 mGy/h. The total dose received by the worms was either background or approximately 0.55, 6.5, or 54 Gy, respectively. The broods from the F1 mated pairs were sacrificed before hatching occurred, and information was obtained on brood size, on the number of normal andmore » abnormal embryos, and on the number of embryos that were living, dying, and dead. The mean number of embryos in the broods from the F1 females exposed to lifetime radiation of 0.19 and 2.1 mGy/h was not significantly different from the mean number of embryos from control females; however, the mean number of embryos was different from those F1 females exposed to 17 mGy/h. There was a significant reduction in the number of live embryos in the broods from the F1 mated pairs that were exposed to the lowest dose rate given, 0.19 mGy/h, as well as those exposed to 2.1 and 17 mGy/h. Also, increased percentages of abnormal embryos were determined in the broods of all the radiation-exposed groups. 39 refs., 10 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Effects of Reserpine on Reproduction and Serotonin Immunoreactivity in the Stable Fly Stomoxys Calcitrans (L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biogenic amines are known to play critical roles in key insect behaviors such as feeding and reproduction. This study documents the effects of reserpine on mating and egg-laying behaviors of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), which is one of the most economically significa...

Drinking Shops and Social Structure: Some Ideas on Lower-Class West Indian Male Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brana-Shute, Gary

1976-01-01

Given the circumstances, the mating system, the attitudes of women, household organizations, and the mens' marginal position in the occupational hierarchy, the street corner behavior demonstrated by lower class West Indian males is a response to a system that demands nothing more from them. (Author/AM)

Evidence for the presence of a female produced sex pheromone in the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Behavior-modifying chemicals such as pheromones and kairomones have great potential in pest management. Studies reported here investigated chemical cues involved in mating and aggregation behavior of banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, a major insect pest of banana in every country where bananas a...

Behavioral effects of plant essential oils on Ceratitis capitata males – risk versus reward

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant essential oils have a number of roles in insect pest management. For male Ceratitis capitata, these roles include male-targeted attractants for traps and aromatherapy exposure for increased mating success. Essential oils that affect C. capitata behavior may be from either host or non-host pl...

Homosexual Fellatio: Erect Penis Licking between Male Bonin Flying Foxes Pteropus pselaphon.

PubMed

Sugita, Norimasa

2016-01-01

A recent focus of interest has been on the functional significance of genital licking (fellatio and cunnilingus) in relation to sexual selection in Pteropodid bats. In the present paper, a form of fellatio in wild Bonin flying foxes, Pteropus pselaphon, performed between adult males has been reported. During the mating season, adult flying foxes roost in same-sex groups, forming ball-shaped clusters which provide warmth. The female clusters may also contain a few males. Unassociated with allogrooming, same-sex genital licking occurred among males in the all male clusters. As such, male-male fellatio can be considered as homosexual behavior, two functional explanations could account for this behavior; the social bonding and the social tension regulation hypotheses suggested in a previous review. Given that neither the simpler alternative that in all male groups such fellatio may represent misdirected sexual behavior, nor the two previously proposed functional hypotheses were supported by the data, I propose another functional hypothesis. Homosexual fellatio in this species could help males solve inconsistent situations in the roost when there are conflicts between cooperative behavior for social thermoregulation and competition for mating.

Sexual partner preference in female Japanese macaques.

PubMed

Vasey, Paul L

2002-02-01

Whether animals ever exhibit a preference for same-sex sexual partners is a subject of debate. Japanese macaques represent excellent models for examining issues related to sexual preference in animals because females, in certain populations, routinely engage in both heterosexual and homosexual behavior over the course of their life spans. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that female homosexual behavior in Japanese macaques is a sexual behavior, not a sociosexual one. Additional evidence indicates that female Japanese macaques do not engage in homosexual behavior simply because acceptable male mates are unavailable or unmotivated to copulate. Patterns of sexual partner choice by female Japanese macaques that are the focus of intersexual competition indicate that females of this species choose same-sex sexual partners even when they are simultaneously presented with a motivated, opposite-sex alternative. Thus, in some populations of Japanese macaques, females prefer certain same-sex sexual partners relative to certain male mates, and vice versa. Taken together, this evidence suggests that female Japanese macaques are best characterized as bisexual in orientation, not preferentially homosexual or preferentially heterosexual.

The chorus environment and the shape of communication systems in frogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, Vince

2003-04-01

Many species of frogs breed in dense and structurally complex aggregations of calling males termed choruses. Females entering a chorus are faced with the tasks of recognizing and locating mates on the basis of their advertisement calls. The chorus environment poses particular challenges for communication as signalers and receivers will face high levels of background noise and interference between signals. For females, such conditions may decrease the efficiency of communication, with the consequences of increasing the time required to find a mate or errors in mate choice. For males, it will give rise to intense competition for the attention of females. Additionally, the chorus environment for a species is not static, and will vary over both spatial and temporal scales. This complex and dynamic environment has shaped the signals and signaling behaviors of frogs in sometimes surprising ways. In this talk, some of the implications of the chorus environment for both receivers and signalers is discussed. In particular, examples from North American hylid frogs are drawn upon and research on the role of signal timing in influencing the responses of females and plasticity in aggressive behavior between neighbors in choruses are discussed.

Lekking without a paradox in the buff-breasted sandpiper

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lanctot, Richard B.; Scribner, Kim T.; Kempenaers, Bart; Weatherhead, Patrick J.

1997-01-01

Females in lek‐breeding species appear to copulate with a small subset of the available males. Such strong directional selection is predicted to decrease additive genetic variance in the preferred male traits, yet females continue to mate selectively, thus generating the lek paradox. In a study of buff‐breasted sandpipers (Tryngites subruficollis), we combine detailed behavioral observations with paternity analyses using single‐locus minisatellite DNA probes to provide the first evidence from a lek‐breeding species that the variance in male reproductive success is much lower than expected. In 17 and 30 broods sampled in two consecutive years, a minimum of 20 and 39 males, respectively, sired offspring. This low variance in male reproductive success resulted from effective use of alternative reproductive tactics by males, females mating with solitary males off leks, and multiple mating by females. Thus, the results of this study suggests that sexual selection through female choice is weak in buff‐breasted sandpipers. The behavior of other lek‐breeding birds is sufficiently similar to that of buff‐breasted sandpipers that paternity studies of those species should be conducted to determine whether leks generally are less paradoxical than they appear.

Synaptogenesis Is Modulated by Heparan Sulfate in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Lázaro-Peña, María I.; Díaz-Balzac, Carlos A.; Bülow, Hannes E.; Emmons, Scott W.

2018-01-01

The nervous system regulates complex behaviors through a network of neurons interconnected by synapses. How specific synaptic connections are genetically determined is still unclear. Male mating is the most complex behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans. It is composed of sequential steps that are governed by > 3000 chemical connections. Here, we show that heparan sulfates (HS) play a role in the formation and function of the male neural network. HS, sulfated in position 3 by the HS modification enzyme HST-3.1/HS 3-O-sulfotransferase and attached to the HS proteoglycan glypicans LON-2/glypican and GPN-1/glypican, functions cell-autonomously and nonautonomously for response to hermaphrodite contact during mating. Loss of 3-O sulfation resulted in the presynaptic accumulation of RAB-3, a molecule that localizes to synaptic vesicles, and disrupted the formation of synapses in a component of the mating circuits. We also show that the neural cell adhesion protein NRX-1/neurexin promotes and the neural cell adhesion protein NLG-1/neuroligin inhibits the formation of the same set of synapses in a parallel pathway. Thus, neural cell adhesion proteins and extracellular matrix components act together in the formation of synaptic connections. PMID:29559501

Social regulation of plasma estradiol concentration in a female anuran

PubMed Central

Lynch, Kathleen S.; Wilczynski, Walter

2008-01-01

The behavior of an individual within a social aggregation profoundly influences behavior and physiology of other animals within the aggregation in such a way that these social interactions can enhance reproductive success, survival and fitness. This phenomenon is particularly important during the breeding season when males and female must synchronize their reproductive efforts. We examined whether exposure to conspecific social cues can elevate sex steroid levels, specifically estradiol and androgens, in female túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus). We compared plasma estradiol and androgen concentrations in wild-caught females before and after exposure to either natural mate choruses or random tones. After exposure to mate choruses for 10 consecutive nights, estradiol concentrations were significantly elevated whereas there was no significant elevation in estradiol concentrations in the group of females exposed to random tones for 10 nights. Plasma androgen concentrations were not significantly changed after exposure to either natural mate choruses or random tones for 10 consecutive nights. Social modulation of estradiol concentrations may be important in maintaining a female’s reproductive state while males are chorusing. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate social regulation of estradiol concentration in female anurans. PMID:16545384

Courtship and mating in free-living spotted hyenas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szykman, M.; Van Horn, R. C.; Engh, A.L.; Boydston, E.E.; Holekamp, K.E.

2007-01-01

Female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are larger and more aggressive than males, and their genitalia are heavily 'masculinized'. These odd traits in females pose unusual challenges for males during courtship and copulation. Here our goals were to describe and quantify the behavior patterns involved in courtship and copulation in Crocuta, and determine whether rates of affiliative behavior directed toward females by males vary with female age, social rank, or time to conception. We also inquired whether consort formation with a particular female was necessary for a male to sire that female's cubs. Behavioral observations and paternity data based on 12 microsatellite loci were collected over 11 years from free-ranging hyenas in Kenya. Several of the courtship displays exhibited by male hyenas differed from those found in other carnivores, and appeared to reflect intense motivational conflict between tendencies to approach and flee from females. Most male advances were either ignored by females or elicited aggression from females toward males. Rates of male affiliative behavior toward females peaked around the time of conception. Although males behaved similarly toward young and old females in the highest social rank category, males directed more affiliative behavior toward older than younger females that were mid- and low-ranking. Multiple short mounts usually preceded a long mount, but intromission and ejaculation appeared to occur only during long mounts. Female receptivity was indicated by inhibited aggression toward the male and assumption of a distinctive receptive stance. The only behavior indicative of female proceptivity was following of the male by the female in mating contexts. Some males who sired cubs formed consortships with females whereas others did not, suggesting that individual male hyenas may adopt alternative reproductive tactics to attract and acquire mates. Our results also suggest that low fertility may be an important cost of female virilization in this species. ?? 2007 Brill Academic Publishers.

Deletion of the Bombyx mori odorant receptor co-receptor (BmOrco) impairs olfactory sensitivity in silkworms.

PubMed

Liu, Qun; Liu, Wei; Zeng, Baosheng; Wang, Guirong; Hao, Dejun; Huang, Yongping

2017-07-01

Olfaction plays an essential role in many important insect behaviors such as feeding and reproduction. To detect olfactory stimuli, an odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) is required. In this study, we deleted the Orco gene in the Lepidopteran model insect, Bombyx mori, using a binary transgene-based clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. We initially generated somatic mutations in two targeted sites, from which we obtained homozygous mutants with deletion of a 866 base pair sequence. Because of the flight inability of B. mori, we developed a novel method to examine the adult mating behavior. Considering the specialization in larval feeding, we examined food selection behavior in Orco somatic mutants by the walking trail analysis of silkworm position over time. Single sensillum recordings indicated that the antenna of the homozygous mutant was unable to respond to either of the two sex pheromones, bombykol or bombykal. An adult mating behavior assay revealed that the Orco mutant displayed a significantly impaired mating selection behavior in response to natural pheromone released by a wild-type female moth as well as an 11:1 mixture of bombykol/bombykal. The mutants also exhibited a decreased response to bombykol and, similar to wild-type moths, they displayed no response to bombykal. A larval feeding behavior assay revealed that the Orco mutant displayed defective selection for mulberry leaves and different concentrations of the volatile compound cis-jasmone found in mulberry leaves. Deletion of BmOrco severely disrupts the olfactory system, suggesting that BmOrco is indispensable in the olfactory pathway. The approach used for generating somatic and homozygous mutations also highlights a novel method for mutagenesis. This study on BmOrco function provides insights into the insect olfactory system and also provides a paradigm for agroforestry pest control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Male-typical courtship, spawning behavior, and olfactory sensitivity are induced to different extents by androgens in the goldfish suggesting they are controlled by different neuroendocrine mechanisms.

PubMed

Ghosal, Ratna; Sorensen, Peter W

2016-06-01

Male-typical reproductive behaviors vary greatly between different species of fishes with androgens playing a variety of roles that appear especially important in the gonochorist cypriniform fishes. The goldfish is an important model for the cypriniformes and while it is clear that male goldfish are fully feminized by prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α), it is not clear whether females will exhibit normal levels of male-typical reproductive behaviors as well as olfactory function when treated with androgens. To answer this question, we exposed sexually-regressed adult female goldfish to several types of androgen and monitored their tendencies to court (inspect females) and mate (spawn, or attempt to release gametes) while monitoring their olfactory sensitivity until changes in these attributes were maximized. Untreated adult males (intact) were included to determine the extent of masculinization. Treatments included the natural androgens, 11-ketotestosterone and testosterone (KT and T), administered via capsules (KT+T-implanted fish); the artificial androgen, methyltestosterone (MT), administered via capsules (MT-C); and MT administered in the fishes' water (MT-B). Male-typical olfactory sensitivity to a pheromone (15keto-PGF2α) increased in all androgen-treated groups and by week 6 was fully equivalent to that of males. Male-typical courtship behavior increased in all androgen-treated groups although slowly, and only MT-B females came to exhibit levels equivalent to those of males after 18weeks. In contrast, male-typical mating activity increased only slightly, with MT-B females reaching levels one-third that of males after 30weeks. We conclude that while androgens fully masculinize olfactory sensitivity and courtship behavior in goldfish, mating behavior is controlled by a different neuroendocrine mechanism(s) that has yet to be fully elucidated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of Structural Abnormalities Using Neural Nets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zak, M.; Maccalla, A.; Daggumati, V.; Gulati, S.; Toomarian, N.

1996-01-01

This paper describes a feed-forward neural net approach for detection of abnormal system behavior based upon sensor data analyses. A new dynamical invariant representing structural parameters of the system is introduced in such a way that any structural abnormalities in the system behavior are detected from the corresponding changes to the invariant.

Freud Was Right. . . about the Origins of Abnormal Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muris, Peter

2006-01-01

Freud's psychodynamic theory is predominantly based on case histories of patients who displayed abnormal behavior. From a scientific point of view, Freud's analyses of these cases are unacceptable because the key concepts of his theory cannot be tested empirically. However, in one respect, Freud was totally right: most forms of abnormal behavior…

Toward responsible stock enhancement: broadcast spawning dynamics and adaptive genetic management in white seabass aquaculture.

PubMed

Gruenthal, Kristen M; Drawbridge, Mark A

2012-06-01

The evolutionary effects captive-bred individuals that can have on wild conspecifics are necessary considerations for stock enhancement programs, but breeding protocols are often developed without the knowledge of realized reproductive behavior. To help fill that gap, parentage was assigned to offspring produced by a freely mating group of 50 white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis), a representative broadcast spawning marine finfish cultured for conservation. Similar to the well-known and closely related red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), A. nobilis exhibited large variation in reproductive success. More males contributed and contributed more equally than females within and among spawns in a mating system best described as lottery polygyny. Two females produced 27% of the seasonal offspring pool and female breeding effective size averaged 1.85 per spawn and 12.38 seasonally, whereas male breeding effective size was higher (6.42 and 20.87, respectively), with every male contributing 1-7% of offspring. Further, females batch spawned every 1-5 weeks, while males displayed continuous reproductive readiness. Sex-specific mating strategies resulted in multiple successful mate pairings and a breeding effective to census size ratio of ≥0.62. Understanding a depleted species' mating system allowed management to more effectively utilize parental genetic variability for culture, but the fitness consequences of long-term stocking can be difficult to address.

Selection on an antagonistic behavioral trait can drive rapid genital coevolution in the burying beetle, Nicrophorus vespilloides.

PubMed

Hopwood, Paul E; Head, Megan L; Jordan, Eleanor J; Carter, Mauricio J; Davey, Emma; Moore, Allen J; Royle, Nick J

2016-06-01

Male and female genital morphology varies widely across many taxa, and even among populations. Disentangling potential sources of selection on genital morphology is problematic because each sex is predicted to respond to adaptations in the other due to reproductive conflicts of interest. To test how variation in this sexual conflict trait relates to variation in genital morphology we used our previously developed artificial selection lines for high and low repeated mating rates. We selected for high and low repeated mating rates using monogamous pairings to eliminate contemporaneous female choice and male-male competition. Male and female genital shape responded rapidly to selection on repeated mating rate. High and low mating rate lines diverged from control lines after only 10 generations of selection. We also detected significant patterns of male and female genital shape coevolution among selection regimes. We argue that because our selection lines differ in sexual conflict, these results support the hypothesis that sexually antagonistic coevolution can drive the rapid divergence of genital morphology. The greatest divergence in morphology corresponded with lines in which the resolution of sexual conflict over mating rate was biased in favor of male interests. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

The Role of Bioacoustic Signals in Koala Sexual Selection: Insights from Seasonal Patterns of Associations Revealed with GPS-Proximity Units.

PubMed

Ellis, William; FitzGibbon, Sean; Pye, Geoff; Whipple, Bill; Barth, Ben; Johnston, Stephen; Seddon, Jenny; Melzer, Alistair; Higgins, Damien; Bercovitch, Fred

2015-01-01

Despite being a charismatic and well-known species, the social system of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus--the only extant member of the family Phascolarctidae) is poorly known and much of the koala's sociality and mating behaviors remain un-quantified. We evaluated these using proximity logging-GPS enabled tracking collars on wild koalas and discuss their implications for the mating system of this species. The frequency and duration of male-female encounters increased during the breeding season, with male-male encounters quite uncommon, suggesting little direct mating competition. By comparison, female-female interactions were very common across both seasons. Body mass of males was not correlated with their interactions with females during the breeding season, although male size is associated with a variety of acoustic parameters indicating individuality. We hypothesise that vocal advertising reduces the likelihood of male-male encounters in the breeding season while increasing the rate of male-female encounters. We suggest that male mating-season bellows function to reduce physical confrontations with other males allowing them to space themselves apart, while, at the same time, attracting females. We conclude that indirect male-male competition, female mate choice, and possibly female competition, mediate sexual selection in koalas.

Embryonic origin of mate choice in a lizard with temperature-dependent sex determination.

PubMed

Putz, Oliver; Crews, David

2006-01-01

Individual differences in the adult sexual behavior of vertebrates are rooted in the fetal environment. In the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), a species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), hatchling sex ratios differ between incubation temperatures, as does sexuality in same-sex animals. This variation can primarily be ascribed to the temperature having direct organizing actions on the brain. Here we demonstrate that embryonic temperature can affect adult mate choice in the leopard gecko. Given the simultaneous choice between two females from different incubation temperatures (30.0 and 34.0 degrees C), males from one incubation temperature (30.0 degrees C) preferred the female from 34.0 degrees C, while males from another incubation temperature (32.5 degrees C) preferred the female from 30.0 degrees C. We suggest that this difference in mate choice is due to an environmental influence on brain development leading to differential perception of opposite-sex individuals. This previously unrecognized modulator of adult mate choice lends further support to the view that mate choice is best understood in the context of an individual's entire life-history. Thus, sexual selection results from a combination of the female's as well as the male's life history. Female attractiveness and male choice therefore are complementary. Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of mating activity and dominance rank on male masturbation among free-ranging male rhesus macaques

PubMed Central

Dubuc, Constance; Coyne, Sean P.; Maestripieri, Dario

2013-01-01

The adaptive function of male masturbation is still poorly understood, despite its high prevalence in humans and other animals. In non-human primates, male masturbation is most frequent among anthropoid monkeys and apes living in multimale-multifemale groups with a promiscuous mating system. In these species, male masturbation may be a non-functional by-product of high sexual arousal or be adaptive by providing advantages in terms of sperm competition or by decreasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections. We investigated the possible functional significance of male masturbation using behavioral data collected on 21 free-ranging male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) at the peak of the mating season. We found some evidence that masturbation is linked to low mating opportunities: regardless of rank, males were most likely to be observed masturbating on days in which they were not observed mating, and lower-ranking males mated less and tended to masturbate more frequently than higher-ranking males. These results echo the findings obtained for two other species of macaques, but contrast those obtained in red colobus monkeys (Procolobus badius) and Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris). Interestingly, however, male masturbation events ended with ejaculation in only 15% of the observed masturbation time, suggesting that new hypotheses are needed to explain masturbation in this species. More studies are needed to establish whether male masturbation is adaptive and whether it serves similar or different functions in different sexually promiscuous species. PMID:24187414

Effect of mating activity and dominance rank on male masturbation among free-ranging male rhesus macaques.

PubMed

Dubuc, Constance; Coyne, Sean P; Maestripieri, Dario

2013-11-01

The adaptive function of male masturbation is still poorly understood, despite its high prevalence in humans and other animals. In non-human primates, male masturbation is most frequent among anthropoid monkeys and apes living in multimale-multifemale groups with a promiscuous mating system. In these species, male masturbation may be a non-functional by-product of high sexual arousal or be adaptive by providing advantages in terms of sperm competition or by decreasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections. We investigated the possible functional significance of male masturbation using behavioral data collected on 21 free-ranging male rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) at the peak of the mating season. We found some evidence that masturbation is linked to low mating opportunities: regardless of rank, males were most likely to be observed masturbating on days in which they were not observed mating, and lower-ranking males mated less and tended to masturbate more frequently than higher-ranking males. These results echo the findings obtained for two other species of macaques, but contrast those obtained in red colobus monkeys ( Procolobus badius ) and Cape ground squirrels ( Xerus inauris ). Interestingly, however, male masturbation events ended with ejaculation in only 15% of the observed masturbation time, suggesting that new hypotheses are needed to explain masturbation in this species. More studies are needed to establish whether male masturbation is adaptive and whether it serves similar or different functions in different sexually promiscuous species.

Genetic quality and sexual selection: an integrated framework for good genes and compatible genes.

PubMed

Neff, Bryan D; Pitcher, Trevor E

2005-01-01

Why are females so choosy when it comes to mating? This question has puzzled and marveled evolutionary and behavioral ecologists for decades. In mating systems in which males provide direct benefits to the female or her offspring, such as food or shelter, the answer seems straightforward--females should prefer to mate with males that are able to provide more resources. The answer is less clear in other mating systems in which males provide no resources (other than sperm) to females. Theoretical models that account for the evolution of mate choice in such nonresource-based mating systems require that females obtain a genetic benefit through increased offspring fitness from their choice. Empirical studies of nonresource-based mating systems that are characterized by strong female choice for males with elaborate sexual traits (like the large tail of peacocks) suggest that additive genetic benefits can explain only a small percentage of the variation in fitness. Other research on genetic benefits has examined nonadditive effects as another source of genetic variation in fitness and a potential benefit to female mate choice. In this paper, we review the sexual selection literature on genetic quality to address five objectives. First, we attempt to provide an integrated framework for discussing genetic quality. We propose that the term 'good gene' be used exclusively to refer to additive genetic variation in fitness, 'compatible gene' be used to refer to nonadditive genetic variation in fitness, and 'genetic quality' be defined as the sum of the two effects. Second, we review empirical approaches used to calculate the effect size of genetic quality and discuss these approaches in the context of measuring benefits from good genes, compatible genes and both types of genes. Third, we discuss biological mechanisms for acquiring and promoting offspring genetic quality and categorize these into three stages during breeding: (i) precopulatory (mate choice); (ii) postcopulatory, prefertilization (sperm utilization); and (iii) postcopulatory, postfertilization (differential investment). Fourth, we present a verbal model of the effect of good genes sexual selection and compatible genes sexual selection on population genetic variation in fitness, and discuss the potential trade-offs that might exist between mate choice for good genes and mate choice for compatible genes. Fifth, we discuss some future directions for research on genetic quality and sexual selection.

Mixed Pattern Matching-Based Traffic Abnormal Behavior Recognition

PubMed Central

Cui, Zhiming; Zhao, Pengpeng

2014-01-01

A motion trajectory is an intuitive representation form in time-space domain for a micromotion behavior of moving target. Trajectory analysis is an important approach to recognize abnormal behaviors of moving targets. Against the complexity of vehicle trajectories, this paper first proposed a trajectory pattern learning method based on dynamic time warping (DTW) and spectral clustering. It introduced the DTW distance to measure the distances between vehicle trajectories and determined the number of clusters automatically by a spectral clustering algorithm based on the distance matrix. Then, it clusters sample data points into different clusters. After the spatial patterns and direction patterns learned from the clusters, a recognition method for detecting vehicle abnormal behaviors based on mixed pattern matching was proposed. The experimental results show that the proposed technical scheme can recognize main types of traffic abnormal behaviors effectively and has good robustness. The real-world application verified its feasibility and the validity. PMID:24605045

Single paternity of clutches in American Woodcock

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ziel, H.; McAuley, D.G.; Rhymer, J.M.

2000-01-01

Based on behavioral observations, the mating system of American Woodcock has been variously described as monogamous, a dispersed lek, or resource defense polygyny. Males perform elaborate mating displays that attract females to their display sites where copulations occur. We used microsatellite markers, developed for Ruffs (Philomachus pugnax), to assess paternity in American Woodcock. In 3 yr, we collected blood samples from 21 females and broods and 90 males. We found no evidence of multiple paternity within broods; paternity in all broods could be explained by 1 father. For 8 broods, we were able to infer probable fathers from males we sampled in the field. All 8 broods were found close to the singing site of the male or males that matched as possible fathers. Two males may have fathered 2 broods each, suggesting that polygyny may be a component of the woodcock mating system.

The African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni uses acoustic communication for reproduction: sound production, hearing, and behavioral significance.

PubMed

Maruska, Karen P; Ung, Uyhun S; Fernald, Russell D

2012-01-01

Sexual reproduction in all animals depends on effective communication between signalers and receivers. Many fish species, especially the African cichlids, are well known for their bright coloration and the importance of visual signaling during courtship and mate choice, but little is known about what role acoustic communication plays during mating and how it contributes to sexual selection in this phenotypically diverse group of vertebrates. Here we examined acoustic communication during reproduction in the social cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni. We characterized the sounds and associated behaviors produced by dominant males during courtship, tested for differences in hearing ability associated with female reproductive state and male social status, and then tested the hypothesis that female mate preference is influenced by male sound production. We show that dominant males produce intentional courtship sounds in close proximity to females, and that sounds are spectrally similar to their hearing abilities. Females were 2-5-fold more sensitive to low frequency sounds in the spectral range of male courtship sounds when they were sexually-receptive compared to during the mouthbrooding parental phase. Hearing thresholds were also negatively correlated with circulating sex-steroid levels in females but positively correlated in males, suggesting a potential role for steroids in reproductive-state auditory plasticity. Behavioral experiments showed that receptive females preferred to affiliate with males that were associated with playback of courtship sounds compared to noise controls, indicating that acoustic information is likely important for female mate choice. These data show for the first time in a Tanganyikan cichlid that acoustic communication is important during reproduction as part of a multimodal signaling repertoire, and that perception of auditory information changes depending on the animal's internal physiological state. Our results highlight the importance of examining non-visual sensory modalities as potential substrates for sexual selection contributing to the incredible phenotypic diversity of African cichlid fishes.

The African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia burtoni Uses Acoustic Communication for Reproduction: Sound Production, Hearing, and Behavioral Significance

PubMed Central

Maruska, Karen P.; Ung, Uyhun S.; Fernald, Russell D.

2012-01-01

Sexual reproduction in all animals depends on effective communication between signalers and receivers. Many fish species, especially the African cichlids, are well known for their bright coloration and the importance of visual signaling during courtship and mate choice, but little is known about what role acoustic communication plays during mating and how it contributes to sexual selection in this phenotypically diverse group of vertebrates. Here we examined acoustic communication during reproduction in the social cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni. We characterized the sounds and associated behaviors produced by dominant males during courtship, tested for differences in hearing ability associated with female reproductive state and male social status, and then tested the hypothesis that female mate preference is influenced by male sound production. We show that dominant males produce intentional courtship sounds in close proximity to females, and that sounds are spectrally similar to their hearing abilities. Females were 2–5-fold more sensitive to low frequency sounds in the spectral range of male courtship sounds when they were sexually-receptive compared to during the mouthbrooding parental phase. Hearing thresholds were also negatively correlated with circulating sex-steroid levels in females but positively correlated in males, suggesting a potential role for steroids in reproductive-state auditory plasticity. Behavioral experiments showed that receptive females preferred to affiliate with males that were associated with playback of courtship sounds compared to noise controls, indicating that acoustic information is likely important for female mate choice. These data show for the first time in a Tanganyikan cichlid that acoustic communication is important during reproduction as part of a multimodal signaling repertoire, and that perception of auditory information changes depending on the animal's internal physiological state. Our results highlight the importance of examining non-visual sensory modalities as potential substrates for sexual selection contributing to the incredible phenotypic diversity of African cichlid fishes. PMID:22624055

Clinical features of ceroid lipofuscinosis in border collie dogs.

PubMed

Studdert, V P; Mitten, R W

1991-04-01

Ceroid lipofuscinosis was diagnosed by histopathological and histochemical findings in 17 related border collie dogs and by clinical signs in 6 of their litter mates. Behavioural changes, first hyperactivity and later aggression, commenced at 16 to 23 (mean 19.5) months of age. Motor abnormalities and blindness were observed at the mean ages of 20.8 and 21.2 months, respectively. All dogs were euthanased 1 to 6 months after the onset of clinical signs, mean age 23.1 months. Pedigree data supported an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.

Mating behaviour of Pseudodiaptomus annandalei (Copepoda Calanoida) with emphasis on rejection rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dur, G.; Souissi, S.; Schmitt, F. G.; Hwang, J. S.; Cheng, S. H.

2009-04-01

Mating behaviour has important consequences at both individual and population levels. Reproductive fitness is of paramount importance to sustain the success of planktonic copepod populations in aquatic environments. The calanoid copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei has one of the largest geographical ranges for Indo-Pacific Pseudodiaptomidae. It is also of great importance in fish culture pounds south of Taiwan. However, the mating behavior of this species has never been studied. Mating and predatory behaviour are conceptually the same. In both cases, the encounter and the interactions occur between two individuals with opposite characteristics: predator-prey for predation; male-female for mating. The mating behaviour may be defined as a sequence of encounter, pursuit, capture and copulation. Several observed behaviour suggest that both sexes asses and choose among available mates before the copulation. Pre-copulatory mate choice in copepods may manifest as mate guarding where males attached to CV females until their final moult, complicated pre-copulatory dance and escaping. During our preliminary observations, we notice that P. annandalei females escape by shaking, often violently, the males that have caught them. Consequently for such a species the act of mating may be visualized as a chain of six events (i.e. search, encounter, pursuit, capture, selective dance, copulation).Within this chain, encounter, capture and copulation are conditional events depending on the successful conclusion of their preceding events in the chain. In this study, we examined the different step in the mating behaviour of the scarcely studied sub-tropical copepod, Pseudodiaptomus annandalei, collected from the Danshuei estuary (North Taiwan). The individuals were observed using a 3D optical system to obtain simultaneous front and side views. Males, when placed in the water where females had previously swum in, showed significant increase of their swimming velocities. Additionally, their swimming trajectories are more convoluted, indicating that males explore larger volume of fluid to increase the probability to encounter a female. The mate finding behaviour appears to depend not only on chemical signal but also on hydromechanical signals. Some males exhibited shifts of direction when females were passing by. When male intercepted a chemical trail left by a female, they initiate tracking behaviour racing up the trail with increasing speed. Males pursued pheromone trails up to 24 sec old and 10 mm long. Most studies of mating behaviour have focused on detection and sometimes pursuit, but few have addressed the other components of successful mating, namely, capture and copulation. Moreover, mate choice issue has largely been ignored in regards to pelagic copepods. Consequently very few are known about the plasticity of rejection rates as a function of mate encounter rates. The second aim of this experiment is to describe the process used by female to select their mate and to fill the gap in the quantification of mating success. Once caught by a male, P. annandalei's females entered in intensive dance which sometimes lead to shake off the males suggesting a female mate choice. The three-dimensional trajectories described by the couple during this event were characterized by fast loops and intense jumps. Individual's access to mates may be affected by operational sex ratios, causing strong variation in mating success. We finally manipulated adult sex ratios of the brackish copepod P. annandalei, to examine the influence of population sex ratio on mating success of P. annandalei in a final set of experiment concluding the investigation. It should be notice that, to our knowledge, it the first quantification ever done before. The plasticity of rejection rate was therefore investigated as a function of sex-ratio and mate encounter rate. The encounter rate reached maximum value for balanced proportion of male and female and decreased as the sex ratio unbalanced. Higher value of success was nevertheless observed for a pro-male sex-ratio.

Reproductive Strategies of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Implications for the Sterile Insect Technique

PubMed Central

Oliva, Clelia F.; Damiens, David; Vreysen, Marc J. B.; Lemperière, Guy; Gilles, Jérémie

2013-01-01

Male insects are expected to optimize their reproductive strategy according to the availability of sperm or other ejaculatory materials, and to the availability and reproductive status of females. Here, we investigated the reproductive strategy and sperm management of male and virgin female Aedes albopictus, a mosquito vector of chikungunya and dengue viruses. The dynamics of semen transfer to the female bursa inseminalis and spermathecae were observed. Double-mating experiments were conducted to study the effect of time lapsed or an oviposition event between two copulations on the likelihood of a female double-insemination and the use of sperm for egg fertilization; untreated fertile males and radio-sterilised males were used for this purpose. Multiple inseminations and therefore the possibility of sperm competition were limited to matings closely spaced in time. When two males consecutively mated the same female within a 40 min interval, in ca. 15% of the cases did both males sire progeny. When the intervals between the copulations were longer, all progeny over several gonotrophic cycles were offspring of the first male. The mating behavior of males was examined during a rapid sequence of copulations. Male Ae. albopictus were parceling sperm allocation over several matings; however they would also attempt to copulate with females irrespective of the available sperm supply or accessory gland secretion material. During each mating, they transferred large quantities of sperm that was not stored for egg fertilization, and they attempted to copulate with mated females with a low probability of transferring their genes to the next generation. The outcomes of this study provided in addition some essential insights with respect to the sterile insect technique (SIT) as a vector control method. PMID:24236062

Blame it on the bossa nova: Transfer of perceived sexiness from music to touch.

PubMed

Fritz, Thomas Hans; Brummerloh, Berit; Urquijo, Maria; Wegner, Katharina; Reimer, Enrico; Gutekunst, Sven; Schneider, Lydia; Smallwood, Jonathan; Villringer, Arno

2017-09-01

Emotion elicited through music transfers to subsequent processing of facial expressions. Music may accordingly function as a social technology by promoting social bonding. Here, we investigated whether music would cross-modally influence the perception of sensual touch, a behavior related to mating. A robot applied precisely controlled gentle touch to a group of healthy participants while they listened to music that varied with respect to its perceived sexiness. As the perceived sexiness of the music increased, so did the subjective sexiness of the touch stimulations. In short, the perception of sexiness transferred from music to touch. Because sensual touch is key to mating behavior and relates to procreation, this association has implications for the universality and evolutionary significance of music. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The trap of sex in social insects: from the female to the male perspective.

PubMed

Beani, Laura; Dessì-Fulgheri, Francesco; Cappa, Federico; Toth, Amy

2014-10-01

The phenotype of male Hymenoptera and the peculiar role of males has been neglected and greatly understudied, given the spectacular cooperative behavior of female social insects. In social insects there has been considerable progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind haplodiploid sex determination but, beyond that, very little is known concerning the neural, endocrine, and genetic correlates of sexual selection in males. An opportunity is being missed: the male phenotype in Hymenoptera is a natural experiment to compare the drives of natural versus sexual selection. In contrast to females, males do not work, they usually display far from the nest to gain mates, compete among rivals in nuptial flights or for a symbolic territory at leks, and engage in direct or ritualized conflicts. By comparing the available data on male paper wasps with studies on other social Hymenoptera, we summarize what we currently know about the physical, hormonal, neural and behavioral traits in a model system appropriate to examine current paradigms on sexual selection. Here we review male behavior in social Hymenoptera beyond sex stereotypes: the subtle role of "drones" in the colony, the lack of armaments and ornaments, the explosive mating crowds, the "endurance" race, the cognitive bases of the "choosy" male and his immune defense. Social insect males are not just simple-minded mating machines, they are shaped, constrained and perhaps trapped by sexual selection. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Explaining financial and prosocial biases in favor of attractive people: Interdisciplinary perspectives from economics, social psychology, and evolutionary psychology.

PubMed

Maestripieri, Dario; Henry, Andrea; Nickels, Nora

2017-01-01

Financial and prosocial biases in favor of attractive adults have been documented in the labor market, in social transactions in everyday life, and in studies involving experimental economic games. According to the taste-based discrimination model developed by economists, attractiveness-related financial and prosocial biases are the result of preferences or prejudices similar to those displayed toward members of a particular sex, racial, ethnic, or religious group. Other explanations proposed by economists and social psychologists maintain that attractiveness is a marker of personality, intelligence, trustworthiness, professional competence, or productivity. Evolutionary psychologists have argued that attractive adults are favored because they are preferred sexual partners. Evidence that stereotypes about attractive people are causally related to financial or prosocial biases toward them is weak or nonexistent. Consistent with evolutionary explanations, biases in favor of attractive women appear to be more consistent or stronger than those in favor of attractive men, and biases are more consistently reported in interactions between opposite-sex than same-sex individuals. Evolutionary explanations also account for increased prosocial behavior in situations in which attractive individuals are simply bystanders. Finally, evolutionary explanations are consistent with the psychological, physiological, and behavioral changes that occur when individuals are exposed to potential mates, which facilitate the expression of courtship behavior and increase the probability of occurrence of mating. Therefore, multiple lines of evidence suggest that mating motives play a more important role in driving financial and prosocial biases toward attractive adults than previously recognized.

Why Go There? Evolution of Mobility and Spatial Cognition in Women and Men : An Introduction to the Special Issue.

PubMed

Cashdan, Elizabeth; Gaulin, Steven J C

2016-03-01

Males in many non-monogamous species have larger ranges than females do, a sex difference that has been well documented for decades and seems to be an aspect of male mating competition. Until recently, parallel data for humans have been mostly anecdotal and qualitative, but this is now changing as human behavioral ecologists turn their attention to matters of individual mobility. Sex differences in spatial cognition were among the first accepted psychological sex differences and, like differences in ranging behavior, are documented for a growing set of species. This special issue is dedicated to exploring the possible adaptive links between these cognitive and ranging traits. Multiple hypotheses, at various levels of analysis, are considered. At the functional (ultimate) level, a mating-competition hypothesis suggests that range expansion may augment mating opportunities, and a fertility-and-parental-care hypothesis suggests that range contraction may facilitate offspring provisioning. At a more mechanistic (proximate) level, differences in cue availability may support or inhibit particular sex-specific navigation strategies, and spatial anxiety may usefully inhibit travel that would not justify its costs. Studies in four different cultures-Twe, Tsimane, Yucatec Maya, and Faroese-as well as an experimental study using virtual reality tools are the venue for testing these hypotheses. Our hope is to stimulate more research on the evolutionary and developmental processes responsible for this suite of linked behavioral and cognitive traits.

Semiochemical sabotage: behavioral chemicals for protection of western conifers from bark beetles

Treesearch

Nancy. E. Gillette; A. Steve Munson

2009-01-01

The discovery and elucidation of volatile behavioral chemicals used by bark beetles to locate hosts and mates has revealed a rich potential for humans to sabotage beetle host-finding and reproduction. Here, we present a description of currently available semiochemical methods for use in monitoring and controlling bark beetle pests in western conifer forests. Delivery...

Effects of Risperidone and Parent Training on Adaptive Functioning in Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders and Serious Behavioral Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scahill, Lawrence; McDougle, Christopher J.; Aman, Michael G.; Johnson, Cynthia; Handen, Benjamin; Bearss, Karen; Dziura, James; Butter, Eric; Swiezy, Naomi G.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Stigler, Kimberly A.; Sukhodolsky, Denis D.; Lecavalier, Luc; Pozdol, Stacie L.; Nikolov, Roumen; Hollway, Jill A.; Korzekwa, Patricia; Gavaletz, Allison; Kohn, Arlene E.; Koenig, Kathleen; Grinnon, Stacie; Mulick, James A.; Yu, Sunkyung; Vitiello, Benedetto

2012-01-01

Objective: Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDDs) have social interaction deficits, delayed communication, and repetitive behaviors as well as impairments in adaptive functioning. Many children actually show a decline in adaptive skills compared with age mates over time. Method: This 24-week, three-site, controlled clinical trial…

Morphology, courtship & mating of a mixed bilateral gynander of Osmia ribifloris biedermannii Michener (Hymenoptera: megachilidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We report for the first time on the courtship behavior of a gynandromorph of a solitary bee. Such observational studies on a living specimen that is bilaterally male and female can indentify centers of control for specific insect behaviors. Our observations show that gender in bees is not linked to ...

Can Decision Making Research Provide a Better Understanding of Chemical and Behavioral Addictions?

PubMed

Engel, Anzhelika; Cáceda, Ricardo

2015-01-01

We reviewed the cognitive and neurobiological commonalities between chemical and behavioral addictions. Poor impulse control, limited executive function and abnormalities in reward processing are seen in both group of entities. Brain imaging shows consistent abnormalities in frontoparietal regions and the limbic system. In drug addiction, exaggerated risk taking behavior and temporal discounting may reflect an imbalance between a hyperactive mesolimbic and hypoactive executive systems. Several cognitive distortions are found in pathological gambling that seems to harness the brain reward system that has evolved to face situations related to skill, not random chance. Abnormalities in risk assessment and impulsivity are found in variety of eating disorders, in particularly related to eating behavior. Corresponding findings in eating disorder patients include abnormalities in the limbic system, i.e. orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), striatum and insula. Similarly, internet addiction disorder is associated with risky decision making and increased choice impulsivity with corresponding discrepant activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, OFC, anterior cingulate cortex, caudate and insula. Sexual addictions are in turn associated with exaggerated impulsive choice and suggestive evidence of abnormalities in reward processing. In sum, exploration of executive function and decision making abnormalities in chemical and behavioral addictions may increase understanding in their psychopathology and yield valuable targets for therapeutic interventions.

Does a parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachia induce vestigial cytoplasmic incompatibility?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraaijeveld, Ken; Reumer, Barbara M.; Mouton, Laurence; Kremer, Natacha; Vavre, Fabrice; van Alphen, Jacques J. M.

2011-03-01

Wolbachia is a maternally inherited bacterium that manipulates the reproduction of its host. Recent studies have shown that male-killing strains can induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) when introgressed into a resistant host. Phylogenetic studies suggest that transitions between CI and other Wolbachia phenotypes have also occurred frequently, raising the possibility that latent CI may be widespread among Wolbachia. Here, we investigate whether a parthenogenesis-inducing Wolbachia strain can also induce CI. Parthenogenetic females of the parasitoid wasp Asobara japonica regularly produce a small number of males that may be either infected or not. Uninfected males were further obtained through removal of the Wolbachia using antibiotics and from a naturally uninfected strain. Uninfected females that had mated with infected males produced a slightly, but significantly more male-biased sex ratio than uninfected females that had mated with uninfected males. This effect was strongest in females that mated with males that had a relatively high Wolbachia titer. Quantitative PCR indicated that infected males did not show higher ratios of nuclear versus mitochondrial DNA content. Wolbachia therefore does not cause diploidization of cells in infected males. While these results are consistent with CI, other alternatives such as production of abnormal sperm by infected males cannot be completely ruled out. Overall, the effect was very small (9%), suggesting that if CI is involved it may have degenerated through the accumulation of mutations.

A Comparative Analysis of the Morphology and Evolution of Permanent Sperm Depletion in Spiders

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Once thought to be energetically cheap and easy to produce, empirical work has shown that sperm is a costly and limited resource for males. In some spider species, there is behavioral evidence that sperm are permanently depleted after a single mating. This extreme degree of mating investment appears to co-occur with other reproductive strategies common to spiders, e.g. genital mutilation and sexual cannibalism. Here we corroborate that sperm depletion in the golden orb-web spider Nephila clavipes is permanent by uncovering its mechanistic basis using light and electron microscopy. In addition, we use a phylogeny-based statistical analysis to test the evolutionary relationships between permanent sperm depletion (PSD) and other reproductive strategies in spiders. Male testes do not produce sperm during adulthood, which is unusual in spiders. Instead, spermatogenesis is nearly synchronous and ends before the maturation molt. Testis size decreases as males approach their maturation molt and reaches its lowest point after sperm is transferred into the male copulatory organs (pedipalps). As a consequence, the amount of sperm available to males for mating is limited to the sperm contained in the pedipalps, and once it is used, males lose their ability to fertilize eggs. Our data suggest that PSD has evolved independently at least three times within web-building spiders and is significantly correlated with the evolution of other mating strategies that limit males to monogamy, including genital mutilation and sexual cannibalism. We conclude that PSD may be an energy-saving adaptation in species where males are limited to monogamy. This could be particularly important in web-building spiders where extreme sexual size dimorphism results in large, sedentary females and small, searching males who rarely feed as adults and are vulnerable to starvation. Future work will explore possible energetic benefits and the evolutionary lability of PSD relative to other mate-limiting reproductive behaviors. PMID:21264312

Sexual chemoecology of mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae): Current knowledge and implications for vector control programs.

PubMed

Vaníčková, Lucie; Canale, Angelo; Benelli, Giovanni

2017-04-01

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) act as vectors of medical and veterinary importance, due to their ability to transmit many pathogens and parasites. Renewed interest has been recently devoted to the potential of sterile insect technique (SIT) for mosquito suppression. However, the success of the SIT is mostly dependent on the ability of sterile males to compete for mates with the wild ones in the field. Nevertheless, little is known on the sexual chemical ecology of mosquitoes, with special reference to the role of chemical signals in males. We reviewed the current knowledge on mosquito sexual chemical ecology and other key cues affecting courtship and mating behavior. The information available on the aggregation and sex pheromones in mosquito males is rather limited. To the best of our knowledge, the components of the aggregation pheromone stimulating swarming mechanisms have been fully characterized only for Aedes aegypti, while evidence for aggregation pheromones in other mosquito species remains elusive. Further research on this issue is needed, as well as to dissect the relative importance of visual (with special reference to swarming landmarks), vibrational, olfactory and tactile cues perceived during swarming and mate. On the other hand, more knowledge is available for cuticular hydrocarbons, which modulate mating behavior in several species of economic importance. These compounds, coupled with volatile aggregation components, have potential interest for the development of monitoring and trapping systems. In addition, the analyses of cuticular hydrocarbons are essential for discrimination between closely related mosquito species and/or populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mating patterns and post-mating isolation in three cryptic species of the Engystomops petersi species complex

PubMed Central

Narvaez, Andrea E.; Ron, Santiago R.; Hoke, Kim L.

2017-01-01

Determining the extent of reproductive isolation in cryptic species with dynamic geographic ranges can yield important insights into the processes that generate and maintain genetic divergence in the absence of severe geographic barriers. We studied mating patterns, propensity to hybridize in nature and subsequent fertilization rates, as well as survival and development of hybrid F1 offspring for three nominal species of the Engystomops petersi species complex in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador. We found at least two species in four out of six locations sampled, and 14.3% of the wild pairs genotyped were mixed-species (heterospecific) crosses. We also found reduced fertilization rates in hybrid crosses between E. petersi females and E. “magnus” males, and between E. “magnus” females and E. “selva” males but not in the reciprocal crosses, suggesting asymmetric reproductive isolation for these species. Larval development times decreased in F1 hybrid crosses compared to same species (conspecific) crosses, but we did not find significant reduction in larval survival or early metamorph survival. Our results show evidence of post-mating isolation for at least two hybrid crosses of the cryptic species we studied. The general decrease in fertilization rates in heterospecific crosses suggests that sexual selection and reinforcement might have not only contributed to the pattern of call variation and behavioral isolation we see between species today, but they may also contribute to further signal divergence and behavioral evolution, especially in locations where hybridization is common and fertilization success is diminished. PMID:28388628

Potential ecotoxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyls on Xenopus laevis.

PubMed

Qin, Zhan-Fen; Zhou, Jing-Ming; Cong, Lin; Xu, Xiao-Bai

2005-10-01

We examined potential ecotoxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)3, PCB5, Aroclor 1254, and Aroclor 1242 on Xenopus laevis. Tadpoles were exposed to PCBs from stage 46/47 (system of Nieuwkoop and Faber) to the completion of metamorphosis. We demonstrated, to our knowledge for the first time, forelimb malformations caused by PCBs (malformation rate, > 70%). The malformed forelimbs were fixed in the adduction-backward rotation position and could not move. Therefore, malformed male frogs were destined to have no offspring, because they could not grasp the females with their forelimbs to mate. Alcian blue-alizarin red double-staining indicated that the forelimb malformation resulted from the shoulder abnormality. Compared with the normal shoulder joint, the proximal humerus with the humerus inter-rotated 90 degrees in the abnormal shoulder joint. Moreover, testes from more than a third of male frogs with exposed to PCBs exhibited feminization to different degrees at gross morphology and histology, with fewer or abnormal spermatogonia and oocytes. Gonadal abnormalities would lead directly to reproductive dysfunction and population decline. These results suggest that PCBs have potentially ecotoxic effects on amphibian populations. We infer that PCBs could play roles in amphibian malformations and population declines, at least at sites that are polluted heavily with PCBs.

Density drives polyandry and relatedness influences paternal success in the Pacific gooseneck barnacle, Pollicipes elegans.

PubMed

Plough, Louis V; Moran, Amy; Marko, Peter

2014-04-16

Polyandry is a common mating strategy in animals, increasing female fitness through direct (material) and indirect (genetic) benefits. Most theories about the benefits of polyandry come from studies of terrestrial animals, which have relatively complex mating systems and behaviors; less is known about the potential benefits of polyandry in sessile marine animals, for which potential mates may be scarce and females have less control over pre-copulatory mate choice. Here, we used microsatellite markers to examine multiple paternity in natural aggregations of the Pacific gooseneck barnacle Pollicipes elegans, testing the effect of density on paternity and mate relatedness on male reproductive success. We found that multiple paternity was very common (79% of broods), with up to five fathers contributing to a brood, though power was relatively low to detect more than four fathers. Density had a significant and positive linear effect on the number of fathers siring a brood, though this relationship leveled off at high numbers of fathers, which may reflect a lack of power and/or an upper limit to polyandry in this species. Significant skew in male reproductive contribution in multiply-sired broods was observed and we found a positive and significant relationship between the proportion of offspring sired and the genetic similarity between mates, suggesting that genetic compatibility may influence reproductive success in this species. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show high levels of multiple paternity in a barnacle, and overall, patterns of paternity in P. elegans appear to be driven primarily by mate availability. Evidence of paternity bias for males with higher relatedness suggests some form of post-copulatory sexual selection is taking place, but more work is needed to determine whether it operates during or post-fertilization. Overall, our results suggest that while polyandry in P. elegans is driven by mate availability, it may also provide a mechanism for females to ensure fertilization by compatible gametes and increase reproductive success in this sessile species.

Nervous system disruption and concomitant behavioral abnormality in early hatched pufferfish larvae exposed to heavy oil.

PubMed

Kawaguchi, Masahumi; Sugahara, Yuki; Watanabe, Tomoe; Irie, Kouta; Ishida, Minoru; Kurokawa, Daisuke; Kitamura, Shin-Ichi; Takata, Hiromi; Handoh, Itsuki C; Nakayama, Kei; Murakami, Yasunori

2011-08-01

Spills of heavy oil (HO) over the oceans have been proven to have an adverse effect on marine life. It has been hypothesized that exposure of early larvae of sinking eggs to HO leads largely to normal morphology, whereas abnormal organization of the developing neural scaffold is likely to be found. HO-induced disruption of the nervous system, which controls animal behavior, may in turn cause abnormalities in the swimming behavior of hatched larvae. To clarify the toxicological effects of HO, we performed exposure experiments and morphological and behavioral analyses in pufferfish (Takifugu rubripes) larvae. Fertilized eggs of pufferfish were exposed to 50 mg/L of HO for 8 days and transferred to fresh seawater before hatching. The hatched larvae were observed for their swimming behavior, morphological appearance, and construction of muscles and nervous system. In HO-exposed larvae, we did not detect any anomaly of body morphology. However, they showed an abnormal swimming pattern and disorganized midbrain, a higher center controlling movement. Our results suggest that HO-exposed fishes suffer developmental disorder of the brain that triggers an abnormal swimming behavior and that HO may be selectively toxic to the brain and cause physical disability throughout the life span of these fishes.

Changes in food intake and abnormal behavior using a puzzle feeder in newly acquired sub-adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta): a short term study.

PubMed

Lee, Jae-Il; Lee, Chi-Woo; Kwon, Hyouk-Sang; Kim, Young-Tae; Park, Chung-Gyu; Kim, Sang-Joon; Kang, Byeong-Cheol

2008-10-01

The majority of newly acquired nonhuman primates encounter serious problems adapting themselves to new environments or facilities. In particular, loss of appetite and abnormal behavior can occur in response to environmental stresses. These adaptation abnormalities can ultimately have an affect on the animal's growth and well-being. In this study, we evaluated the affects of a puzzle feeder on the food intake and abnormal behavior of newly acquired rhesus monkeys for a short period. The puzzle feeder was applied to 47- to 58-month-old animals that had never previously encountered one. We found that there was no difference in the change of food intake between the bucket condition and the puzzle feeder condition. In contrast, the time spent for consumption of food was three times longer in the puzzle feeder condition than in the bucket condition. Two monkeys initially exhibited stereotypic behavior. One showed a decreasing, and the other an increasing pattern of abnormal behavior after introduction of the puzzle feeder. In conclusion, this result suggests that over a short period, the puzzle feeder can only affect the time for food consumption since it failed to affect the food intake and did not consistently influence stereotypic behaviors in newly acquired rhesus monkeys.

[Reproduction,genotype identification and evaluation of APP/PS1 transgenic mice].

PubMed

Tan, Long; Li, Hai-Qiang; Li, Yi-Bo; Liu, Wei; Pang, Wei; Jiang, Yu-Gang

2018-02-08

To identify the genotype of (APP/PS1) transgenic mice and evaluate the changing of cognitive and behavioral fu nctions, provide an effective animal model for the Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. Male APP/PS1 transgenic mice mated with female APP/PS1 transgenic mice, and the genotype of their filial mice was identified by PCR. The APP +/PS1 + mice were assigned into AD model group (AD group, n =8), and the APP/PS1 mice were assigned into control group (CT group, n =8). The Morris water maze test was carried out to detect the capacity of learning and memory of mice. After that, the mice were sacrificed and the brain tissues were sampled and stained by HE and congo red for the pathological examination. ①A APP/PS1 genome DNA about 360 bp size was detected. The methods of feeding and breeding were successful to attain APP/PS1 transgenic mice.②Statistical significance was found in the differences of the capacity of learning and memory between 7-month-old APP/PS1 positive mice and negative mice ( P <0.05).③The results of HE stain showed that the structure and cellular morphology of hippocampus of AD mice were obviously abnormal. The results of congo red stain showed that positive amyloid plaque was observed in brains of AD mice. APP/PS1 transgenic mice present typical symptoms and behaviors of Alzheimer's disease. The transgenic mouse is an effective tool for the research and prevention of AD.

Aggregate age-at-marriage patterns from individual mate-search heuristics.

PubMed

Todd, Peter M; Billari, Francesco C; Simão, Jorge

2005-08-01

The distribution of age at first marriage shows well-known strong regularities across many countries and recent historical periods. We accounted for these patterns by developing agent-based models that simulate the aggregate behavior of individuals who are searching for marriage partners. Past models assumed fully rational agents with complete knowledge of the marriage market; our simulated agents used psychologically plausible simple heuristic mate search rules that adjust aspiration levels on the basis of a sequence of encounters with potential partners. Substantial individual variation must be included in the models to account for the demographically observed age-at-marriage patterns.

Mating and male pheromone kill Caenorhabditis males through distinct mechanisms.

PubMed

Shi, Cheng; Runnels, Alexi M; Murphy, Coleen T

2017-03-14

Differences in longevity between sexes is a mysterious yet general phenomenon across great evolutionary distances. To test the roles of responses to environmental cues and sexual behaviors in longevity regulation, we examined Caenorhabditis male lifespan under solitary, grouped, and mated conditions. We find that neurons and the germline are required for male pheromone-dependent male death. Hermaphrodites with a masculinized nervous system secrete male pheromone and are susceptible to male pheromone killing. Male pheromone-mediated killing is unique to androdioecious Caenorhabditis , and may reduce the number of males in hermaphroditic populations; neither males nor females of gonochoristic species are susceptible to male pheromone killing. By contrast, mating-induced death, which is characterized by germline-dependent shrinking, glycogen loss, and ectopic vitellogenin expression, utilizes distinct molecular pathways and is shared between the sexes and across species. The study of sex- and species-specific regulation of aging reveals deeply conserved mechanisms of longevity and population structure regulation.

Caenorhabditis elegans Male Copulation Circuitry Incorporates Sex-Shared Defecation Components To Promote Intromission and Sperm Transfer

PubMed Central

LeBoeuf, Brigitte; Garcia, L. Rene

2016-01-01

Sexual dimorphism can be achieved using a variety of mechanisms, including sex-specific circuits and sex-specific function of shared circuits, though how these work together to produce sexually dimorphic behaviors requires further investigation. Here, we explore how components of the sex-shared defecation circuitry are incorporated into the sex-specific male mating circuitry in Caenorhabditis elegans to produce successful copulation. Using behavioral studies, calcium imaging, and genetic manipulation, we show that aspects of the defecation system are coopted by the male copulatory circuitry to facilitate intromission and ejaculation. Similar to hermaphrodites, male defecation is initiated by an intestinal calcium wave, but circuit activity is coordinated differently during mating. In hermaphrodites, the tail neuron DVB promotes expulsion of gut contents through the release of the neurotransmitter GABA onto the anal depressor muscle. However, in the male, both neuron and muscle take on modified functions to promote successful copulation. Males require calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS)/unc-31, a dense core vesicle exocytosis activator protein, in the DVB to regulate copulatory spicule insertion, while the anal depressor is remodeled to promote release of sperm into the hermaphrodite. This work shows how sex-shared circuitry is modified in multiple ways to contribute to sex-specific mating. PMID:28031243

Dominant, open nonverbal displays are attractive at zero-acquaintance

PubMed Central

Vacharkulksemsuk, Tanya; Reit, Emily; Khambatta, Poruz; Eastwick, Paul W.; Finkel, Eli J.; Carney, Dana R.

2016-01-01

Across two field studies of romantic attraction, we demonstrate that postural expansiveness makes humans more romantically appealing. In a field study (n = 144 speed-dates), we coded nonverbal behaviors associated with liking, love, and dominance. Postural expansiveness—expanding the body in physical space—was most predictive of attraction, with each one-unit increase in coded behavior from the video recordings nearly doubling a person’s odds of getting a “yes” response from one’s speed-dating partner. In a subsequent field experiment (n = 3,000), we tested the causality of postural expansion (vs. contraction) on attraction using a popular Global Positioning System-based online-dating application. Mate-seekers rapidly flipped through photographs of potential sexual/date partners, selecting those they desired to meet for a date. Mate-seekers were significantly more likely to select partners displaying an expansive (vs. contractive) nonverbal posture. Mediation analyses demonstrate one plausible mechanism through which expansiveness is appealing: Expansiveness makes the dating candidate appear more dominant. In a dating world in which success sometimes is determined by a split-second decision rendered after a brief interaction or exposure to a static photograph, single persons have very little time to make a good impression. Our research suggests that a nonverbal dominance display increases a person’s chances of being selected as a potential mate. PMID:27035937

Dominant, open nonverbal displays are attractive at zero-acquaintance.

PubMed

Vacharkulksemsuk, Tanya; Reit, Emily; Khambatta, Poruz; Eastwick, Paul W; Finkel, Eli J; Carney, Dana R

2016-04-12

Across two field studies of romantic attraction, we demonstrate that postural expansiveness makes humans more romantically appealing. In a field study (n = 144 speed-dates), we coded nonverbal behaviors associated with liking, love, and dominance. Postural expansiveness-expanding the body in physical space-was most predictive of attraction, with each one-unit increase in coded behavior from the video recordings nearly doubling a person's odds of getting a "yes" response from one's speed-dating partner. In a subsequent field experiment (n = 3,000), we tested the causality of postural expansion (vs. contraction) on attraction using a popular Global Positioning System-based online-dating application. Mate-seekers rapidly flipped through photographs of potential sexual/date partners, selecting those they desired to meet for a date. Mate-seekers were significantly more likely to select partners displaying an expansive (vs. contractive) nonverbal posture. Mediation analyses demonstrate one plausible mechanism through which expansiveness is appealing: Expansiveness makes the dating candidate appear more dominant. In a dating world in which success sometimes is determined by a split-second decision rendered after a brief interaction or exposure to a static photograph, single persons have very little time to make a good impression. Our research suggests that a nonverbal dominance display increases a person's chances of being selected as a potential mate.

Universality in a Neutral Evolution Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Dawn; Scott, Adam; Maric, Nevena; Bahar, Sonya

2013-03-01

Agent-based models are ideal for investigating the complex problems of biodiversity and speciation because they allow for complex interactions between individuals and between individuals and the environment. Presented here is a ``null'' model that investigates three mating types - assortative, bacterial, and random - in phenotype space, as a function of the percentage of random death δ. Previous work has shown phase transition behavior in an assortative mating model with variable fitness landscapes as the maximum mutation size (μ) was varied (Dees and Bahar, 2010). Similarly, this behavior was recently presented in the work of Scott et al. (submitted), on a completely neutral landscape, for bacterial-like fission as well as for assortative mating. Here, in order to achieve an appropriate ``null'' hypothesis, the random death process was changed so each individual, in each generation, has the same probability of death. Results show a continuous nonequilibrium phase transition for the order parameters of the population size and the number of clusters (analogue of species) as δ is varied for three different mutation sizes of the system. The system shows increasing robustness as μ increases. Universality classes and percolation properties of this system are also explored. This research was supported by funding from: University of Missouri Research Board and James S. McDonnell Foundation

Divergent mating patterns and a unique mode of external sperm transfer in Zoraptera: an enigmatic group of pterygote insects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dallai, R.; Gottardo, M.; Mercati, D.; Machida, R.; Mashimo, Y.; Matsumura, Y.; Beutel, R. G.

2013-06-01

A remarkable external sperm transfer is described for the first time in a species of a group of winged insects (Pterygota), the enigmatic Zoraptera. Mating and sperm transfer of two species of the order were examined in detail, documented, and compared with each other and with patterns described for other species belonging to the order. The behavior differs strikingly in Zorotypus impolitus and Zorotypus magnicaudelli. A copula is performed by males and females of the latter, as it is also the case in other zorapteran species and generally in pterygote insects. In striking contrast to this, males of Z. impolitus do not copulate but deposit small (100 μm in diameter) spermatophores externally on the abdomen of the female. Each spermatophore contains only one giant spermatozoon (3 mm long and 3 μm wide), a unique feature in the entire Hexapoda. External sperm transfer in Pterygota is a highly unusual case of evolutionary reversal. The very small relict group Zoraptera displays a uniform general morphology but exhibits very different reproductive structures and patterns of mating behavior. This may be an extreme form of a more general situation in insects, with a specific form of selection resulting in an accelerated rate of evolution in the reproductive system.

A systematic screen for morphological abnormalities during fission yeast sexual reproduction identifies a mechanism of actin aster formation for cell fusion

PubMed Central

Groux, Raphaël; Vincenzetti, Vincent

2017-01-01

In non-motile fungi, sexual reproduction relies on strong morphogenetic changes in response to pheromone signaling. We report here on a systematic screen for morphological abnormalities of the mating process in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We derived a homothallic (self-fertile) collection of viable deletions, which, upon visual screening, revealed a plethora of phenotypes affecting all stages of the mating process, including cell polarization, cell fusion and sporulation. Cell fusion relies on the formation of the fusion focus, an aster-like F-actin structure that is marked by strong local accumulation of the myosin V Myo52, which concentrates secretion at the fusion site. A secondary screen for fusion-defective mutants identified the myosin V Myo51-associated coiled-coil proteins Rng8 and Rng9 as critical for the coalescence of the fusion focus. Indeed, rng8Δ and rng9Δ mutant cells exhibit multiple stable dots at the cell-cell contact site, instead of the single focus observed in wildtype. Rng8 and Rng9 accumulate on the fusion focus, dependent on Myo51 and tropomyosin Cdc8. A tropomyosin mutant allele, which compromises Rng8/9 localization but not actin binding, similarly leads to multiple stable dots instead of a single focus. By contrast, myo51 deletion does not strongly affect fusion focus coalescence. We propose that focusing of the actin filaments in the fusion aster primarily relies on Rng8/9-dependent cross-linking of tropomyosin-actin filaments. PMID:28410370

Arrhenius-kinetics evidence for quantum tunneling in microbial “social” decision rates

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Social-like bacteria, fungi and protozoa communicate chemical and behavioral signals to coordinate their specializations into an ordered group of individuals capable of fitter ecological performance. Examples of microbial “social” behaviors include sporulation and dispersion, kin recognition and nonclonal or paired reproduction. Paired reproduction by ciliates is believed to involve intra- and intermate selection through pheromone-stimulated “courting” rituals. Such social maneuvering minimizes survival-reproduction tradeoffs while sorting superior mates from inferior ones, lowering the vertical spread of deleterious genes in geographically constricted populations and possibly promoting advantageous genetic innovations. In a previous article, I reported findings that the heterotrich Spirostomum ambiguum can out-complete mating rivals in simulated social trials by learning behavioral heuristics which it then employs to store and select sets of altruistic and deceptive signaling strategies. Frequencies of strategy use typically follow Maxwell-Boltzmann (MB), Fermi-Dirac (FD) or Bose-Einstein (BE) statistical distributions. For ciliates most adept at social decision making, a brief classical MB computational phase drives signaling behavior into a later quantum BE computational phase that condenses or favors the selection of a single fittest strategy. Appearance of the network analogue of BE condensation coincides with Hebbian-like trial-and-error learning and is consistent with the idea that cells behave as heat engines, where loss of energy associated with specific cellular machinery critical for mating decisions effectively reduces the temperature of intracellular enzymes cohering into weak Fröhlich superposition. I extend these findings by showing the rates at which ciliates switch serial behavioral strategies agree with principles of chemical reactions exhibiting linear and nonlinear Arrhenius kinetics during respective classical and quantum computations. Nonlinear Arrhenius kinetics in ciliate decision making suggest transitions from one signaling strategy to another result from a computational analogue of quantum tunneling in social information processing. PMID:21331234

The relationship between plasma steroid hormone concentrations and the reproductive cycle in the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus.

PubMed

Lind, Craig M; Husak, Jerry F; Eikenaar, Cas; Moore, Ignacio T; Taylor, Emily N

2010-05-01

We describe the reproductive cycle of Northern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) by quantifying steroid hormone concentrations and observing reproductive behaviors in free-ranging individuals. Additionally, we examined reproductive tissues from museum specimens. Plasma steroid hormone concentrations were quantified for both male and female snakes throughout the active season (March-October). We measured testosterone (T), 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and corticosterone (B) concentrations in both sexes and 17beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) in females only. We observed reproductive behaviors (e.g., consortship, courtship, and copulation) in the field and measured testis and follicle size in male and female snakes from museum collections to relate steroid hormone concentrations to the timing of reproductive events. Our study revealed that C. oreganus in central California exhibits a bimodal pattern of breeding, with most mating behavior occurring in the spring and some incidences of mating behavior observed in late summer/fall. Each breeding period corresponded with elevated androgen (T or DHT) levels in males. Testes were regressed in the spring when the majority of reproductive behavior was observed in this population, and they reached peak volume in August and September during spermatogenesis. Although we did not detect seasonal variation in female hormone concentrations, some females had high E2 in the spring and fall, coincident with mating and with increased follicle size (indicating vitellogenesis) in museum specimens. Females with high E2 concentrations also had high T and DHT concentrations. Corticosterone concentrations in males and females were not related either to time of year or to concentrations of any other hormones quantified. Progesterone concentrations in females also did not vary seasonally, but this likely reflected sampling bias as females tended to be underground, and thus unobtainable, in summer months when P would be expected to be elevated during gestation. In females, P was positively correlated with T and DHT, and E2 was positively correlated with T. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pregnant Latina Teenagers: Psychosocial and Developmental Determinants of How they Select and Perceive the Men Who Father their Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodyear, Rodney K.; Newcomb, Micheal D.; Locke, Thomas F.

2002-01-01

Data from a community sample of 493 pregnant Latina teenagers were used to test a mediated model of mate selection with 5 classes of variables: (a) male partner characteristics (antisocial behaviors, negative relationships with women, harm risk, and relationship length), (b) young women's psychosocial variables (antisocial behaviors, drug use,…

First contact pheromone identified for a longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae

Treesearch

Annie E. Spikes; Matthew A. Paschen; Jocelyn G. Miller; Jardel A. Moreira; Paul B. Hamel; Nathan M. Schiff; Matthew D. Ginzel

2010-01-01

Little is known of the reproductive behavior of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae. Mallodon dasystomus (Say), the hardwood stump borer, is a widely distributed prionine that is native to the southern U.S. Here, we explored the chemically-mediated mating behavior of M dasystomus, and tested the hypothesis that males recognize...

Functional significance of men's testosterone reactivity to social stimuli.

PubMed

Zilioli, Samuele; Bird, Brian M

2017-10-01

Rapid testosterone fluctuations in response to social stimuli are observed across a wide range of species, and the highly conserved nature of these fluctuations suggests an adaptive function. This paper reviews the current literature on testosterone reactivity, primarily in human males, and illustrates how life-history theory provides an adequate theoretical framework to interpret findings. The review is structured around supporting evidence suggesting that situations implicated in mating effort either directly (e.g., interactions with a mate) or indirectly (e.g., intrasexual competition) are generally associated with a brief elevation of testosterone, while situations implicated in parenting effort (e.g., nurturant interactions with offspring) are generally associated with a decline in testosterone. Further, we discuss how these fluctuations in testosterone have been linked to future behaviors, and how situational, motivational, and physiological variables moderate the interplay between social stimuli, testosterone reactivity, and behavior. Supporting the notion that testosterone can play a causal role in modulating behavior in response to social stimuli, we also summarize recent single administration studies examining the effects of testosterone on physiology, neurobiology, and behavior. A conceptual model provides links between supported findings, and hypothesized pathways requiring future testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral evidence for a role of chemoreception during reproduction in lake trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buchinger, Tyler J.; Li, Weiming; Johnson, Nicholas

2015-01-01

Chemoreception is hypothesized to influence spawning site selection, mate search, and synchronization of gamete release in chars (Salvelinus spp.), but behavioral evidence is generally lacking. Here, we provide a survey of the behavioral responses of reproductive male and female lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to natural conspecific chemosensory stimuli. A flow-through laboratory assay with side-by-side artificial spawning reefs was used to evaluate behavioral preferences of spawning-phase males and females for chemosensory stimuli from juveniles and from spawning-phase males and females. Males and females preferred male and juvenile stimuli over no stimuli, but only had weak preferences for female stimuli. Only females had a preference for male over juvenile stimuli when given a direct choice between the two. The unexpected observation of male attraction to male stimuli, even when offered female stimuli, indicates a fundamental difference from the existing models of chemical communication in fishes. We discuss our results from the perspectives of prespawning aggregation, mate evaluation, and spawning synchronization. Identification of specific components of the stimuli will allow confirmation of the function and may have management implications for native and invasive populations of lake trout that are ecologically and economically important.

Homosexual Fellatio: Erect Penis Licking between Male Bonin Flying Foxes Pteropus pselaphon

PubMed Central

Sugita, Norimasa

2016-01-01

A recent focus of interest has been on the functional significance of genital licking (fellatio and cunnilingus) in relation to sexual selection in Pteropodid bats. In the present paper, a form of fellatio in wild Bonin flying foxes, Pteropus pselaphon, performed between adult males has been reported. During the mating season, adult flying foxes roost in same-sex groups, forming ball-shaped clusters which provide warmth. The female clusters may also contain a few males. Unassociated with allogrooming, same-sex genital licking occurred among males in the all male clusters. As such, male-male fellatio can be considered as homosexual behavior, two functional explanations could account for this behavior; the social bonding and the social tension regulation hypotheses suggested in a previous review. Given that neither the simpler alternative that in all male groups such fellatio may represent misdirected sexual behavior, nor the two previously proposed functional hypotheses were supported by the data, I propose another functional hypothesis. Homosexual fellatio in this species could help males solve inconsistent situations in the roost when there are conflicts between cooperative behavior for social thermoregulation and competition for mating. PMID:27824953

Male Choice in the Stream-Anadromous Stickleback Complex

PubMed Central

McKinnon, Jeffrey S.; Hamele, Nick; Frey, Nicole; Chou, Jennifer; McAleavey, Leia; Greene, Jess; Paulson, Windi

2012-01-01

Studies of mating preferences and pre-mating reproductive isolation have often focused on females, but the potential importance of male preferences is increasingly appreciated. We investigated male behavior in the context of reproductive isolation between divergent anadromous and stream-resident populations of threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, using size-manipulated females of both ecotypes. Specifically, we asked if male courtship preferences are present, and if they are based on relative body size, non-size aspects of ecotype, or other traits. Because male behaviors were correlated with each other, we conducted a principal components analysis on the correlations and ran subsequent analyses on the principal components. The two male ecotypes differed in overall behavioral frequencies, with stream-resident males exhibiting consistently more vigorous and positive courtship than anadromous males, and an otherwise aggressive behavior playing a more positive role in anadromous than stream-resident courtship. We observed more vigorous courtship toward smaller females by (relatively small) stream-resident males and the reverse pattern for (relatively large) anadromous males. Thus size-assortative male courtship preferences may contribute to reproductive isolation in this system, although preferences are far from absolute. We found little indication of males responding preferentially to females of their own ecotype independent of body size. PMID:22701589

Bioinsecticide-predator interactions: azadirachtin behavioral and reproductive impairment of the coconut mite predator Neoseiulus baraki.

PubMed

Lima, Debora B; Melo, José Wagner S; Guedes, Nelsa Maria P; Gontijo, Lessando M; Guedes, Raul Narciso C; Gondim, Manoel Guedes C

2015-01-01

Synthetic pesticide use has been the dominant form of pest control since the 1940s. However, biopesticides are emerging as sustainable pest control alternatives, with prevailing use in organic agricultural production systems. Foremost among botanical biopesticides is the limonoid azadirachtin, whose perceived environmental safety has come under debate and scrutiny in recent years. Coconut production, particularly organic coconut production, is one of the agricultural systems in which azadirachtin is used as a primary method of pest control for the management of the invasive coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae). The management of this mite species also greatly benefits from predation by Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Here, we assessed the potential behavioral impacts of azadirachtin on the coconut mite predator, N. baraki. We explored the effects of this biopesticide on overall predator activity, female searching time, and mating behavior and fecundity. Azadirachtin impairs the overall activity of the predator, reducing it to nearly half; however, female searching was not affected. In contrast, mating behavior was compromised by azadirachtin exposure particularly when male predators were exposed to the biopesticide. Consequently, predator fecundity was also compromised by azadirachtin, furthering doubts about its environmental safety and selectivity towards biological control agents.

Thermal biology of Pacific cicada killers, Sphecius convallis Patton, in the Upper Sonoran Desert.

PubMed

Coelho, Joseph R; Holliday, Charles W; Hastings, Jon M; Phillips, Christy M

2016-04-01

A comprehensive investigation of the Pacific cicada killer, Sphecius convallis Patton, was undertaken to examine the behavioral and physiological mechanisms by which they are able to complete their life cycle in the thermal extremes of the Upper Sonoran Desert. S. convallis were endothermic, exhibiting elevated and relatively constant thorax temperatures during many activities. Males basked in trees at dawn to warm up, then used a variety of behaviors and perching strategies to maintain thorax temperature during territorial behavior. The thorax temperature of females was highest during provisioning and orientation flights, somewhat lower while investigating burrows, and lowest while digging burrows. The optimal thorax temperature for flight was about 40°C, which was approximated most closely by males resting in the shade during the afternoon. In mating clusters, the mated male was the hottest, the female was coolest and the other males were intermediate. Wasps lost about 5% of body mass during heating treatments, and may use evaporative water loss for cooling. Pacific cicada killers use a complex suite of behavioral and physiological adaptations to regulate body temperature during their nesting season. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual-incentive motivation and paced sexual behavior in female rats after treatment with drugs modifying dopaminergic neurotransmission.

PubMed

Ellingsen, Ellinor; Agmo, Anders

2004-03-01

The effects of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine, the dopamine releaser amphetamine, and the dopamine receptor antagonist cis(Z)-flupenthixol on sexual-incentive motivation and on paced-mating behavior were studied in female rats. Apomorphine, in the doses of 0.125 and 0.5 mg/kg, showed a tendency to reduce incentive motivation. Ambulatory activity was inhibited, evidenced both by diminished distance moved and reduced velocity of movement. Amphetamine (0.25 and 1 mg/kg) and flupenthixol (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg) failed to modify incentive motivation while stimulating and reducing ambulatory activity, respectively. In the mating test, apomorphine enhanced the latency to enter the male's half and reduced the number of proceptive behaviors. However, these effects were associated with the appearance of stereotyped sniffing. Amphetamine increased the propensity to escape from the male after a mount without having other effects. Flupenthixol augmented the duration of the lordosis posture. Neither amphetamine nor flupenthixol affected sniffing. These data show that facilitated dopaminergic neurotransmission stimulates neither paced female sexual behavior nor sexual-incentive motivation. Dopamine receptor blockade has slight consequences. It is concluded that dopamine is not a transmitter of major importance for unconditioned female sexual motivation and behavior.

Sexual experience increases oxytocin receptor gene expression and protein in the medial preoptic area of the male rat.

PubMed

Gil, Mario; Bhatt, Renu; Picotte, Katie B; Hull, Elaine M

2013-09-01

Oxytocin (OT) promotes social and reproductive behaviors in mammals, and OT deficits may be linked to disordered social behaviors like autism and severe anxiety. Male rat sexual behavior is an excellent model for OT regulation of behavior, as its pattern and neural substrates are well characterized. We previously reported that OT microinjected into the medial preoptic area (MPOA), a major integrative site for male sexual behavior, facilitates copulation in sexually experienced male rats, whereas intra-MPOA injection of an OT antagonist (OTA) inhibits copulation. In the present studies, copulation on the day of sacrifice stimulated OTR mRNA expression in the MPOA, irrespective of previous sexual experience, with the highest levels observed in first-time copulators. In addition, sexually experienced males had higher levels of OTR protein in the MPOA than sexually naïve males and first-time copulators. Finally, intra-MPOA injection of OT facilitated mating in sexually naive males. Others have reported a positive correlation between OT mRNA levels and male sexual behavior. Our studies show that OT in the MPOA facilitates mating in both sexually naive and experienced males, some of the behavioral effects of OT are mediated by the OTR, and sexual experience is associated with increased OTR expression in the MPOA. Taken together, these data suggest a reciprocal interaction between central OT and behavior, in which OT facilitates copulation and copulation stimulates the OT/OTR system in the brain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radio-induced inherited sterility in Heliothis zea (Boddie)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carpenter, J.E.

1985-01-01

Heliothis zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) males and females were irradiated with substerilizing doses of radiation. These moths were inbred and outcrossed and observed for their ability to reproduce. The inherited deleterious effects resulting from the irradiated P/sub 1/ males were recorded for several generations. Larvae from both irradiated (10 krad) and normal parents were compared for their ability to survive under field conditions on whole-stage sweet corn and these results were compared with those from a laboratory study using meridic diet. Irradiated males and females and F/sub 1/ males from an irradiated (10 krad) male x normal female cross weremore » released in the field and in field cages and observed for their ability to search/attract and secure a mate. Females that had mated with normal and irradiated (10 krad) males were studied to determine the effect of different mating histories on the subsequent mating propensity of the females. A 10-krad dose of radiation induced deleterious effects which were inherited through the F/sub 2/ generation. These radiation-induced deleterious effects were similar to those reported in other species of Lepidoptera. The relationship between the survival of normal larvae and larvae from irradiated parents was similar under laboratory and field rearing conditions. Females mated to normal males and males irradiated with 10 krad had the same mating propensity and experienced the same intermating interval. These effects of substerilizing doses of radiation and inherited sterility on the reproductive ability and behavior of H. zea suggest that a great potential exists for population suppression.« less

Sexual selection and the physiological consequences of habitat choice by a fiddler crab.

PubMed

Allen, Bengt J; Levinton, Jeffrey S

2014-09-01

In mid-Atlantic salt marshes, reproductively active male sand fiddler crabs, Uca pugilator, use a single greatly enlarged major claw as both a weapon to defend specialized breeding burrows from other males and an ornament to attract females for mating. During the summer breeding season, females strongly prefer to mate with males controlling burrows in open areas high on the shore. Food availability decreases while temperature and desiccation stress increase with increasing shore height, suggesting that the timing and location of fiddler crab mating activity may result in a potential trade-off between reproductive success and physiological condition for male crabs. We compared thermal preferences in laboratory choice experiments to body temperatures of models and living crabs in the field and found that from the perspective of a fiddler crab, the thermal environment of the mating area is quite harsh relative to other marsh microhabitats. High temperatures significantly constrained fiddler crab activity on the marsh surface, a disadvantage heightened by strongly reduced food availability in the breeding area. Nevertheless, when the chance of successfully acquiring a mate was high, males accepted a higher body temperature (and concomitantly higher metabolic and water loss rates) than when the chances of mating were low. Likewise, experimentally lowering costs by adding food and reducing thermal stress in situ increased fiddler crab waving display levels significantly. Our data suggest that fiddler crabs can mitigate potential life history trade-offs by tuning their behavior in response to the magnitude of both energetic and non-energetic costs and benefits.

Optimizing the Point-Source Emission Rates and Geometries of Pheromone Mating Disruption Mega-Dispensers.

PubMed

Baker, T C; Myrick, A J; Park, K C

2016-09-01

High-emission-rate "mega-dispensers" have come into increasing use for sex pheromone mating disruption of moth pests over the past two decades. These commercially available dispensers successfully suppress mating and reduce crop damage when they are deployed at very low to moderate densities, ranging from 1 to 5/ha to 100-1000/ha, depending on the dispenser types and their corresponding pheromone emission rates. Whereas traditionally the emission rates for successful commercial mating disruption formulations have been measured in terms of amounts (usually milligram) emitted by the disruptant application per acre or hectare per day, we suggest that emission rates should be measured on a per-dispenser per-minute basis. In addition we suggest, because of our knowledge concerning upwind flight of male moths being dependent on contact with pheromone plume strands, that more attention needs to be paid to optimizing the flux within plume strands that shear off of any mating disruption dispenser's surface. By measuring the emission rates on a per-minute basis and measuring the plume strand concentrations emanating from the dispensers, it may help improve the ability of the dispensers to initiate upwind flight from males and initiate their habituation to the pheromone farther downwind than can otherwise be achieved. In addition, by optimizing plume strand flux by paying attention to the geometries and compactness of mating disruption mega-dispensers may help reduce the cost of mega-dispenser disruption formulations by improving their behavioral efficacy while maintaining field longevity and using lower loading rates per dispenser.

Evolution of Pre- and Post-Copulatory Traits in Male Drosophila melanogaster as a Correlated Response to Selection for Resistance to Cold Stress

PubMed Central

Singh, Karan; Samant, Manas Arun; Tom, Megha Treesa; Prasad, Nagaraj Guru

2016-01-01

Background In Drosophila melanogaster the fitness of males depends on a broad array of reproductive traits classified as pre- and post-copulatory traits. Exposure to cold stress, can reduce sperm number, male mating ability and courtship behavior. Therefore, it is expected that the adaptation to cold stress will involve changes in pre- and post-copulatory traits. Such evolution of reproductive traits in response to cold stress is not well studied. Methods We selected replicate populations of D. melanogaster for resistance to cold shock. Over 37–46 generations of selection, we investigated pre- and post-copulatory traits such as mating latency, copulation duration, mating frequency, male fertility, fitness (progeny production) and sperm competitive ability in male flies subjected to cold shock and those not subjected to cold shock. Results We found that post cold shock, the males from the selected populations had a significantly lower mating latency along with, higher mating frequency, fertility, sperm competitive ability and number of progeny relative to the control populations. Conclusion While most studies of experimental evolution of cold stress resistance have documented the evolution of survivorship in response to selection, our study clearly shows that adaptation to cold stress involves rapid changes in the pre- and post-copulatory traits. Additionally, improved performances under stressful conditions need not necessarily trade-off with performance under benign conditions. PMID:27093599

Effects of Salivary Gland Hypertrophy Virus on the Reproductive Behavior of the Housefly, Musca domestica▿

PubMed Central

Lietze, Verena-Ulrike; Geden, Christopher J.; Blackburn, Patrick; Boucias, Drion G.

2007-01-01

Pathological studies demonstrated that the salivary gland hypertrophy virus of houseflies (MdSGHV) shuts down reproduction in infected females. The mechanism that underlay the disruption of reproduction functioned on several levels. Females infected at the previtellogenic stage did not produce eggs, reflecting a block in the gonadotropic cycle. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis of hemolymph samples demonstrated that MdSGHV infection reduced the levels of both the female-specific hexamerin and egg yolk proteins. Furthermore, reverse transcriptase quantitative real-time PCR data demonstrated that infection blocked hexamerin and yolk protein gene transcription. When females were allowed to develop eggs prior to infection (postvitellogenic stage), the outcome of mating attempts depended upon when mating took place. If egg-containing, virus-infected females were mated within 24 h of infection, they copulated and deposited a single batch of fertilized eggs. However, if mating was delayed for a longer period, the egg-containing females refused to copulate with healthy males. Both of these results suggested that a virus-induced signal influenced the central nervous system, shutting down female receptivity and egg production. All experiments demonstrated that MdSGHV-infected males did not display azoospermia and were fertile. Both healthy females mated with infected males, and the resulting F1 progeny were free of salivary gland hypertrophy symptoms, which suggests that the virus is not sexually or vertically transmitted. PMID:17827327

High estradiol and low progesterone are associated with high assertiveness in women.

PubMed

Blake, Khandis R; Bastian, Brock; O'Dean, Siobhan M; Denson, Thomas F

2017-01-01

Sexual selection theory posits that women are more selective than men are when choosing a mate. This evolutionary theory suggests that "choosiness" increases during the fertile window because the costs and benefits of mate selection are highest when women are likely to conceive. Little research has directly investigated reproductive correlates of choice assertion. To address this gap, in the present research we investigated whether fertility, estradiol, and progesterone influenced general assertiveness in women. We recruited 98 naturally cycling, ethnically diverse women. Using a within-subjects design and ovarian hormone concentrations at fertile and non-fertile menstrual cycle phases, we measured implicit assertiveness and self-reported assertive behavior. To see if fertility-induced high assertiveness was related to increased sexual motivation, we also measured women's implicit sexual availability and interest in buying sexy clothes. Results showed that high estradiol and low progesterone predicted higher assertiveness. Sexual availability increased during periods of high fertility. Low progesterone combined with high estradiol predicted greater interest in buying sexy clothes. Results held when controlling for individual differences in mate value and sociosexual orientation. Our findings support the role of fluctuating ovarian hormones in the expression and magnitude of women's assertiveness. High assertiveness during the fertile window may be a psychological adaptation that promotes mate selectivity and safeguards against indiscriminate mate choice when conception risk is highest. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cryptic sexual conflict in gift-giving insects: chasing the chase-away.

PubMed

Sakaluk, Scott K; Avery, Rachel L; Weddle, Carie B

2006-01-01

The chase-away model of sexual selection posits that elaborate male sexual displays arise because they exploit preexisting biases in females' sensory systems and induce females to mate in a suboptimal manner. An essential element of this hypothesis is that such manipulation should quickly lead to female resistance to male displays. Nuptial food gifts may be a frequent conduit by which males attempt to influence the mating behavior of females against females' own reproductive interests. In decorated crickets Gryllodes sigillatus, such inducements come in the form of a spermatophylax, a gelatinous mass forming part of the male's spermatophore and consumed by the female after mating. We conducted experiments in which spermatophylaxes obtained from male G. sigillatus were offered as novel food gifts to females of a non-gift-giving species (Acheta domesticus) having no evolutionary history of spermatophylax consumption. Female A. domesticus that were allowed to consume the spermatophylax took significantly longer to remate than when given no such opportunity. In contrast, when female G. sigillatus were prevented from consuming their partners' nuptial gifts, there was no difference in their propensity to remate relative to females permitted to consume a food gift after mating. These results suggest that the spermatophylax synthesized by male G. sigillatus contains substances designed to inhibit the sexual receptivity of their mates but that female G. sigillatus have evolved reduced responsiveness to these substances.

Reconstruction of parental microsatellite genotypes reveals female polyandry and philopatry in the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris.

PubMed

Feldheim, Kevin A; Gruber, Samuel H; Ashley, Mary V

2004-10-01

Because sharks possess an unusual suite of reproductive characteristics, including internal fertilization, sperm storage, relatively low fecundity, and reproductive modes that range from oviparity to viviparity, they can provide important insight into the evolution of mating systems and sexual selection. Yet, to date, few studies have characterized behavioral and genetic mating systems in natural populations of sharks or other elasmobranchs. In this study, highly polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to examine breeding biology of a large coastal shark, the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, at a tropical lagoon nursery. Over six years, 910 lemon sharks were sampled and genotyped. Young were assigned into sibling groups that were then used to reconstruct genotypes of unsampled adults. We assigned 707 of 735 young sharks to one of 45 female genotypes (96.2%), and 485 (66.0%) were assigned to a male genotype. Adult female sharks consistently returned to Bimini on a biennial cycle to give birth. Over 86% of litters had multiple sires. Such high levels of polyandry raise the possibility that polyandry evolved in viviparous sharks to reduce genetic incompatibilities between mother and embryos. We did not find a relationship between relatedness of mates and the number of offspring produced, indicating that inbreeding avoidance was probably not driving pre- or postcopulatory mate choice. Adult male sharks rarely sired more than one litter at Bimini and may mate over a broader geographic area.

Military Suicide Research Consortium: Extension to New Opportunities and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-01

Abnormal Psychology . 56. Tucker, R., Michaels, M., Rogers, M., Wingate, L., & Joiner, T. (2016). Construct validity of a proposed new diagnostic entity...analysis with implications for understanding suicidal behavior. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 123, 835-840. 2. Anestis, M., Soberay, K., Gutierrez, P...predictions of the interpersonal- psychological theory of suicidal behavior: Empirical tests in two samples of young adults. Journal of Abnormal

Military Suicide Research Consortium

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

just prior to the time of death: An analysis with implications for understanding suicidal behavior. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 124(2), 460-461...suicidal behavior. Journal of Abnormal Psychology , 123(4), 835-840. doi: 10.1037/a0037480 Johnson, L. L., O’Connor, S.S., Kaminer, B., Jobes, D. A...Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology ; Journal of Abnormal Psychology ; International Journal of Psychology ; Archives of Suicide Research

Alternative Reproductive Tactics Arising from a Continuous Behavioral Trait: Callers versus Satellites in Field Crickets.

PubMed

Rotenberry, John T; Swanger, Elizabeth; Zuk, Marlene

2015-04-01

Alternative reproductive tactics may arise when natural enemies use sexual signals to locate the signaler. In field crickets, elevated costs to male calling due to acoustically orienting parasitoid flies create opportunity for an alternative tactic, satellite behavior, where noncalling males intercept females attracted to callers. Although the caller-satellite system in crickets that risk detection by parasitoids resembles distinct behavioral phenotypes, a male's propensity to behave as caller or satellite can be a continuously variable trait over several temporal scales, and an individual may pursue alternate tactics at different times. We modeled a caller-satellite-parasitoid system as a spatially explicit interaction among male and female crickets using individual-based simulation. Males varied in their propensity to call versus behave as a satellite from one night to the next. We varied mortality, density, sex ratio, and female mating behavior, and recorded lifetime number of mates as a function of a male's probability of calling (vs. acting as a satellite) along a gradient in parasitism risk. Frequently, the optimal behavior switched abruptly from being pure caller (call every night) to pure satellite (never call) as parasitism rate increased. However, mixed strategies prevailed even with high parasitism risk under conditions of higher background mortality rate, decreasing density, increasing female-biased sex ratio, and increasing female choosiness. In natural populations, high parasitoid pressure alone would be unlikely to yield fixation of pure satellite behavior.