Old male mating advantage results from sexual conflict in a butterfly
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2013 |
Authors: |
Isabell Karl, Klaus Fischer |
Publication/Journal: |
Animal Behaviour |
Keywords: |
bicyclus anynana, cooperation–conflict balance, refractory period, remating propensity, reproductive effort, resource-holding potential |
ISBN: |
0003-3472 |
Abstract:
Accumulating evidence suggests that sexual conflict is all pervasive, although cooperation is evidently needed in sexually reproducing organisms. While male mating success is typically positively associated with resource-holding potential, old male mating success prevails in some organisms despite old males being in greatly reduced condition. We tested whether this counterintuitive pattern is the outcome of (1) sexual conflict or (2) female preference for older males in the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Our results support the first hypothesis as females that mated with older compared to younger males showed reduced hatching success of eggs and higher remating propensity, and tended to show shorter refractory periods. Thus, females apparently try to compensate for reduced fitness arising from mating with older (low-quality) males by being more willing to remate, especially with young and/or virgin (high-quality) males. As mating with older males negatively affects female fitness, old males may acquire a mating advantage by being more aggressive and persistent during courtship, in line with the residual reproductive value hypothesis. Thus, males increase their own reproductive success at the expense of their female partners, such that the ‘cooperation–conflict balance’ between the sexes seems to be shifted towards conflict in B. anynana.