Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T10:24:47.945Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Copulation duration and probability of insemination in Anthocoris whitei (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) as a function of male body size

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

David R. Horton ,
Tamera M. Lewis  and
Tonya Hinojosa
David R. Horton*
Affiliation:
USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, Washington, United States 98951
Tamera M. Lewis
Affiliation:
USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, Washington, United States 98951
Tonya Hinojosa
Affiliation:
USDA-ARS, 5230 Konnowac Pass Road, Wapato, Washington, United States 98951
*
1 Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed (E-mail: horton@yarl.ars.usda.gov).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The influence of male and female body size on copulation duration and probability of insemination was determined for Anthocoris whitei Reuter allowed to mate at two temperatures. Copulation duration decreased significantly with increasing male length or increasing relative size (male length divided by female length). Female length had no effect on copulation duration. We interrupted copulation at 20 or 40 min at both 25 and 15 °C to determine the interacting effects of male size, temperature, and copulation duration on probability of insemination. Insemination probabilities increased with increasing male size, increasing temperature, and increased duration of copulation. Large males were more successful than small males at inseminating females at cool temperatures and for severely shortened copulations. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that males of this species experience physical difficulties either in achieving intromission or in forcing sperm through the aedeagus, and that larger body size in males lessens these difficulties.

Résumé

L’influence de la taille du corps du mâle et de la femelle sur la durée de l’accouplement et sur la probabilité d’insémination a été examinée chez des punaises Anthocoris whitei Reuter libres de s’accoupler, à deux températures. La durée de l’accouplement est fonction inverse de la longueur du mâle ou de la taille relative (rapport longueur du mâle sur longueur de la femelle). La longueur de la femelle n’affecte pas la durée de l’accouplement. Nous avons interrompu des accouplements après 20 ou 40 min, à 25 et 15 °C pour déterminer les effets interactifs de la taille du mâle, de la température et de la durée de l’accouplement sur la probabilité d’insémination. La probabilité augmente en fonction de la taille du mâle, de la température et de la durée de l’accouplement. Les grands mâles réussissent mieux à inséminer les femelles par temps frais, au cours d’accouplements très raccourcis. Les résultats confirment l’hypothèse selon laquelle les mâles de cette espèce éprouvent des difficultés physiques à pénétrer la femelle ou à projeter le sperme par l’édéage, et une grande taille peut contribuer à diminuer ces difficultés.

[Traduit par la Rédaction]

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 133 , Issue 1 , February 2001 , pp. 109 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, N.H. 1962. Anthocoridae of the Pacific Northwest with notes on distributions, life histories, and habits (Heteroptera). The Canadian Entomologist 94: 1325–34Google Scholar
Carayon, J. 1953. Existence d'un double orifice génital et d'un tissu conducteur des spermatozöides chez les Anthocorinae (Hemipt. Anthocoridae). Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris 236: 1206–8Google Scholar
Dickinson, J.L. 1986. Prolonged mating in the milkweed leaf beetle Labidomera clivicollis clivicollis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): a test of the “sperm-loading” hypothesis. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 18: 331–8Google Scholar
Field, S.A., Taylor, P.W., Yuval, B. 1999. Sources of variability in copula duration of Mediterranean fruit flies. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 92: 271–6Google Scholar
Goldsmith, S.K., Stewart, Z., Adams, S., Trimble, A. 1996. Body size, male aggression, and male mating success in the cottonwood borer, Plectrodera scalator (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 9: 719–27Google Scholar
Hanks, L.M., Millar, J.G., Paine, T.D. 1996. Body size influences mating success of the Eucalyptus longhorned borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 9: 369–82Google Scholar
Horton, D.R., Lewis, T.M. 2000. Seasonal distribution of Anthocoris spp. and Deraeocoris brevis (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae, Miridae) in orchard and non-orchard habitats of central Washington. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 93: 476–85Google Scholar
Kelton, L.A. 1978. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 4. The Anthocoridae of Canada and Alaska. Canada Department of Agriculture Publication 1639Google Scholar
Legendre, P., Legendre, L. 1998. Numerical ecology. New York: ElsevierGoogle Scholar
McLain, D.K., Lanier, D.L., Marsh, N.B. 1990. Effects of female size, mate size, and number of copulations on fecundity, fertility, and longevity of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 83: 1130–6Google Scholar
McLain, D.K., Burnette, L.B., Deeds, D.A. 1993. Within season variation in the intensity of sexual selection on body size in the bug Margus obscurator (Hemiptera Coreidae). Ethology Ecology & Evolution 5: 75–86Google Scholar
Otronen, M. 1994. Fertilization success in the fly Dryomyza anilis (Dryomyzidae): effects of male size and the mating situation. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 35: 33–8Google Scholar
Parker, G.A., Simmons, L.W. 1994. Evolution of phenotypic optima and copula duration in dungflies. Nature (London) 370: 53–6Google Scholar
Rowe, L., Arnqvist, G. 1996. Analysis of the causal components of assortative mating in water striders. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 38: 279–86Google Scholar
SAS Institute Inc. 1987. SAS/STAT guide for personal computers, version 6 ed. Cary: SAS Institute IncGoogle Scholar
Simmons, L.W., Stockley, P., Jackson, R.L., Parker, G.A. 1996. Sperm competition or sperm selection: no evidence for female influence over paternity in yellow dung flies Scatophaga stercoraria. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 38: 199–206Google Scholar
Stoffolano, J.G. Jr, Gonzalez, E.Y., Sanchez, M., Kane, J., Velázquez, K., Oquendo, A.L., Sakolsky, G., Schafer, P., C-M, Y.i.n.. 2000. Relationship between size and mating success in the blow fly Phormia regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America 93: 673–7Google Scholar
Ward, P.I. 1998. A possible explanation for cryptic female choice in the yellow dung fly, Scathophaga stercoraria (L.): Ethology 104: 97–110Google Scholar
Ward, P.I., Simmons, L.W. 1991. Copula duration and testes size in the yellow dung fly, Scathophaga stercoraria (L.): the effects of diet, body size, and mating history. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 29: 77–85Google Scholar
Webb, J.C., Sivinski, J., Litzkow, C. 1984. Acoustical behavior and sexual success in the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Loew)(Diptera: Tephritidae). Environmental Entomology 13: 650–6Google Scholar