The Emei mustache toad, Leptobrachium boringii （Megophryidae）, is terrestrial but breeds in permanent streams. Primarily, it has a polygynous mating system and polyandry also occurs. The species vigorously defends s...The Emei mustache toad, Leptobrachium boringii （Megophryidae）, is terrestrial but breeds in permanent streams. Primarily, it has a polygynous mating system and polyandry also occurs. The species vigorously defends submerged nest sites. We report on a reproductive study at Mt. Emei, western China conducted in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011 during the breeding season. Males produce both advertisement and courtship calls underwater, and the latter differs from the former in having an additional trill-like last note of low intensity. Females might determine the oviposition location and hence the egg mass location. A low, submissive posture can be adopted by the male to avoid being attacked by other males. When fighting, the maxillary nuptial spines are employed as weapons, and males hold their opponents on their spines with the forelimbs that enlarge during the breeding season. Male body size and the quantity of fight wounds on its ventral side are positively correlated. Satellite male mating might exist in L. boringii. Additionally, underwater calls from another population of this species and a population of L. leishanense generally are similar to those of the population from Mt. Emei.展开更多
Animals choose among sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors based on the integration of both external sensory cues and internal states; such choices are essential for survival and reproduction. These competing behavi...Animals choose among sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors based on the integration of both external sensory cues and internal states; such choices are essential for survival and reproduction. These competing behaviors are closely related and controlled by distinct neural circuits, but whether they are also regulated by shared neural nodes is unclear. Here, we investigated how a set of male-specific P1 neurons controls sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors in Drosophila males. We found that mild activation of P1 neurons was sufficient to affect sleep, but not courtship or feeding, while stronger activation of P1 neurons labeled by four out of five independent drivers induced courtship, but only the driver that targeted the largest number of P1 neurons affected feeding. These results reveal a common neural node that affects sleep,courtship, and feeding in a threshold-dependent manner,and provide insights into how competing behaviors can be regulated by a shared neural node.展开更多
以拟环纹豹蛛Pardosa pseudoannulata为研究对象,对其在室内求偶和交配行为进行了详细描述.雄蛛第1对步足水平前伸高频颤动及雄蛛触肢"划浆"式动作是其典型求偶行为.雄蛛触肢上黑白相间的毛丛在求偶中可能具重要作用.第1对步...以拟环纹豹蛛Pardosa pseudoannulata为研究对象,对其在室内求偶和交配行为进行了详细描述.雄蛛第1对步足水平前伸高频颤动及雄蛛触肢"划浆"式动作是其典型求偶行为.雄蛛触肢上黑白相间的毛丛在求偶中可能具重要作用.第1对步足水平前伸,同时身体平卧地面为雌蛛典型性接受行为.拟环纹豹蛛交配成功率为74.23%,完整交配一次雄蛛左右触肢器分别插入1次,基血囊膨大多次.交配前求偶潜伏时间、求偶持续时间和交配持续时间平均分别为31 s、4 min 32 s和26 min 49 s.拟环纹豹蛛雄蛛可进行多次交配,而雌蛛单次交配.雌蛛具同类相食习性,交配前和交配后雌蛛同类相食率依次为9.28%和16.18%.展开更多
Variations in male body size are known to affect inter- and intrasexual selection outcomes in a wide range of animals. In mating systems involving sexual signaling before mating, body size often acts as a key factor a...Variations in male body size are known to affect inter- and intrasexual selection outcomes in a wide range of animals. In mating systems involving sexual signaling before mating, body size often acts as a key factor affecting signal strength and mate choice. We evaluated the effect of male size on courtship displays and mating success of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae （Diptera： Tephritidae）. Wing vibrations performed during successful and unsuccessful courtships by large and small males were recorded by high-speed videos and analyzed through frame-by-frame analysis. Mating success of large and small males was investigated. The effect of male-male competition on mating success was evaluated. Male body size affected both male courtship signals and mating outcomes. Successful males showed wing-borne signals with high frequencies and short interpulse intervals. Wing vibrations displayed by successful large males during copulation attempt had higher frequencies over smaller males and unsuccessful large males. In no-competition conditions, large males achieved higher mating success with respect to smaller ones. Allowing large and small males to compete for a female, large males achieve more mating success over smaller ones. Mate choice by females may be based on selection of the larger males, able to produce high-frequency wing vibrations. Such traits may be indicative of ＂good genes,＂ which under sexual selection could means good social-interaction genes, or a good competitive manipulator of conspecifics.展开更多
Lysiphlebus testaceipes （Hymenoptera： Braconidae： Aphidiinae） is a generalist endoparasitoid attacking more than 100 aphid species. In L. testaceipes, wing fanning is a main male courtship display evoked by a fema...Lysiphlebus testaceipes （Hymenoptera： Braconidae： Aphidiinae） is a generalist endoparasitoid attacking more than 100 aphid species. In L. testaceipes, wing fanning is a main male courtship display evoked by a female-borne sex pheromone. However, no information is available on the characteristics and behavioral role of male fanning during courtship in this parasitoid. Here, the courtship behavior of a wild strain ofL. testaceipes was quantified and the male wing fanning performances were analyzed through high-speed video recordings and examined in relation to mating success. Courtship sequence of wild L. testaceipes did not substantially differ from that previously reported for other populations mass reared on aphids. We observed that the male courtship duration did not affect mating success. However, video analysis revealed that the males producing high-frequency fanning signals achieved higher mating success over those that display low-frequency fanning. Wing fanning before successful and unsuccessful courtship differed in amplitude of wing movements and alignment toward the mate, highlighting that frontal courtship positively influence the female mating decisions. This study increases knowledge on sexual behavior in a key parasitoid of aphids, highlighting the importance of wing fanning among the range of sensory modalities used in the sexual communication ofL. testaceipes. From a practical point of view, this information is useful in L. testaceipes-based biocontrol strategies, since it can help to establish parameters for quality checking of mass-reared wasps over time.展开更多
The aboveground oligolectic bee,Heriades truncorum,is a particularly good model for studying the impact of pesticides on sexual communication,since some aspects of its mating behavior have previously been described.We...The aboveground oligolectic bee,Heriades truncorum,is a particularly good model for studying the impact of pesticides on sexual communication,since some aspects of its mating behavior have previously been described.We have tested(1)the interference of the pesticide flupyradifurone on male precopulatory behavior and male mating partner preferences,(2)the way that the pesticide interferes in male quality assessment by the female,and(3)the effects of the pesticide on the chemical compounds in the female cuticle.We exposed bees of both sexes to a sublethal concentration of flupyradifurone.Various behaviors were registered in a mating arena with two females(one unexposed and one exposed)and one male(either unexposed or exposed).Unexposed males were quicker to attempt to mate.Treatment also impacted precopulatory behavior and male quality assessment by females.Males approached unexposed females more quickly than insecticideexposed ones.Females exposed to insecticide produced lower amounts of some cuticular hydrocarbons(sex pheromone candidates)and appeared less choosy than unexposed females.Our findings suggest that insecticide exposure affects sexual communication,playing a role both in male preference and in male quality assessment by the female.展开更多
Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera.However,the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps....Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera.However,the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps.In this study,we functionally characterized a candidate sex pheromone component in Microplitis mediator(Hymenoptera:Braconidae),a solitary parasitoid of Noctuidae insects.We found that the body surface extract from female wasps could significantly stimulate courtship behavior of males.Gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection(GC-EAD)analysis revealed that a candidate semiochemical from extract triggered significant electrophysiological response of antennae of males.By performing gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(GC-MS)measurement,GC-EAD active compound was identified as n-octyl acrylate,a candidate sex pheromone component in female M.mediator.In electroantennogram(EAG)tests,antennae of male wasps showed significantly higher electrophysiological responses to n-octyl acrylate than those of females.Y-tube olfactometer assays indicated that male wasps significantly chose n-octyl acrylate compared with the control.Furthermore,male wasps showed a remarkable preference for n-octyl acrylate in a simulated field condition behavioral trial;simultaneously,n-octyl acrylate standard could also trigger significant courtship behavior in males.We propose that n-octyl acrylate,as a candidate vital sex pheromone component,could be utilized to design behavioral regulators of M.mediator to implement the protection and utilization of natural enemies.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(NSFC-30870278,NSFC-30900134)Chinese Academy of Sciences(08B3031100,09C3011100,KSCX-SW-119,KSCX2-YW-Z-0906,KSCX2-EW-J-22)
文摘The Emei mustache toad, Leptobrachium boringii （Megophryidae）, is terrestrial but breeds in permanent streams. Primarily, it has a polygynous mating system and polyandry also occurs. The species vigorously defends submerged nest sites. We report on a reproductive study at Mt. Emei, western China conducted in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011 during the breeding season. Males produce both advertisement and courtship calls underwater, and the latter differs from the former in having an additional trill-like last note of low intensity. Females might determine the oviposition location and hence the egg mass location. A low, submissive posture can be adopted by the male to avoid being attacked by other males. When fighting, the maxillary nuptial spines are employed as weapons, and males hold their opponents on their spines with the forelimbs that enlarge during the breeding season. Male body size and the quantity of fight wounds on its ventral side are positively correlated. Satellite male mating might exist in L. boringii. Additionally, underwater calls from another population of this species and a population of L. leishanense generally are similar to those of the population from Mt. Emei.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (BK20150597 and BK20160025)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31571093 and 31622028)the Thousand Young Talents Program in China
文摘Animals choose among sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors based on the integration of both external sensory cues and internal states; such choices are essential for survival and reproduction. These competing behaviors are closely related and controlled by distinct neural circuits, but whether they are also regulated by shared neural nodes is unclear. Here, we investigated how a set of male-specific P1 neurons controls sleep, courtship, and feeding behaviors in Drosophila males. We found that mild activation of P1 neurons was sufficient to affect sleep, but not courtship or feeding, while stronger activation of P1 neurons labeled by four out of five independent drivers induced courtship, but only the driver that targeted the largest number of P1 neurons affected feeding. These results reveal a common neural node that affects sleep,courtship, and feeding in a threshold-dependent manner,and provide insights into how competing behaviors can be regulated by a shared neural node.
文摘以拟环纹豹蛛Pardosa pseudoannulata为研究对象,对其在室内求偶和交配行为进行了详细描述.雄蛛第1对步足水平前伸高频颤动及雄蛛触肢"划浆"式动作是其典型求偶行为.雄蛛触肢上黑白相间的毛丛在求偶中可能具重要作用.第1对步足水平前伸,同时身体平卧地面为雌蛛典型性接受行为.拟环纹豹蛛交配成功率为74.23%,完整交配一次雄蛛左右触肢器分别插入1次,基血囊膨大多次.交配前求偶潜伏时间、求偶持续时间和交配持续时间平均分别为31 s、4 min 32 s和26 min 49 s.拟环纹豹蛛雄蛛可进行多次交配,而雌蛛单次交配.雌蛛具同类相食习性,交配前和交配后雌蛛同类相食率依次为9.28%和16.18%.
文摘Variations in male body size are known to affect inter- and intrasexual selection outcomes in a wide range of animals. In mating systems involving sexual signaling before mating, body size often acts as a key factor affecting signal strength and mate choice. We evaluated the effect of male size on courtship displays and mating success of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae （Diptera： Tephritidae）. Wing vibrations performed during successful and unsuccessful courtships by large and small males were recorded by high-speed videos and analyzed through frame-by-frame analysis. Mating success of large and small males was investigated. The effect of male-male competition on mating success was evaluated. Male body size affected both male courtship signals and mating outcomes. Successful males showed wing-borne signals with high frequencies and short interpulse intervals. Wing vibrations displayed by successful large males during copulation attempt had higher frequencies over smaller males and unsuccessful large males. In no-competition conditions, large males achieved higher mating success with respect to smaller ones. Allowing large and small males to compete for a female, large males achieve more mating success over smaller ones. Mate choice by females may be based on selection of the larger males, able to produce high-frequency wing vibrations. Such traits may be indicative of ＂good genes,＂ which under sexual selection could means good social-interaction genes, or a good competitive manipulator of conspecifics.
文摘Lysiphlebus testaceipes （Hymenoptera： Braconidae： Aphidiinae） is a generalist endoparasitoid attacking more than 100 aphid species. In L. testaceipes, wing fanning is a main male courtship display evoked by a female-borne sex pheromone. However, no information is available on the characteristics and behavioral role of male fanning during courtship in this parasitoid. Here, the courtship behavior of a wild strain ofL. testaceipes was quantified and the male wing fanning performances were analyzed through high-speed video recordings and examined in relation to mating success. Courtship sequence of wild L. testaceipes did not substantially differ from that previously reported for other populations mass reared on aphids. We observed that the male courtship duration did not affect mating success. However, video analysis revealed that the males producing high-frequency fanning signals achieved higher mating success over those that display low-frequency fanning. Wing fanning before successful and unsuccessful courtship differed in amplitude of wing movements and alignment toward the mate, highlighting that frontal courtship positively influence the female mating decisions. This study increases knowledge on sexual behavior in a key parasitoid of aphids, highlighting the importance of wing fanning among the range of sensory modalities used in the sexual communication ofL. testaceipes. From a practical point of view, this information is useful in L. testaceipes-based biocontrol strategies, since it can help to establish parameters for quality checking of mass-reared wasps over time.
文摘The aboveground oligolectic bee,Heriades truncorum,is a particularly good model for studying the impact of pesticides on sexual communication,since some aspects of its mating behavior have previously been described.We have tested(1)the interference of the pesticide flupyradifurone on male precopulatory behavior and male mating partner preferences,(2)the way that the pesticide interferes in male quality assessment by the female,and(3)the effects of the pesticide on the chemical compounds in the female cuticle.We exposed bees of both sexes to a sublethal concentration of flupyradifurone.Various behaviors were registered in a mating arena with two females(one unexposed and one exposed)and one male(either unexposed or exposed).Unexposed males were quicker to attempt to mate.Treatment also impacted precopulatory behavior and male quality assessment by females.Males approached unexposed females more quickly than insecticideexposed ones.Females exposed to insecticide produced lower amounts of some cuticular hydrocarbons(sex pheromone candidates)and appeared less choosy than unexposed females.Our findings suggest that insecticide exposure affects sexual communication,playing a role both in male preference and in male quality assessment by the female.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32150410366,31972338,and 32372639)China Agriculture Research System(CARS-02-26)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFD1400700).
文摘Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera.However,the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps.In this study,we functionally characterized a candidate sex pheromone component in Microplitis mediator(Hymenoptera:Braconidae),a solitary parasitoid of Noctuidae insects.We found that the body surface extract from female wasps could significantly stimulate courtship behavior of males.Gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection(GC-EAD)analysis revealed that a candidate semiochemical from extract triggered significant electrophysiological response of antennae of males.By performing gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(GC-MS)measurement,GC-EAD active compound was identified as n-octyl acrylate,a candidate sex pheromone component in female M.mediator.In electroantennogram(EAG)tests,antennae of male wasps showed significantly higher electrophysiological responses to n-octyl acrylate than those of females.Y-tube olfactometer assays indicated that male wasps significantly chose n-octyl acrylate compared with the control.Furthermore,male wasps showed a remarkable preference for n-octyl acrylate in a simulated field condition behavioral trial;simultaneously,n-octyl acrylate standard could also trigger significant courtship behavior in males.We propose that n-octyl acrylate,as a candidate vital sex pheromone component,could be utilized to design behavioral regulators of M.mediator to implement the protection and utilization of natural enemies.
