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Ladies First: Coerced Mating in a Fiddler Crab
Christina J Painting1,2, William Splinter1, Sophia Callander1
1Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Plos One
|June 16, 2016
Summary
Male fiddler crabs (Uca mjoebergi) coerce females into mating by trapping them in burrows. This reproductive strategy ensures fertilization, even if the female initially intended to leave.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Evolutionary biology
- Marine biology
Background:
- Sexual conflict is common in nature, with males often using coercive tactics to increase reproductive success.
- In many species, males physically restrain females to ensure copulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a novel coercive mating strategy in Uca mjoebergi fiddler crabs.
- To determine the effectiveness of male burrow-trapping tactics on female mating decisions and reproductive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of Uca mjoebergi mating behavior within their natural burrow environment.
- Quantification of female entry rates into male burrows under different male tactics (entering first vs. trapping).
- Assessment of female entrapment rates and subsequent egg clutch production.
Main Results:
- Males trapping females upon entry resulted in a lower initial female burrow entry rate (41%) compared to males entering first (71%).
- However, females entering trapped burrows had a high entrapment rate (79%) and a very high subsequent egg clutch production rate (90%).
- This suggests males gain fertilizations from females who might not have otherwise mated.
Conclusions:
- Male Uca mjoebergi employ a coercive mating strategy by trapping females in burrows.
- This trapping tactic effectively secures mating opportunities and ensures fertilization, despite a lower initial female acceptance rate.
- The study highlights the diverse and often forceful strategies employed by males in sexual conflict to maximize reproductive success.