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RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND MATING SYSTEMS IN BUTTERFLIES.

Bengt Karlsson1

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Stockholm, S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|June 1, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Females in polyandrous species invest less in reproduction, benefiting from male nutrient gifts. Males in polyandrous species invest more, with higher reproductive capacity and ejaculate volume.

Keywords:
Comparative methodHeliconiusLepidopteramating systemnuptial giftsphylogenypolyandryresource allocationsexual size dimorphism

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Reproductive strategies

Background:

  • Resource allocation to reproduction varies significantly across species.
  • Mating systems, such as polyandry (multiple male mates) and monandry (single male mate), influence reproductive investment.
  • Nutrient transfer during mating can be a crucial benefit for females.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare resource allocation to reproductive reserves in polyandrous versus monandrous species.
  • To investigate the role of ejaculate material and male nutrient donations in female reproductive strategies.
  • To examine how pollen feeding in Heliconius butterflies affects the relationship between polyandry and reproductive resource allocation.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-taxonomic comparison of resource allocation at adult eclosion.
  • Analysis of ejaculate material received by females and reserves allocated to reproduction.
  • Comparative analysis of reproductive investment patterns in nectar-feeding versus pollen-feeding butterflies (Heliconius genus).

Main Results:

  • Females of polyandrous species receive more ejaculate material and allocate less to reproduction than monandrous females.
  • Males of polyandrous species allocate proportionally more to reproduction, possessing higher ejaculative capacity.
  • The genus Heliconius, which utilizes pollen feeding, shows a relaxed association between polyandry and reproductive resource allocation compared to nectar-feeding species.

Conclusions:

  • Females in polyandrous species benefit from male nutrient donations, leading to reduced personal investment in reproductive reserves.
  • Male reproductive investment strategies differ between polyandrous and monandrous species, reflecting ejaculate quantity and production capacity.
  • Nutrient acquisition strategies, like pollen feeding in Heliconius, can modify the direct relationship between mating systems and resource allocation to reproduction.