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Experimental manipulation reveals a trade-off between weapons and testes.

U Somjee1, C W Miller1, N J Tatarnic2,3

  • 1Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|November 23, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Resource allocation trade-offs between sexually selected weapons and testes in Mictis profana were revealed through experimental manipulation. Males without weapons invested more in testes, suggesting a trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits.

Keywords:
allocation trade-offshemimetabolous insectsphenotypic engineeringpost-copulatory competitionprecopulatory competition

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Sexual Selection

Background:

  • Sexual selection theory predicts a trade-off between pre-copulatory traits (weapons) and post-copulatory traits (testes).
  • Resource availability can mask these trade-offs, as individuals may invest in both trait types.
  • Mictis profana (Hemiptera: Coreidae) uses hind legs as sexually selected weapons for female access.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally investigate the resource allocation trade-off between sexually selected weapons and testes in Mictis profana.
  • To determine if resource allocation to weapons influences investment in post-copulatory traits.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental hind leg autotomy in developing Mictis profana males to prevent weapon development.
  • Comparison of trait expression (testes mass, other sexual and natural traits) between weaponless males and a control group (mid-leg autotomy).
  • Analysis of wild adult male population for correlations between weapon and testes investment.

Main Results:

  • Males experimentally prevented from developing hind leg weapons invested proportionally more in testes mass compared to controls.
  • No significant differences were observed in other pre-copulatory, post-copulatory, or naturally selected traits between groups.
  • A positive correlation between testes and weapon investment was found in wild adult males.

Conclusions:

  • Experimental manipulation revealed a resource allocation trade-off between pre- (weapons) and post-copulatory (testes) sexual traits in Mictis profana.
  • The study highlights the importance of experimental approaches to uncover resource allocation trade-offs that may be masked by natural variation.
  • Findings contribute to understanding the complex interplay of resource allocation in shaping sexual trait evolution.