Paternal care and sexual selection in harvestmen from the Atlantic Forest

• Grant number: 22/07338-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: June 08, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Glauco Machado
• Grantee: Laís Aline Grossel
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/17863-3 - In search of the first caregiver: the evolution of parental care in Opiliones, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Theoretical models and empirical evidence accumulated in recent years suggest that the evolution of paternal care in lineages such as fish, anurans and arthropods is more related to female choice than to offspring protection. Therefore, studying the interrelationship between paternal care and sexual selection is essential to understand why males of some species take care of their offspring alone. The general objective of this project is to explore the interrelationships between paternal care and sexual selection in three harvestmen species from the Atlantic Forest. The project is divided into three chapters that explore complementary issues in order to provide a comprehensive perspective on the general theme of the thesis. In chapter 1, we hope to identify whether parental males of Juticus sp. (Gonyleptidae: Gonyleptinae) are preferred over non-parentals and whether they adopt unattended spawning as a way to increase their attractiveness to females. In chapter 2, we want to understand how parental males of Iporangaia pustulosa (Gonyleptidae: Progonyleptoidelinae) signal to females their body condition as good partners. In chapter 3, we will investigate the correlation between paternity and the occurrence of amphissexual care in Serracutisoma proximum (Gonyleptidae: Goniosomatinae). The three chapters explore empirical issues that not only advance our knowledge of well-studied species, but also provide tests for theoretical issues that have yet to be explored in the literature. In Chapter 1, we will explore the generality of the sexual selection hypothesis as an explanation for the maintenance of parental care. In Chapter 2, we present the first empirical test of the predictions of the "essential care" model. Finally, in Chapter 3, we will provide the first empirical data on paternity in an amphissexual care species.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GROSSEL, LAIS A.; MACHADO, GLAUCO. Female mate choice in an arachnid with exclusive paternal care: males in good condition have higher mating success, but only if they can advertise it. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY, v. 79, n. 3, p. 11-pg., 2025-03-01. (22/07338-6, 21/00915-5, 15/11817-3)