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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Sexually dimorphic traits and male fertility in a paper wasp

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Author(s):
de Souza, Andre Rodrigues [1] ; Santos, Eduardo Fernando [2] ; do Nascimento, Fabio Santos [1] ; Stanyon, Roscoe [3] ; Lino-Neto, Jose [4] ; Beani, Laura [3]
Total Authors: 6
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Dept Biol, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Dept Zool & Bot, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto - Brazil
[3] Univ Florence, Dept Biol, Florence - Italy
[4] Univ Fed Vicosa, Dept Biol Geral, Vicosa, MG - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 4
Document type: Journal article
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society; v. 130, n. 3, p. 555-562, JUL 2020.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

Females of many social Hymenoptera commit their reproductive potential to a single male; they mate once and never re-mate. Sexual selection theory predicts that under this regimen female precopulatory mate choice is crucial. The targets of female choice, male secondary sexual traits, should convey information about the functional fertility of the male. Here, we evaluated semen quality and its correlates in the paper wasp Polistes dominula, a monandric species with a lek-based mating system. The main goal of the study was to test whether sperm viability and the total number of sperm covaried with sexually dimorphic abdominal spots, body size and parasitic infection by Xenos vesparum. Surprisingly, superior male fertility was not predicted by attractive sexual traits, such as little round spots and large body size. We also found no effect of the parasite on male fertility, sexual ornamentation or body size. We found only that sperm viability was positively associated with the number of sperm. Moreover, there was evidence of a counterintuitive relationship between (sexually unattractive) large irregular spots and large body size of dominant successful males. Overall, our results suggest a condition-dependent trade-off between body size and costly sexual signals. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 16/18254-7 - DIRECT BENEFITS RESULTING FROM FEMALE MATE CHOICE FOR ORNAMENTED MALES: THE PHENOTYPE-LINKED FERTILITY HIPOTHESIS IN THE EUSOCIAL PAPER WASP Polistes dominula (HYMENOPTERA: VESPIDAE: POLISTINAE)
Grantee:André Rodrigues de Souza
Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor