Female colour form has no effect on copulation duration of the polymorphic lschnura fluviatilis (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

Autor(es)

de Almeida, Thais R. ^[1] ; Cordero-Rivera, Adolfo ^[2] ; Guillermo-Ferreira, Rhainer ^{[1, 3]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Fed Univ Grand Dourados, Grad Program Entomol & Biodivers Conservat, Dourados, MS - Brazil

^[2] Univ Vigo, ECOEVO Lab, EE Forestal, Pontevedra 36005 - Spain

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Hydrobiol Dept, LESTES Lab, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ODONATOLOGICA; v. 47, n. 3-4, p. 229-243, DEC 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

We studied a population of Ischnura fluviatilis Selys, 1876 in Mato Grosso do Sul (Brazil), to establish the range of female colour polymorphism and associated mating behaviour. We found three female colour forms: orange and brown, which were the immature and mature coloration of the commoner gynochrome morph, and a blue androchrome morph. We observed mating couples and analysed the relationship between copulation duration and phenotypic characteristics of males and females. There were significant differences between colours for female body size, fecundity, egg size and copulation duration, and in most cases the most deviant colour form was the immature orange. These females were significantly larger, and had the highest fecundity. Androchrome females produced smaller eggs. Copulations lasted on average 65 min, with the shortest copulation durations observed for brown females. Male size and the order of observation (indicative of seasonal effects) explained a significant proportion of variation in copulation duration, but female colour form, fecundity and size were not significant. We found evidence for assortative mating by size. Our results indicate that female colour does not explain variation in copulation duration, and therefore the possibility of cryptic male choice seems unlikely. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/23485-5 - International Congress of Odonatology 2015
• Beneficiário: Rhainer Guillermo Nascimento Ferreira
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Reunião - Exterior