Alternative mating tactics in dimorphic males of the harvestman Longiperna concolor (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Autor(es)

Zatz, Camila ^[1] ; Werneck, Rachel M. ^[1] ; Macias-Ordonez, Rogelio ^[2] ; Machado, Glauco ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Ecol, Programa Posgrad Ecol, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Inst Ecol, Dept Evolut Biol, AC, Xalapa, Veracruz - Mexico

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, Dept Ecol, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY; v. 65, n. 5, p. 995-1005, MAY 2011.
• Citações Web of Science: 30

Resumo

Intense male-male competition for females may drive the evolution of male morphological dimorphism, which is frequently associated with alternative mating tactics. Using modern techniques for the detection of discontinuous allometries, we describe male dimorphism in the Neotropical harvestman Longiperna concolor, the males of which use their elongated, sexually dimorphic legs IV in fights for the possession of territories where females lay eggs. We also tested three predictions related to the existence of alternative mating tactics: (1) if individuals with relatively longer legs IV (majors) are more likely to monopolize access to reproductive resources, they are expected to remain close to stable groups of females more than individuals with relatively shorter legs IV (minors) do; (2) if minors achieve fertilization by moving between territories, they are expected to be less faithful to specific sites; and (3) majors should be observed in aggressive interactions more often. We individually marked all the individuals from a population of Longiperna during the reproductive season and recorded the location of each sighting for males and females as well as the identity of males involved in fights. Majors were more likely to have harems, and large majors were even more likely to do so. Majors were more philopatric and all males involved in fights belonged to this morph. These results strongly suggest that the mating tactic of the majors is based on resource defense whereas that of the minors probably relies on sneaking into the territories of the majors and furtively copulating with females. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 09/09453-2 - Evolução do dimorfismo sexual e intra-sexual em opiliões da família Gonyleptidae (Arachnida: Opiliones)
• Beneficiário: Rachel Miranda Werneck
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Programa Capacitação - Treinamento Técnico
• Processo FAPESP: 07/56841-2 - Estratégias de acasalamento do opilião Promitobates ornatus (Arachnida: Opiliones): sexo e violência em uma espécie sem cuidado parental
• Beneficiário: Camila Zatz de Oliveira Santos
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 08/06604-7 - Filogenia dos opiliões da família Gonyleptidae (Arachnida: Opiliones) baseada em caracteres morfológicos, moleculares e comportamentais
• Beneficiário: Ricardo Pinto da Rocha
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 09/50031-4 - Evolucao do dimorfismo sexual e intrasexual em opilioes da familia gonyleptidae (arachnida: opiliones)
• Beneficiário: Glauco Machado
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 02/00381-0 - Investimento parental e evolução do comportamento sub-social em opiliões da família Gonyleptidae (Arachnida: Opiliones)
• Beneficiário: Glauco Machado
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores