Path analysis and the relative importance of male–female conflict, female choice and male–male competition in water striders

doi:10.1006/anbe.2002.2002

Animal Behaviour

Volume 63, Issue 6, June 2002, Pages 1079-1089

https://doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2002.2002 Get rights and content

Abstract

Three major behavioural mechanisms underlying sexual selection in many systems are male–male competition, female choice and male–female conflict. We used path analysis to evaluate the relative importance of these mechanisms in generating sexual selection on a suite of male traits in the stream-dwelling water strider, Aquarius remigis. To gather data for the analysis, we quantified the morphology (total length, limb length, forefemur width, genital length), behaviour (activity), mating frequency, mean mating duration and overall mating success of 96 adult males over a 10-day period. Males varied considerably in mating success. Over the 10 days, individual males mated 0–14 times, spending 0–67% of their time in copula. Path analysis showed that male–male competition was important in favouring larger males with longer limbs that tended to be more active. Active males should encounter females more frequently. In water striders, almost all male–female encounters result in intense premating struggles pitting female resistance to mating against male insistence. This male–female conflict favoured larger males with longer genitalia. These traits help males overcome female resistance. Female choice was expressed via female-controlled variation in mate-guarding durations. Female choice favoured smaller males perhaps because they are lighter, less expensive ‘shields’ against harassment by other males. Male size thus affected mating success via all three behavioural mechanisms. Weak, overall sexual selection favouring larger males was the product of conflicting effects: male–female conflict strongly favouring larger males and male–male competition weakly favouring larger males, offset by female choice favouring smaller males. Separate analyses for warmer versus colder days showed that on colder days (daily high below 20 °C), male–male competition was the main mechanism generating variation in mating frequency, while on warmer days, both male–male competition and male–female conflict were important. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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^f1: Correspondence and present address: A. Sih, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. (email: [email protected]).

^f2: M. Lauer is now at the Biology Department, Viterbo University, 815 South 9th Street, La Crosse, WI 54601, U.S.A.

^f3: J. J. Krupa is at the T. H. Morgan School of Biological Sciences, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0225, U.S.A.

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Regular ArticlesPath analysis and the relative importance of male–female conflict, female choice and male–male competition in water striders

Abstract

Animal Behaviour

Animal Behaviour

Trends in Ecology and Evolution

Animal Behaviour

Trends in Ecology and Evolution

Animal Behaviour

Trends in Ecology and Evolution

Animal Behaviour

Animal Behaviour

The Semiaquatic Bugs (Hemiptera: Gerromorpha): Phylogeny, Adaptations, Biogeography and Classification

Sexual Selection

Morphology, performance and fitness

American Zoologist

Animal mating systems: a synthesis based on selection theory

American Naturalist

On the measurement of natural and sexual selection: theory

Evolution

Spatial variation in selective regimes: sexual selection in the water strider, Gerris odontogaster

Evolution

The evolution of water strider mating systems: causes and consequences of sexual conflicts

Postmating sexual selection: the effects of male body size and recovery period on paternity and egg production in a water strider

Behavioral Ecology

Fitness consequences of alternative life histories in water striders, Aquarius remigis (Heteroptera: Gerridae)

Oecologia

Social Competition and Cooperation in Insects and Arachnids. Vol. I. Evolution of Mating Systems

The effects of operational sex ratio and food deprivation on copulation duration in the waterstrider (Gerris remigis Say)

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Antagonistic pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection on male body size in a water strider (Gerris lacustris)

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B

Female Control: Sexual Selection by Cryptic Female Choice

Sexual selection for homogamy in the Gerridae: an extension of Ridley's comparative approach

Evolution

Costs of loading associated with mate-carrying in the waterstrider, Aquarius remigis

Behavioral Ecology

Sexual selection and the evolution of allometry for sexual size dimorphism in the water strider, Aquarius remigis

American Naturalist

Predation risk and social interference as factors influencing habitat selection in two species of stream-dwelling waterstriders

Behavioral Ecology

Sex, Color and Mate Choice in Guppies

Egg-mimicry as a male mating strategy in the fantail darter, Etheostoma flabellare: females prefer males with eggs

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Experimental studies on water strider mating dynamics: spatial variation in density and sex ratio

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

Regular Articles
Path analysis and the relative importance of male–female conflict, female choice and male–male competition in water striders