Mating in the cold. Prolonged sperm storage provides opportunities for forced copulation by male bats during winter.

ABSTRACT: In a wide range of heterothermic mammals, hibernation interrupts the reproductive cycle by forcing reproductive delays. In hibernating bats with delayed fertilization, an opportunity for sperm competition is enhanced by extending a time-window between copulations and fertilization. In order to achieve greater fertilization success, males are expected to show adaptations for sperm competition by increasing their opportunities for mating over an extended period. We aimed to clarify the physiological and behavioral characteristics of male bats experiencing increased risks of sperm competition. We investigated the characteristics of the reproductive cycle of the little horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus cornutus), and examined whether males retain reproductive physiology related to sexual behav

SUBMITTER: Sato T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10511888 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature