Sexual selection on cuticular hydrocarbons in the Australian field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Females in a wide range of taxa have been shown to base their choice of mates on pheromone signals. However, little research has focussed specifically on the form and intensity of selection that mate choice imposes on the pheromone signal. Using multivariate selection analysis, we characterise directly the form and intensity of sexual selection acting on cuticular hydrocarbons, chemical compounds widely used in the selection of mates in insects. Using the Australian field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus as a model organism, we use three measures of male attractiveness to estimate fitness; mating success, the duration of courtship required to elicit copulation, and subsequent spermatophore attachment duration.

Results

We found that all three measures of male attract

SUBMITTER: Thomas ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2728729 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature