Determinants of natural mating success in the cannibalistic orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi.

ABSTRACT: Monogynous mating systems (low male mating rates) occur in various taxa and have evolved several times independently in spiders. Monogyny is associated with remarkable male mating strategies and predicted to evolve under a male-biased sex ratio. While male reproductive strategies are well documented and male mating rates are easy to quantify, especially in sexually cannibalistic species, female reproductive strategies, the optimal female mating rate, and the factors that affect the evolution of female mating rates are still unclear. In this study, we examined natural female mating rates and tested the assumption of a male-biased sex ratio and female polyandry in a natural population of Argiope bruennichi in which we controlled female mating status prior to observations. We predicted variat

SUBMITTER: Zimmer SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3272030 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature