Male black widows parasitize mate-searching effort of rivals to find females faster

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
Catherine E ScottM C B Andrade

Abstract

Mate-searching success is a critical precursor to mating, but there is a dearth of research on traits and tactics that confer a competitive advantage in finding potential mates. Theory and available empirical evidence suggest that males locate mates using mate-attraction signals produced by receptive females (personal information) and avoid inadvertently produced cues from rival males (social information) that indicate a female has probably already mated. Here, we show that western black widow males use both kinds of information to find females efficiently, parasitizing the searching effort of rivals in a way that guarantees competition over mating after reaching a female's web. This tactic may be adaptive because female receptivity is transient, and we show that (i) mate searching is risky (88% mortality) and (ii) a strongly male-biased operational sex ratio (from 1.2 : 1 to more than 10 : 1) makes competition inevitable. Males with access to rivals' silk trails moved at higher speeds than those with only personal information, and located females even when personal information was unreliable or absent. We show that following rivals can increase the potential for sexual selection on females as well as males and argue it may be ...Continue Reading

Associated Datasets

References

Jul 15, 1977·Science·S T Emlen, L W Oring
Aug 1, 1990·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M J Wade, S G Pruett-Jones
Nov 1, 1963·Journal of Theoretical Biology·W H Bossert, E O Wilson
Dec 24, 2002·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Thomas J Valone, Jennifer J Templeton
May 27, 2004·Learning & Behavior·David J White
Jul 24, 2008·Biology Letters·Robert J Fletcher, Christine W Miller
Oct 30, 2009·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·J A Stoltz, M C B Andrade
Jul 1, 1992·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·R M Gibson, J Höglund
Mar 2, 2011·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Guillaume Rieucau, Luc-Alain Giraldeau
Apr 5, 2011·The American Naturalist·Laura K WeirJeffrey A Hutchings
Sep 6, 2011·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Dominic A Edward, Tracey Chapman
Sep 14, 2012·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Tomer J CzaczkesFrancis L W Ratnieks
Jan 24, 2015·Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR·Jill GilkersonKeith Topping
Dec 1, 2015·Current Zoology·Klaudia WitteIlka Maria Kureck

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 5, 2020·Die Naturwissenschaften·Luciana Baruffaldi, Maydianne C B Andrade
Jul 25, 2020·BMC Evolutionary Biology·Anna-Lena Cory, Jutta M Schneider

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.