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Fluctuating asymmetry in relation to two fitness components, adult longevity and male mating success in a ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Author(s) -
UENO HIDEKI
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1994.tb00395.x
Subject(s) - biology , mating , coccinellidae , ecology , longevity , fluctuating asymmetry , predator , predation , genetics
Fluctuating asymmetry (random deviation from perfect symmetry between right and left with right minus left values normally distributed and with a mean of zero) results from the inability of individuals to undergo precisely determined development paths (Van Valen, 1962). Fluctuating asymmetry has been attracting the attention of biologists because this is sometimes reported to be heritable and also to have negative correlations with protein heterozygosity and with fitness components such as fecundity or growth rate (Mitton & Grant, 1984; Palmer & Strobeck, 1986; Leary & Allendorf, 1989: Parsons, 1990). Until recently, fluctuating asymmetry has not been tied to sexual selection. Recent studies suggest that fluctuating asymmetry can be used as a measurement of individual quality (Moller, 1990, 1992). Researches on scorpionflies show that more symmetrical individuals were not only gaining an advantage in competition among males but also were preferred by females, and that more asymmetrical individuals have reduced survival (Thornhill, 1992a, b). Thornhill & Sauer (1992) revealed that fluctuating asymmetry has a genetic basis and there exist genetic sire effects on the fighting ability of sons and daughters. These studies indicate that male genetic quality is concerned in the mating system of the species. In these studies, fluctuating asymmetry showed negative correlations with all measured fitness components. However, can we always expect the concordance of relations between fluctuating asymmetry and more than two fitness components? That is, does the lack of concordance indicate a mating system in which male quality is not involved? In this study, two fitness components, adult longevity and male mating success, were scored in a ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis Pallas. The results show the former had a significant negative correlation with fluctuating