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Virgin females compete for mates in the male lekking species Ceratitis capitata
Author(s) -
PAPADOPOULOS NIKOS T.,
CAREY JAMES R.,
LIEDO PABLO,
MÜLLER HANSGEORG,
SENTÜRK DAMLA
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.2009.00680.x
Subject(s) - lek mating , biology , agonistic behaviour , aggression , sexual selection , mating , polygyny , zoology , mate choice , ceratitis capitata , ecology , competition (biology) , mating system , harem , demography , botany , tephritidae , population , developmental psychology , psychology , sociology , pest analysis
. Aggressive behaviour occurring in intrasexual competition is an important trait for animal fitness. Although female intrasexual aggression is reported in several insect species, little is known about female competition and aggressive interactions in polygynous male lekking species. The interactions of female Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (a male lekking species), with other females and mating pairs under laboratory conditions are investigated. Mature, unmated (virgin) females are aggressive against each other and against mating pairs, whereas immature females are not. Female aggression against other females decreases dramatically after mating; however, mated females maintain aggression against mating pairs. In addition, higher intrasexual aggression rates are observed for mature, virgin females than for virgin males of the same age. The results show that female aggressiveness is virginity related, suggesting female competition for mates. These findings have important implications for understanding the physiological aspects of a complex social behaviour such as aggression and should stimulate further research on female agonistic behaviour in male lekking mating systems.