Search results for "courtship display"
showing 6 items of 36 documents
PGal4 excision reveals the pleiotropic effects of Voila, a Drosophila locus that affects development and courtship behaviour
2001
0016-6723 (Print) Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; In Drosophila melanogaster, the PGal4 transposon inserted at the chromosomal site 86E1-2 is associated with the Voila1 allele that causes multiple phenotypes. Homozygous Voila1/1 flies rarely reach adulthood and heterozygous Voila1/+ adult males display strong homosexual courtship behaviour. Both normal behavioural and developmental phenotypes were rescued by remobilizing the PGal4 element. Yet, the rescue of heterosexual courtship and of adult viability did not occur in the same strains, indicating that these defects have different genetic origins. Furthermore, many strains showed a partial rescue of both characters. Molec…
Intraspecific variation in mating behaviour does not cause sexual isolation between Drosophila virilis strains
2005
There is increasing evidence that mate recognition systems vary within species. We studied the courtship rituals of five Drosophila virilis strains to investigate this intraspecific variation. Males that actively and persistently courted the female without paying much attention to the female's behaviour were the most successful at copulating. Intraspecific variation in mating rituals was high, but not as high as at the species level and it was not high enough to cause sexual isolation between the strains. The differences in courtship interactions of the strains reflected their geographical origin. Males from one of the strains did not produce audible song during their courtship, but still m…
Courtship song and immune function in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus
2003
It has been assumed that sexual ornaments have evolved to reveal males’ health and vigour for females. Choosy females may indirectly use ornaments as an indicator of the presence and effectiveness of genes for resistance against parasites. In this study we tested whether females of the Mediterranean field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, can use courtship song as a cue for choosing males with high immunocompetence, measured as encapsulation rate of nylon implants and lytic activity of haemolymph. We found that female crickets preferred courtship songs from males with a high encapsulation rate. Female crickets also had a tendency to prefer courtship songs with high tick rate and long high-frequ…
A female-produced short-range sex pheromone in the egg parasitoid Trissolcus brochymenae
2012
The potential for short-range sex pheromone communication by the egg parasitoid wasp Trissolcus brochymenae (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) was investigated in closed arena bioassays. Males of this parasitoid showed more antennal drumming and more frequent mounting behaviour on 1- to 2-d-old virgin females compared with 8-d-old virgin females. Male copulation attempts were fewer with previously mated females than with virgin females. Males courted and made copulation attempts with 1- to 2-d-old female cadavers, but not with male cadavers or with female cadavers rinsed in organic solvents of different polarities. Male attraction to female cadavers was re-established by treating cadavers with a…
Breeding Tubercles, Papillomatosis and Dominance Behaviour of Male Roach (Rutilus rutilus) During the Spawning Period
2004
We studied the relationship between the breeding tubercle ornamentation (i.e. skin roughness) and male pre-spawning dominance and courtship behaviour in roach (Rutilus rutilus) within an experimental laboratory system. Sexually mature fish were caught during their migration to their spawning pond and their behaviours were studied in an artificial spawning arena. Males behaved naturally both in terms of male–male interactions and attempts to achieve spawnings. Males having many, large breeding tubercles (i.e. rough skin) were significantly more often dominant in our dyadic trials than those with smooth skin. The dominant male in the trial exhibited a more active courtship behaviour than its …
Role of volatile and contact pheromones in the mating behaviour of Bagrada hilaris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
2008
Volatiles and contact pheromones involved in the mating behaviour of the Painted bug, Bagrada hilaris Burmeister (Het- eroptera: Pentatomidae), were investigated in behavioural and chemical experiments. Vertical open Y-shaped olfactometer bioassays showed that odour from males attract females but not males, while that from females did not attract either gender. Adult females were also attracted by hexane extracts of volatile compounds collected from males. In open arena bioassays, males displayed the characteristic steps of courtship behaviour in the presence of virgin females. Such courtship behaviour was displayed in the presence of females killed by freezing, but not in the presence of f…