Alternative male mating tactics in Bembecinus quinquespinosus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae): correlations with size and color variation
Alternative male mating tactics in Bembecinus quinquespinosus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae): correlations with size and color variation
复制标题
Bembecinus quinquespinosus（膜翅目：Sphecidae）的替代雄性交配策略：与大小和颜色变化的相关性
DOI：
10.1007/bf00366654
复制
发表时间：
1983
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
H. Evans
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
K. M. O’Neill;H. Evans
摘要挖掘黄蜂Bembecinus quinquespinosus表现出的特征不典型的其他物种在家庭Sphecidae：没有性别大小二型性（图1），有一个大小连锁的颜色多态性之间的男性（图2）。我们研究了美国科罗拉多东部的一个种群，以确定上述属性是否与雄性交配策略有关。性比的季节变化数据表明，该物种显示出雄性先熟。在它们第一次出现后的大约一个星期的每天早上，大量的雄性聚集在羽化区，寻找羽化前的雌性。一旦发现雌性在地面以下，雄性就试图把它们挖出来。如果在雌性出现的时候有不止一只，一群雄性会在她周围挣扎，最后一只雄性会成功地抓住雌性，把她带离出现的区域。出现区域的大多数雄性都是大的黄色形式。在这个群体中，较大的个体也更有可能与新兴的女性交配。在参与集群或围绕雌性的“交配球”的雄性中，92%的头部宽度为2.8 mm或更大，尽管种群中只有24%的雄性如此大（图1）。由于较大的雄性在出现区域享有优势，较小的深色雄性无法成功竞争。因此，他们采取了另一种可能利润较低的策略，即在邻近羽化区的地区寻找雌性。一些雌性离开羽化区而不交配，可能与该组中的雄性交配。虽然颜色与雄性采取的交配策略有很强的关系，但我们不知道颜色多态性的功能。这表明，性别大小二态性已经消失，因为男性已经进化出更大的尺寸，而不是因为女性的大小选择压力已经放松。性内选择与成功的侵略性的相互作用和能力的大男性保护女性从竞争对手后，耦合覆盖她，把她从出现的区域一直是最有可能的原因，男性的大小增加的演变。
SummaryThe digger wasp Bembecinus quinquespinosus exhibits characteristics not typical of other species in the family Sphecidae: there is no sexual size dimorphism (Fig. 1) and there is a size-linked color polymorphism among males (Fig. 2). We studied a population of this species in eastern Colorado, USA to determine if the above attributes were related to the male mating strategy.Data on seasonal changes in sex ratio suggest that this species displays protandry (Fig. 4). Each morning for about a week after they first appear, large numbers of males congregate in the emergence area and search for pre-emergent females. Upon locating females just below the surface of the ground, males attempt to dig them out. If more than one is present when the female emerges, a cluster of struggling males forms around her. One male eventually succeeds in grasping the female and carrying her away from the emergence area. Most males in the emergence area are the large yellow color form. Within this group, larger individuals are also more likely to mate with emerging females. 92% of males participating in clusters or “mating balls” around females were 2.8 mm or larger in head width, although only 24% of the males in the population were this large (Fig. 1).Because of the advantage enjoyed by larger males in the emergence area, smaller dark colored males cannot compete successfully. Therefore, they have adopted the alternative, probably less profitable, tactic of searching for females in areas adjacent to the emergence area. Some females leave the emergence area without mating and probably mate with males in this group.Although there is a strong relationship between color and the mating tactic adopted by males, we do not know the function of the color polymorphism. It is suggested that sexual size dimorphism has disappeared in this species because males have evolved larger size, rather than because selection pressures on female size have been relaxed. Intrasexual selection related to success in aggressive interactions and the ability of large males to protect the female from competitors after coupling by covering her and carrying her away from the emergence area has been the most likely cause of the evolution of increased male size.