Dataset Information

Brawls Bring Buzz: Male Size Influences Competition and Courtship in Diadasia rinconis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

ABSTRACT: Sexual selection on male body size in species with a female-biased sexual size dimorphism is common yet often poorly understood. In particular, in the majority of bee species, the relative contribution of intrasexual competition and female choice to patterns of male body size is unknown. In this field study, we examined two possible components of male mating success with respect to body size in the solitary bee Diadasia rinconis Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Apidae): 1) ability to procure a mate and 2) the duration of copulation. We found that larger males were better able to procure mates and copulated for shorter periods of time. Although consistent with sperm competition theory, differences in copulation duration were slight; possibly, the shorter copulations of larger males instead reflect in copulo female choice. Consistent with this notion, males engaged in complex courtship while mounted, characterized for the first time in any bee in such detail via audio recordings and high-speed, high-definition video. The number of pulses in male courtship behavior was also positively associated with copulation duration and may have stimulated females to continue copulating, thereby potentially allowing smaller males to transfer a full ejaculate. Females were shown to be potentially polyandrous and although we did not observe precopulatory rejection in the field, captive females frequently rejected copulation attempts by captive males. Our work indicates that intrasexual competition selects for increased body size in a solitary bee.

SUBMITTER: Russell AL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6113682 | biostudies-other | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Publications

Brawls Bring Buzz: Male Size Influences Competition and Courtship in Diadasia rinconis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Russell Avery L AL Buchmann Stephen L SL Sabino William de O WO Papaj Daniel R DR

Journal of insect science (Online) 20180701 4

Sexual selection on male body size in species with a female-biased sexual size dimorphism is common yet often poorly understood. In particular, in the majority of bee species, the relative contribution of intrasexual competition and female choice to patterns of male body size is unknown. In this field study, we examined two possible components of male mating success with respect to body size in the solitary bee Diadasia rinconis Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Apidae): 1) ability to procure a mate and 2 ...[more]

PMID: 30165489

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Project description:Parochial altruism, defined as increased ingroup favoritism and heightened outgroup hostility, is a widespread feature of human societies that affects altruistic cooperation and punishment behavior, particularly in intergroup conflicts. Humans tend to protect fellow group members and fight against outsiders, even at substantial costs for themselves. Testosterone modulates responses to competition and social threat, but its exact role in the context of parochial altruism remains controversial. Here, we investigated how testosterone influences altruistic punishment tendencies in the presence of an intergroup competition. Fifty male soccer fans played an ultimatum game (UG), in which they faced anonymous proposers that could either be a fan of the same soccer team (ingroup) or were fans of other teams (outgroups) that differed in the degree of social distance and enmity to the ingroup. The UG was played in two contexts with varying degrees of intergroup rivalry. Our data show that unfair offers were rejected more frequently than fair proposals and the frequency of altruistic punishment increased with increasing social distance to the outgroups. Adding an intergroup competition led to a further escalation of outgroup hostility and reduced punishment of unfair ingroup members. High testosterone levels were associated with a relatively increased ingroup favoritism and also a change towards enhanced outgroup hostility in the intergroup competition. High testosterone concentrations further predicted increased proposer generosity in interactions with the ingroup. Altogether, a significant relation between testosterone and parochial altruism could be demonstrated, but only in the presence of an intergroup competition. In human males, testosterone may promote group coherence in the face of external threat, even against the urge to selfishly maximize personal reward. In that way, our observation refutes the view that testosterone generally promotes antisocial behaviors and aggressive responses, but underlines its rather specific role in the fine-tuning of male social cognition.

Dataset Information

Brawls Bring Buzz: Male Size Influences Competition and Courtship in Diadasia rinconis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Publications

Brawls Bring Buzz: Male Size Influences Competition and Courtship in Diadasia rinconis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Similar Datasets

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