Authors: Calbacho-Rosa, Lucía¹; Córdoba-Aguilar, Alex²; Peretti, Alfredo V.³

Source: Behaviour, Volume 147, Number 10, 2010 , pp. 1267-1283(17)

Publisher: BRILL

Abstract:

One male strategy to prevent female re-mating is post-copulatory mate guarding. In the pholcid spider Holocnemus pluchei last male's fertilization success is around 74% and females remain receptive after copulation. It is, thus, reasonable to suppose that males should engage in post-copulatory mate guarding. Chronologically, the present study focused on the following aspects: (1) to determine if male permanence near females corresponds to mate guarding. For this, a second male (intruder) was introduced. Time of permanence, distance and behaviour of residents did not change whether or not an intruder was present; (2) to investigate the duration of mate guarding and male distance to the female in a time series intervals after copulation. Males remained close to females during 14 h keeping a distance of less than 15 cm; (3) to evaluate whether guarding duration is influenced by female sexual receptivity. We found that 24 h after the first copulation, when the resident was placed again next to the female, he tried to re-mate; and (4) to examine differences in paternity in relation to whether or not the resident exerted guarding. P2 was higher when second males copulated again within the first 6 h compared to 24 h after the first copulation.

Keywords: MATE GUARDING; SPERM COMPETITION; SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR; DECISION MAKING; PHOLCIDAE

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/000579510X514544

Affiliations: 1: Conicet — Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, Departamento de Ecología y Diversidad, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Velez Sarsfield 299 (5000), Córdoba, Argentina 2: Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de México, Apdo. Postal 70-275, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. 04510, México 3: Conicet — Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y Evolución, Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, Departamento de Ecología y Diversidad, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Velez Sarsfield 299 (5000), Córdoba, Argentina;, Email: aperetti@com.uncor.edu

Publication date: 2010-10-01

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