TY - JOUR

T1 - The cost of mating and the relationship between body size and fitness in males of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis

AU - Burton-Chellew, M.N.

AU - Sykes, E.M.

AU - Patterson, S.

AU - Shuker, D.M.

AU - West, S.A.

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Question: Does male size affect fitness in gregarious parasitoids?Hypothesis: Larger males achieve higher reproductive success by obtaining more matings when in a competitive scenario and by living longer. Although mating can be costly, larger males are better able to withstand these costs.Methods: Three experiments: two assessed the effect of size on mating success, one with and one without the presence of a competitor; the third experiment explored the relationship between male size and longevity under alternative mating regimes.Results: Mating success did not depend on male size even in the presence of an introduced competitor. Mating reduced male longevity, but it did so independently of size.

AB - Question: Does male size affect fitness in gregarious parasitoids?Hypothesis: Larger males achieve higher reproductive success by obtaining more matings when in a competitive scenario and by living longer. Although mating can be costly, larger males are better able to withstand these costs.Methods: Three experiments: two assessed the effect of size on mating success, one with and one without the presence of a competitor; the third experiment explored the relationship between male size and longevity under alternative mating regimes.Results: Mating success did not depend on male size even in the presence of an introduced competitor. Mating reduced male longevity, but it did so independently of size.

KW - brood size

KW - clutch size

KW - local mate competition

KW - longevity

KW - sex allocation

KW - sex ratio

M3 - Journal article

VL - 9

SP - 921

EP - 934

JO - Evolutionary Ecology Research

JF - Evolutionary Ecology Research

SN - 1522-0613

ER -