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Mating behaviors are sensitive to novel or stressful thermal conditions, particularly for ectothermic organisms. An organism's sensitivity to temperature, which may manifest in altered mating outcomes, can be shaped in part by temperatures experienced during development. Here, we tested how developmental temperature shapes the expression of adult mating-related behaviors across different ambient conditions, with a focus on courtship behavior, mating rates, and mating signals and preferences. To do so, we reared treehoppers under two temperature regimes and then tested the expression of male and female mating behaviors across a range of ambient temperatures. We found that developmental temperature affects the thermal sensitivity of courtship behavior and mating signals for males. However, developmental temperature did not affect the thermal sensitivity of courtship or mate preferences in females. This sex-specific plasticity did not alter the likelihood of mating across ambient temperatures, but it did disrupt how closely mating signals and preferences matched each other at higher ambient temperatures. As a result, developmental temperature could alter sexual selection through signal–preference de-coupling. We further discuss how adult age may drive sex-specific results, and the potential for mismatches between developmental and mating thermal environments under future climate change predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the breeding season, male Red-backed Fairywrens (Malurus melanocephalus) can exhibit ornamented (red-black) or unornamented (brown, resembling females and juveniles) plumage. These distinct plumage types represent alternative reproductive tactics and are associated with behavioural differences during the breeding season. However, we lack an understanding of whether and how these plumage types may be associated with behavioural differences during non-reproductive parts of the year. To fill this knowledge gap, we carried out behavioural observations during the nonbreeding season across three years. We hypothesised that ornamented plumage remains associated with mate attraction behaviours outside of the breeding season. We examined the investment of ornamented, moulting, and unornamented males in social behaviours and found that the three plumage types were largely similar in their behaviour except ornamented males courted and, to a lesser extent, allopreened at higher rates than unornamented males. Since concurrent work in the same study population demonstrates increased extra-pair fitness for males who moult into ornamented plumage early, we speculate that ornamentation and courtship behaviour may serve a mate attraction function outside of the breeding season. We argue that future studies should consider individual-level behavioural monitoring throughout the annual cycle to better quantify the complex selection pressures that lead to the coevolution of plumage moult and alternative reproductive tactics in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terminal investment hypothesis proposes that, when individuals are faced with a threat to survival, they will increase investment in current reproduction. The level of the threat necessary to elicit terminal investment (the dynamic terminal investment threshold) may vary based on other factors that also influence future reproduction. Here, we tested whether there is an interactive effect of age and an immune challenge on the dynamic terminal investment threshold in the Pacific field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus. We measured the courtship call, mating attractiveness, ejaculate size, and offspring production of T. oceanicus males. We found only limited support for the dynamic terminal investment threshold: there was no consistent evidence of a positive interaction between male age and immune challenge intensity. However, we found evidence for age-related terminal investment: older males produced a larger spermatophore than younger males. Older males also had a slower calling rate compared to younger males, suggesting a potential trade-off between these two pre- and post-copulatory traits. As some, but not all, reproductive traits responded plastically to cues for terminal investment, our research highlights the importance of considering a broad range of pre-and post-copulatory traits when exploring the potential for terminal investment to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing the signals involved in sexual interactions is crucial to understand how mating and fertilization success is achieved. We analyzed sexual interactions in the gonyleptid harvestman Pachyloides thorellii Holmberg, 1878 to test the possibility of associations between female and male behaviors. For that purpose, we recorded 21 sexual interactions of P. thorellii under laboratory conditions and performed fine scaled analyses of the videos. We found three female pre-copulatory behaviors ("Mouth parts protrusion," "Genital operculum opening," and "Ovipositor eversion") that seem to be related to sexual receptivity and cooperation with mating occurrence, and four copulatory behaviors ("Bucking," "Pulling," "Body lowering," and "Leg II movements") that could be indicating to the male that further stimulation is required or that mating is about to end. We also found that males use multimodal courtship displays that include the exchange of tactile and possibly chemical signals between sexes. This study shows that courtship and copulation in P. thorellii include intense information flow between sexes and female evaluation from the beginning until the end of the sexual interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Lycosidae is one of the spider families with the greatest diversity of species and with varied and striking strategies. Studies on Neotropical wolf spiders have contributed new and valuable information to the field of sexual selection for several decades, having discovered cases that differ markedly from previously known patterns, not only for the family but for spiders in general. Here we provide a review of studies on reproductive biology of South American wolf spiders in recent decades, focusing on the subfamilies Lycosinae, Allocosinae and Sossipinae. The promising possibilities of the spiders of this family to test fundamental hypotheses in sexual selection and reproductive biology are highlighted, and we outline areas of particular interest for future studies. We hope that this review will inspire further studies on a broader range of wolf spider species in the Neotropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Numerous wildlife species use a polygynous mating system, where males use auditory courtship behaviors to secure breeding opportunities. The acoustic adaptation hypothesis, risk reward, and landscape of fear theories suggest spatial variation in male auditory courtship will be influenced by areas in landscapes where sound transmission is increased, and predation risk is reduced. However, it is often unclear what landscape features drive spatial variation in courtship behaviors. Objectives: We quantified the influence of predation risk, land cover type, and resource selection on spatial trends in the auditory courtship behavior (gobbling activity) of Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). Methods: We used 53,025 gobbles coupled with GPS locations from 111 turkeys and 36 coyotes (Canis latrans), and distance metrics associated with hunter activity and land cover type, to investigate influences of predation risk, resource selection, and land cover type on spatial variation in gobbling activity in Georgia, USA. Results: Distance to public access during hunting was the most influential predictor of gobbling activity, wherein the expected number of daily gobbles increased by 40% for every 500 m farther from public access. Daily gobbles decreased by 22% for every 500 m farther away from private property during hunting. We failed to find significant effects of land cover type and coyote use but found limited evidence that areas with increased predicted probability of turkey use was associated with increased gobbling. Conclusions: Predation risk associated with increased anthropogenic disturbance had the greatest influence on gobbling activity. Our findings suggest that altering hunter access by closing roads to vehicle use, reducing hunter activity, or creating refuge areas on the landscape could positively influence gobbling activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observing behavior in wild Southern Anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla) allows Xenarthran researchers to gain perspective on natural history of this neotropical scansorial species. We describe the use of the prehensile tail to facilitate copulation for a pair in southeastern Brazil, a novel observation for this species. This detailed account of mating behavior in lesser anteaters is one of very few in the literature and contributes to basic knowledge of this group. Highlights: We describe part of a mating behavior of a pair of free‐ranging Southern anteaters.The opportunistic observation revealed the use of the prehensile tail to facilitate mating.Detailed mating behaviors are provided for this scansorial Neotropical species of anteater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Same-sex sexual behaviour (SSB) occurs in many animals and is often treated as an anomaly requiring special explanation. One common explanation for SSB is mistaken identity. However, animals make similar 'mistakes' in other contexts—such as attempting to mate with immature individuals or inanimate objects. Framing such behaviours as 'mistakes' risks misinterpreting how animals make flexible mating decisions. Here we make a case for an alternative approach to thinking about SSB by instead considering an individual's mating filter. A broad filter means directing courtship toward anything that resembles a potential mate, whilst a narrow filter means only courting with receptive targets. We illustrate this approach by examining the mating filters of male Pacific field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus). We find that males engage in SSB but also misdirect courtship toward juveniles (but not plastic crickets). This finding suggests that SSB is not an anomaly and is better considered alongside other misdirected behaviours. We argue that by viewing misdirected behaviours through the lens of mating filters rather than as 'mistakes' we can build a more nuanced understanding of reproductive behaviour and begin to determine when having a broader mating filter can be advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jewelled splitfin males (Xenotoca variata) possess multi‐colour iridescent scales (speckles) on the flanks. This study tested the hypothesis that the number of speckles could be a good proxy for predicting fighting ability in contests for access to females. The experiments consisted in observing and recording males' agonistic behaviour, courtship displays and mating attempts in mixed‐sex groups. The data were analysed and presented based on a Bayesian approach, which revealed that the density (cm−2) of speckles was positively correlated with the increase observed in the proportional frequency of attacks. Similarly, the density of speckles was positively associated with the increase observed in the frequency of courtship behaviour and with the frequency of mating attempts. Male–male aggressions drastically diminished (by eightfold) when females were removed from the observation tanks. These results indicate that the number of speckles is a consistent predictor of successful access to females and therefore, speckled males are likely to be able to gain more mating opportunities. This finding highlights the ubiquitous role iridescent colours play in visual signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first to quantitatively measure the courtship display flights of Latham's snipe (Gallinago hardwickii), which is a "near threatened" species as of 2022 (IUCN red list of threatened species). By using a 16‐channel microphone array and 8‐channel microphone arrays, we localized the fine‐scale movements of courtship flights of one male performing at high altitude and high speed, and we estimated the direction from which each sound arrived using robot audition. Preliminary analyses of the azimuthal and elevation angles of the courtship flights partially revealed a fine‐scale flight trajectory. First, a male Latham's snipe gradually gained altitude while vocalizing sharp and harsh repeating calls, until it reached the flight peak altitude, then dove down while producing winnowing sound to the ground along the wetland zones without tall vegetation. This observation method is methodologically useful to establish a better understanding of Latham's snipe courtship flight site selection. Furthermore, this method can be extended to investigate other rare nocturnal or crepuscular birds that are too timid to risk ringing or tagging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-time observations of courtship behaviour of the Endangered shortfin devil ray Mobula kuhlii are described from the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA), KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Three events of M. kuhlii courtship, called 'mating trains', were recorded on video during the months of November 2020 and January 2021. These included a near-term pregnant female, and two lead females followed by up to four males. The common behaviours associated with courtship were documented: multiple males following a single female, rapid speed bursts, avoidance of the female, and swerving. This study confirms that M. kuhlii mating occurs in KwaZulu-Natal waters and that courtship is similar across mobulids. The findings demonstrate the importance of the habitat provided by the Aliwal Shoal MPA for this currently unprotected species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human cadaveric material (CM) in the course of Anatomy of the Medicine career is the oldest and most complete didactic resource for teaching. This element carries important meanings and multiple crossings (legal, ethical, procedural, cultural) that, from the middle of the 20th century, had questions and antagonistic pedagogical positions regarding its use. Its use generates emotional reactions in students, often negative, which are processed by the defense mechanisms and coping strategies available to the subject. When these are exceeded, a syndromic courtship may appear that constitutes negative cadaveric coping, which is a factor that places the student in a state of vulnerability with academic alterations. We consider it necessary for this group of students, as well as for those in their coping process, didactic strategies that support them in the process and tend to an inclusive education so that negative cadaverous coping is not a cause of desertion or risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article I use a dataset which spans three broad source types – poor law records, coronial records, and forms of life-writing including memoirs – to understand the scale of fractured courtships in the long nineteenth century. Having established that ordinary people experienced failed courtships more often than we have supposed, I look (using whole corpus approaches and individual case studies) at the causative variables standing behind failed courtships, at the way that writers linguistically construct their relationships and at the character of courtship in this period. Ultimately, I show that courtship was a messy and fragile business, but that failure was for nineteenth century young people not as life defining as it might have been before this. Emotional containment, resilience and reinvention had become key motifs in this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bigamy plot—the courtship's evil twin—involves characters marrying, then marrying again, a phenomenon rife across Victorian novels. This repetition creates redundancy, both in terms of spouses and, from an informatic perspective, reinforcing the marriage plot's importance. In contrast to a regulated feedback loop that generates stasis, the bigamy plot accumulates more of the same, emphasizing the ongoing centrality of marriage plots in the Victorian novel. This essay argues that this redundancy within the bigamy plot mirrors the emerging imperial information systems and realist aesthetics of the time. With the rise of data management systems like censuses and registries, both literature and empire wrestled with representing individuals both as unique entities and as interchangeable units. Through a reading of the proliferation of records in Jane Eyre (1848), this essay demonstrates how bigamy and its imperial records emerge as a way to understand the struggle for representation, a brief moment in which personhood is extended across the system while also being retracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major goal of evolutionary biology is to understand how sexual traits arise and diversify among populations. One way to address this objective is by studying sexual traits in closely related species and their hybrids. Here, we used this approach to study the evolution of elaborate behavioural display characteristics used during courtship. We focus on bearded manakins (genus: Manacus), where males of this avian clade perform an acrobatic jump-snap display to court females. Hybridization is common among Manacus taxa, and thus, we studied courtship dance behaviour in a hybrid population between golden-collared manakins, Manacus vitellinus , and white-collared manakins, Manacus candei. We found that, despite being genetically more similar to white-collared manakins, hybrid males performed key dance manoeuvres like golden-collared manakins. Hybrids performed other dance manoeuvres intermediate to the two species, or more like their white-collared parents. Select components of the birds' dance routines may have therefore introgressed from the golden-collared population into the white-collared populations. We hypothesize that such modular evolution occurs in response to sexual selection, whereby specific components of the bird's dance routine shift to yield a broader change in its functional appearance. • We studied courtship display in a hybrid population of manakin birds. • Hybrids performed many display traits intermediately to their parental lineages. • Some hybrid traits, however, resembled their high-performing parental line. • Asymmetrical introgression may account for display evolution in hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While members of the choosier sex often prefer courting mates with bright, large, or loud phenotypes, social experience can result in variation in mate preferences. Fewer studies, though, have investigated how multiple social parameters might interact to affect such preferences. In the brush-legged wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata, asynchrony of maturation between sexes provides a time period in which females might be exposed to male courtship prior to making a mating decision. We tested whether adult females demonstrated plasticity in their preferences for vibratory signal amplitude after experience with vibratory playback during their penultimate stage. Penultimate instar females were presented unimodal vibratory courtship signals via piezoelectric disc benders, manipulating the perceived encounter rate (every other day or once per day), the number of males (one or two), and/or the vibratory amplitude (low or high). As adults, each female was presented vibratory playback of a low- or high-amplitude courtship signal in both no-choice and two-choice designs. In no-choice trials, previous experience with different amplitude signals significantly affected adult preferences, while other social parameters did not. Specifically, female S. ocreata preferred high-amplitude signals to low-amplitude signals if previously exposed to high-amplitude signals, while those previously exposed to low-amplitude signals preferred low-amplitude signals. In two-choice trials, however, females preferred high-amplitude signals regardless of their previous social experience, suggesting that innate preferences for high-amplitude signals might outweigh any learned preferences in some contexts. Results from this study complement previous social experience studies in S. ocreata, by clearly demonstrating a second sensory modality through which social learning can occur. Significance statement: Social experience affects subsequent mate preferences in a variety of taxa, but in many instances, single parameters are examined at a time. Furthermore, in species that use multimodal communication, there remain questions about whether a single sensory modality is sufficient to elicit such plasticity. In this study, we manipulated multiple parameters using vibratory playback to examine whether social experience during the brush-legged wolf spider's juvenile stage affected preferences for low- and high-amplitude signals as an adult. Ultimately, only the amplitude of the male's signals that they were exposed to as a juvenile impacted adult mate preference—not the number of perceived males or how often they encountered the males. These results, along with previous studies, demonstrate that S. ocreata is capable of plasticity in response to social cues in multiple modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Bridgerton (2020–present) series does not present itself as historically accurate, shows set in the past always lead to historical questions. In this article I argue for using fictional historical series as a tool in the classroom and to engage with the public. Bridgerton is a useful entrée into topics it emphasizes, such as the British aristocracy, fashion and design, courtship and marriage and the British colony of India, as well as those that it ignores: male monarchy, patriarchy, singleness and Atlantic slavery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Evolutionary Biology is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Mice display a wide repertoire of vocalizations that varies with sex, strain, and context. Especially during social interaction, including sexually motivated dyadic interaction, mice emit sequences of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of high complexity. As animals of both sexes vocalize, a reliable attribution of USVs to their emitter is essential. The state-of-the-art in sound localization for USVs in 2D allows spatial localization at a resolution of multiple centimeters. However, animals interact at closer ranges, e.g. snout-to-snout. Hence, improved algorithms are required to reliably assign USVs. We present a novel algorithm, SLIM (Sound Localization via Intersecting Manifolds), that achieves a 2–3-fold improvement in accuracy (13.1–14.3 mm) using only 4 microphones and extends to many microphones and localization in 3D. This accuracy allows reliable assignment of 84.3% of all USVs in our dataset. We apply SLIM to courtship interactions between adult C57Bl/6J wildtype mice and those carrying a heterozygous Foxp2 variant (R552H). The improved spatial accuracy reveals that vocalization behavior is dependent on the spatial relation between the interacting mice. Female mice vocalized more in close snout-to-snout interaction while male mice vocalized more when the male snout was in close proximity to the female's ano-genital region. Further, we find that the acoustic properties of the ultrasonic vocalizations (duration, Wiener Entropy, and sound level) are dependent on the spatial relation between the interacting mice as well as on the genotype. In conclusion, the improved attribution of vocalizations to their emitters provides a foundation for better understanding social vocal behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-imposed selection can lead to adaptive changes in sensory traits. However, rapid evolution of the sensory system can interfere with other behaviours, and animals must overcome such sensory conflicts. In response to intense selection by insecticide baits that contain glucose, German cockroaches evolved glucose-aversion (GA), which confers behavioural resistance against baits. During courtship the male offers the female a nuptial gift that contains maltose, which expediates copulation. However, the female's saliva rapidly hydrolyses maltose into glucose, which causes GA females to dismount the courting male, thus reducing their mating success. Comparative analysis revealed two adaptive traits in GA males. They produce more maltotriose, which is more resilient to salivary glucosidases, and they initiate copulation faster than wild-type males, before GA females interrupt their nuptial feeding and dismount the male. Recombinant lines of the two strains showed that the two emergent traits of GA males were not genetically associated with the GA trait. Results suggest that the two courtship traits emerged in response to the altered sexual behaviour of GA females and independently of the male's GA trait. Although rapid adaptive evolution generates sexual mismatches that lower fitness, compensatory behavioural evolution can correct these sensory discrepancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light availability is highly variable, yet predictable, over various timescales and is expected to play an important role in the evolution of visual signals. Courtship displays of the wolf spider genus Schizocosa always involve the use of substrate-borne vibrations; however, there is substantial variation in the presence and complexity of visual displays among species. To gain insight into the role the light environment plays in the evolution of courtship displays, we tested the function of visual courtship signaling across distinct light environments in four species of Schizocosa that vary in their degree of ornamentation and dynamic visual signals. We ran mating and courtship trials at three light intensities (bright, dim, and dark) and tested the hypothesis that ornamentation interacts with light environment. We also examined each species' circadian activity patterns. The effects of the light environment on courtship and mating varied between species, as did circadian activity patterns. Our results suggest that femur pigmentation may have evolved for diurnal signaling, whereas tibial brushes may function to increase signal efficacy under dim light. Additionally, we found evidence for light-dependent changes in selection on male traits, illustrating that short-term changes in light intensity have the potential for strong effects on the dynamics of sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of hybridization can be elucidated by analyzing genotypes as well as phenotypes that could act as premating barriers, as the reproductive interactions among heterospecifics can alter the evolutionary history of species. In frogs, hybrids typically occur among species that reproduce explosively (in dense aggregations) with few opportunities for mate selection but are rare in species with elaborate courtship behaviors that may prevent erroneous mating. Using 21 microsatellite markers, we examined hybridization in the prolonged‐breeding tree frogs Bokermannohyla ibitiguara and B. sazimai sampled within a contact zone in the Brazilian savanna (72 tadpoles; 74 adults). We also compared acoustic and morphological data. We confirmed both parental species genetically; STRUCTURE results confirmed 14 hybrids, 11 of which were second‐generation according to NEWHYBRIDS, all with intermediate values of genetic dissimilarities compared to the parentals. Morphological and acoustic analyses revealed that hybrids showed variable but not necessarily intermediate phenotypes. Moreover, 2 hybrids exhibited call types different from parentals. The reproduction of B. ibitiguara involves territorial and aggressive males, elaborate courtships with acoustic and tactile stimuli, choosy females, and opportunistic strategies. Our study uncovers a rare case of viable hybridization among closely related frogs with such a combination of complex courtship behaviors and mate choice. We discuss the likely directionality and mechanisms behind this phenomenon, and highlight the importance of investigating hybridization even in species that show elaborate reproduction and female choice to advance our understanding of animal diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of the diary of a middling woman in a rural provincial location in the 1820s, considers the operation of domestic visit culture and argues that the domestic realm was more expansive, productive, and heterosocial than other studies have suggested, characterized by widespread female mobility and agency. This article suggests that care for the sick provided as significant a motivation, location, and routine for provincial female sociable lives as courtship, religious observance, and commercial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, sexual interactions and left-right asymmetries in brain and behavior (lateralization) of Czech and Turkish strains of Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) were investigated, assessing courtship and mating dynamics within each strain and in all possible cross mating combinations. Trogoderma granarium species identity was confirmed by DNA sequencing, using three mitochondrial DNA genes, Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI), large subunit ribosomal RNA (16S), and Cytochrome b (CYTb). The selected genetic markers were also used to examine any intraspecific variations between the two strains analyzed. The aligned COI and 16S DNA sequences obtained revealed several polymorphisms, when both inter- and intra-strains analyzed. In behavioral experiments, more males of the Czech strain performed left-biased approaches (53%) than right-biased approaches (42%), with 20% of left-biased males and 13% of right-biased males using the right foreleg to explore females, achieving 18% and 10% successful copulations, respectively. Males of the Turkish strain exhibited right- (50%) or left-biased approaches (45%), with 17% of right-biased males and 21% of leftbiased males exploring females with the left foreleg, resulting in 15% and 20% mating success, respectively. During crossmating of strains, all possible combinations exhibited a population-level left-biased approach to the potential mates and a right-biased exploration of females with foreleg, leading to high successful copulations. Significant differences were noted in the duration of copulation of Turkish males interacting with females of the same strain (backside males 122.3 s, leftbiased males 72.0 s, and right-biased males 68.6 s). Overall, this research firstly sheds light on how cross-mating among strains can affect courtship, mating success and laterality in a key beetle pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this work, we analysed the visual and olfactory sensory responses of the butterfly Papilio demoleus during foraging and courtship. We found that P. demoleus has a preference for red and orange. There is a significant difference between the visual and olfactory behaviour of both males and females; males rely more on visual cues, and females respond more to olfactory signals during foraging and courtship. Colour is the dominant factor during foraging and courtship; members of P. demoleus find the target by colour. Butterfly movement is an important role during the courtship of P.demoleus, and odour can increase accurate recognition of males and females. Opsin genes of P. demoleus were analysed, and we found that P. demoleus have genes that recognise the long wavelength, blue and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum. These pieces of evidence are beneficial to understand the coevolve of the butterfly and plant. Colours and odours are the most important cues for butterflies to localise food and mating partners. We studied the visual and olfactory responses of the widely distributed butterfly Papilio demoleus Linnaeus during foraging and courtship. P. demoleus visited odourless flowers with six colours except green and black, with red as the favourite colour (650–780 nm). Males and females differed in behaviour while visiting flowers. Males were more active than females during foraging. The application of honey water resulted in a significant increase in flower visits by both females and males, and they scarcely visited the apetalous branches with odours. Under natural conditions, four patterns were observed: males chasing males (42.28%), males chasing females (30.56%), females chasing females (13.73%), and females chasing males (13.43%). Males chasing males was the most frequent, probably because males drive away competing con-specific males. When butterflies visited odourless mimics, males chasing females (70.73%) and males chasing males (29.27%) also occurred, indicating that males could accurately distinguish mates using colours only without any chemical cues, and females need chemical cues. The behavioural responses of P. demoleus to floral visits and courtship suggest that colour is the dominant factor during foraging and courtship. We verified the presence of P. demoleus rhodopsin genes, including Rh2, Rh3, Rh4, and Rh5, for long wavelength, blue, and ultraviolet (UV) spectrum recognition, which is consistent with the colour recognition of flowers and wings during visiting flowers and courtship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mate recognition is a critical and often complex step in the premating reproductive behaviour of most organisms. Drosophila relies on multiple signal modalities such as visual, auditory, gustatory and olfactory cues for mate recognition. To understand the evolution and function of these signal modalities, the production and reception of these signals must be tested individually. Ablation of a single sensory channel of males and females can help us understand the role of individual modalities in successful mate recognition and copulation. In addition to ablation, measuring the courtship timing, such as courtship latency and courtship duration, will allow us to identify the stage of the courtship at which a particular signal is acting. Our study focused on Drosophila nasuta , a species belonging to the nasuta subgroup of Drosophila , which comprises a dozen morphologically similar species at different levels of reproductive isolation. We conducted no-choice mating experiments using two species of the nasuta subgroup to study the sequence of courtship behaviour. We did not observe any discernible variation in the sequence of courtship behaviour between species. We also performed no-choice mating experiments by ablating a single signal modality in D. nasuta and recorded the courtship index. Our experiments revealed that mate recognition was multimodal: eliminating visual and chemosensory signals eliminated copulation, making these signals essential for mating. Ablation of auditory cues did not affect the courtship frequency but significantly reduced the copulation frequency. Measuring courtship latency and duration allowed us to identify whether individual signals play a role in initiating courtship or stimulating the female to mate. We hypothesize that the females use visual cues to identify the type of pollinosity the males have on their forehead. The failure of mating in the absence of chemosensory cues is possibly due to the rapid interspecies divergence of chemosensory receptors and the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. • Removal of visual and chemosensory cues eliminated copulation in Drosophila nasuta. • Removal of auditory cues significantly reduced copulation. • Removal of auditory cues significantly increased courtship duration. • Auditory and chemosensory cues showed sex-specific effects on courtship success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The costs of caring for offspring are predicted to lead to an evolutionary conflict between parents, where each parent benefits if the other provides most of the care. However, in many biparental species, breeding partners remain together for multiple breeding attempts and their respective future reproductive fitness prospects are therefore intertwined. Since an increase in current care by a long-term partner reduces that partner's future investment and longevity, individuals do not automatically only benefit when their partner provides care. We tested whether selection will favour individuals that reduce the burden of care falling on long-term partners, thus decreasing evolutionary conflict over parental care. Using a seminatural, captive colony of black-headed gulls, Chroicocephalus ridibundus , we show that benefits of long-term partner retention can indeed reduce sexual conflict. Long-term partners had less intense courtships and were more behaviourally compatible, and individuals in long-term pairs spared each other's resources by increasing their own parental investment compared to those with new partners. Lastly, we demonstrate that high partner compatibility in newly formed pairs can select for commitment to the pair bond. Our results highlight that compatibility benefits of long-term partnerships can increase selection for mate retention and increase parental investment. • Black-headed gulls in long-term pair bonds have more efficient courtships. • Long-term pairs are also more coordinated during courtship and parental care. • Long-term partners share incubation duties more equally and produce larger eggs. • New pairs with higher compatibility engage less in extrapair courtship displays. • High partner value can select for investment in the partner and the pair bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of sexually selected courtship displays command the attention of evolutionists, the longevity of these traits in deep time is poorly understood. Population-based theory suggests sexual selection could either lower or raise extinction risk, resulting in high or low persistence of lineages with sexually selected traits. Furthermore, empirical studies that directly estimate the longevity of sexually selected traits are uncommon. Sexually selected signals—including bioluminescent courtship—originated multiple times during evolution, allowing the empirical study of their longevity after careful phylogenetic and divergence time analyses. Here, we estimate the first transcriptome-based molecular phylogeny and divergence times of Cypridinidae. We report extreme longevity of bioluminescent courtship, a trait important in mate choice and probably under sexual selection. Our relaxed-clock estimates of divergence times coupled with stochastic character mapping show luminous courtship evolved only once in Cypridinidae—in a Sub-Tribe, we name Luxorina—at least 151 millions of years ago from cypridinid ancestors that used bioluminescence only in antipredator displays, defining a Tribe we name Luminini. This time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of cypridinids will serve as a foundation for integrative and comparative studies on the biochemistry, molecular evolution, courtship, diversification, and ecology of cypridinid bioluminescence. The persistence of luminous courtship for hundreds of millions of years suggests that sexual selection did not cause a rapid loss of associated traits, and that rates of speciation within the group exceeded extinction risk, which may contribute to the persistence of a diverse clade of signaling species. [Ancestral state reconstruction; Biodiversity; co-option; divergence time estimates; macroevolution; Ostracoda; phylogenomics; sexual selection.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sleep is conserved across species, and it is believed that a fixed amount of sleep is needed for normal neurobiological functions. Sleep rebound follows sleep deprivation; however, continuous sleep deprivation for longer durations is believed to be detrimental to the animal’s wellbeing. Under some physiologically demanding situations, such as migration in birds, the birth of new offspring in cetaceans, and sexual interactions in pectoral sandpipers, animals are known to forgo sleep. The mechanisms by which animals forgo sleep without having any obvious negative impact on the proper functioning of their neurobiological processes are yet unknown. Therefore, a simple assay is needed to study how animals forgo sleep. The assay should be ecologically relevant so it can offer insights into the physiology of the organisms. Equally important is that the organism should be genetically amenable, which helps in understanding the cellular and molecular processes that govern such behaviors. This paper presents a simple method of sociosexual interaction to understand the process by which animals forgo sleep. In the case of Drosophila melanogaster, when males and females are in proximity, they are highly active and lose a significant amount of sleep. In addition, there is no sleep rebound afterward, and instead, males engaged in sexual interactions continue to show normal sleep. Thus, sexual drive in the fruit flies is a robust assay to understand the underlying mechanism by which animals forgo sleep.

Immunocompetence and reproduction are among the most important determinants of fitness. However, energetic and metabolic constraints create conflict between these two life-history traits. While many studies have explored the relationship between immune activity and reproductive fitness in birds and mammals inoculated with bacterial endotoxin, very few have focused on fish. Fish have been neglected in this area due, in part, to the claim that they are largely resistant to the immune effects of endotoxins. However, the present study suggests that they are susceptible to significant effects with respect to reproductive behaviour. Here, we examined the reproductive behaviour of male guppies following exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in comparison to that of male guppies in a control treatment. Additionally, we investigated the responses of females to these males. We show that although immune challenge does not suppress general activity in male guppies, it significantly reduces mating effort. While females showed no difference in general activity as a function of male treatments, they did exhibit reduced group cohesion in the presence of LPS-exposed males. We discuss this in the context of sickness behaviours, social avoidance of immune-challenged individuals and the effects of mounting an immune response on reproductive behaviour.

ABSTRACT Pair-formation, courtship, copulatory, and post-copulatory behaviors of Eidmanacris meridionalis Desutter-Grandcolas, 1995, were described under laboratory conditions and compared with congeneric species and other Phalangopsidae crickets whose mating behavior has been previously studied. Field observations for the species are also reported. Mating behaviors were observed in E. meridionalis couples: they first remained motionless, and then began walking through the arena screening the substrate. Mating behavior started with antennal contact, followed by males positioning themselves in front of females, that, when receptive, mounted on the males back and started feeding on metanotum secretions of the males. Copulation (female-above-male position) started with the engaging of copulatory structures and stopped with couple detachment. The end-to-end position was observed once, right after couple detachment. Males always remained with the spermatophore, which was eaten after removal or, alternatively, left in the substrate. The main differences in mating behavior of Eidmanacris species regard the mating position and the duration of the reproductive stages, suggesting that other reproductive repertoires can be observed in the genus since 27 species have not yet been studied in regards their reproductive behavior. We can also assume that the morphological, genetic, and chemical diversity found among the species of Phalangopsidae reflects in the behaviors of pair-formation, courtship, copulation, and post-copulation, leading to a diversity of copulation positions, duration of the stages, methods of attracting partners and parental investment. The description of Phalangopsidae mating patterns can provide important information for future evolutionary and phylogenetic studies, apart from useful for distinguishing cryptic species.

Critical to evolutionary fitness, animals regulate social behaviors by integrating signals from both their external environments and internal states. Here, we find that population density modulates the courtship behavior of male Drosophila melanogaster in an age-dependent manner. In a competitive mating assay, males reared in a social environment have a marked advantage in courting females when pitted against males reared in isolation. Group housing promotes courtship in mature (7-day) but not immature (2-day) males; this behavioral plasticity requires the Or47b pheromone receptor. Using single-sensillum recordings, we find that group housing increases the response of Or47b olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) only in mature males. The effect of group housing on olfactory response and behavior can be mimicked by chronically exposing single-housed males to an Or47b ligand. At the molecular level, group housing elevates Ca2+ levels in Or47b ORNs, likely leading to CaMKI-mediated activation of the histone-acetyl transferase CBP. This signaling event in turn enhances the efficacy of juvenile hormone, an age-related regulator of reproductive maturation in flies. Furthermore, the male-specific Fruitless isoform (FruM) is required for the sensory plasticity, suggesting that FruM functions as a downstream genomic coincidence detector in Or47b ORNs-integrating reproductive maturity, signaled by juvenile hormone, and population density, signaled by CBP. In all, we identify a neural substrate and activity-dependent mechanism by which social context can directly influence pheromone sensitivity, thereby modulating social behavior according to animals' life-history stage.

Male courtship is provoked by perception of a potential mate. In addition, the likelihood and intensity of courtship are influenced by recent mating experience, which affects sexual drive. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we found that the homolog of mammalian neuropeptide Y, neuropeptide F (NPF), and a cluster of male-specific NPF (NPFM) neurons, regulate courtship through affecting courtship drive. Disrupting NPF signaling produces sexually hyperactive males, which are resistant to sexual satiation, and whose courtship is triggered by sub-optimal stimuli. We found that NPFM neurons make synaptic connections with P1 neurons, which comprise the courtship decision center. Activation of P1 neurons elevates NPFM neuronal activity, which then act through NPF receptor neurons to suppress male courtship, and maintain the proper level of male courtship drive.

Understanding how animal communication varies across time and space is critical to understanding how animal signals have evolved and how they function. Changes in temperature, which occur across both time and space, can alter both the courtship and mate choice behaviour of ectothermic animals. In this study, we examine the effect of daily thermal variation on courtship and mate choice in the wolf spider Schizocosa floridana, which produces a complex song with vibrations from three distinct body parts. We test the hypothesis that different components of S. floridana's courtship respond differently to daily changes in temperature and that corresponding mate choice patterns lead to complex, overlapping shifts in selection on the display itself. By manipulating the thermal environment of courting and choosing pairs, we found that several song components increased in production rate with increased temperature, whereas others decreased, or did not respond at all. We also found evidence that selection on courtship shifts with temperature in several ways, with some display components experiencing directional selection at higher temperatures, but not at lower temperatures. Our findings make it clear that understanding the effect of environmental variation on communication is critical to understanding how selection operates on mate choice and how signals, particularly complex signals, evolve.

Goal-directed animal behaviors are typically composed of sequences of motor actions whose order and timing are critical for a successful outcome. Although numerous theoretical models for sequential action generation have been proposed, few have been supported by the identification of control neurons sufficient to elicit a sequence. Here, we identify a pair of descending neurons that coordinate a stereotyped sequence of engagement actions during Drosophila melanogaster male courtship behavior. These actions are initiated sequentially but persist cumulatively, a feature not explained by existing models of sequential behaviors. We find evidence consistent with a ramp-to-threshold mechanism, in which increasing neuronal activity elicits each action independently at successively higher activity thresholds.

This article, titled "Issue Information," was published in the journal Molecular Ecology on August 15, 2024. It features a cover illustration of a male Leucostethus brachistriatus, a type of poison frog. The article discusses the presence of breeding glands in the fingers of male poison frogs, known as swollen fingers, and the unknown functions of these glands. Research conducted by Diana Abondano Almeida suggests that swollen fingers may play a role in pheromone production and signaling during courtship in poison frogs, including L. brachistriatus. The article also highlights the evidence of chemical communication in the Dendrobatoidea family. The photo credit for the cover illustration goes to Fernando Vargas‐Salinas. [Extracted from the article]

Courtship and spawning behaviors of coral reef fishes are very complex, and sufficient sampling effort and proper methods are required to draw informed conclusions on their mating systems that are grounded in contemporary theories of mate choice and sexual selection. We reviewed the recent study by Karkarey et al. (BMC Ecol 17:10, 2017) on the spawning behavior of Squaretail coralgrouper (Plectropomus areolatus) from India and found no evidence to support their findings of alternative reproductive tactics, unique school-spawning involving a single male with multiple females, or inverse size-assortment. The study lacks scientific credibility due to a lack of rigor in the methodology used, misinterpretation of observed behaviors, misinterpretation of the literature, and insufficient data. Their approach led the authors to produce spurious results and profound, invalid conclusions that violate the most basic assumptions of mate choice and sexual selection theory as applied to mating systems in marine fishes.

Mnemons are prion-like elements that encode cellular memories of past cellular adaptations and do not spread to progenies during cell divisions. During the deceptive courtship in budding yeast, the Whi3 mnemon (Whi3mnem) condenses into a super-assembly to encode a mating pheromone refractory state established in the mother cell. Whi3mnem is confined to the mother cell such that their daughter cells have the ability to respond to the mating pheromone. Confinement of Whi3mnem involves its association with the endoplasmic reticulum membranes and the compartmentalization of these membranes by the lateral membrane diffusion barrier at the bud neck, the limit between the mother cell and the bud. However, during the first cell division after the establishment of the pheromone refractory state, this adaptation is more likely to be inherited by the daughter cell than in subsequent cell divisions. Here, we show that the first cell division is associated with larger daughter cells and cytokinesis defects, traits that are not observed in subsequent cell divisions. The cytoskeletal septin protein shows aberrant localisation in these divisions and the septin-dependent endoplasmic reticulum membrane diffusion barrier is weakened. Overall, these data suggest that cytokinesis defects associated with prolonged cell division can alter the confinement and inheritance pattern of a cellular memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speciation and sexual isolation often occur when divergent female mating preferences target male secondary sexual traits. Despite the importance of such male signals, little is known about their evolvability and genetic linkage to other traits during speciation. To answer these questions, we imposed divergent artificial selection for 10 non‐overlapping generations on the Inter‐Pulse‐Interval (IPI) of male courtship songs; which has been previously shown to be a major species recognition trait for females in the Drosophila athabasca species complex. Focusing on one of the species, Drosophila mahican (previously known as EA race), we examined IPI's: (1) rate of divergence, (2) response to selection in different directions, (3) genetic architecture of divergence and (4) by‐product effects on other traits that have diverged in the species complex. We found rapid and consistent response for higher IPI but less response to lower IPI; implying asymmetrical constraints. Genetic divergence in IPI differed from natural species in X versus autosome contribution and in dominance, suggesting that evolution may take different paths. Finally, selection on IPI did not alter other components of male songs, or other ecological traits, and did not cause divergence in female preferences, as evidenced by lack of sexual isolation. This suggests that divergence of male courtship song IPI is unconstrained by genetic linkage with other traits in this system. This lack of linkage between male signals and other traits implies that female preferences or ecological selection can co‐opt and mould specific male signals for species recognition free of genetic constraints from other traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blood brain barrier (BBB) has the essential function to protect the brain from potentially hazardous molecules while also enabling controlled selective uptake. How these processes and signaling inside BBB cells control neuronal function is an intense area of interest. Signaling in the adult Drosophila BBB is required for normal male courtship behavior and relies on male‐specific molecules in the BBB. Here we show that the dopamine receptor D2R is expressed in the BBB and is required in mature males for normal mating behavior. Conditional adult male knockdown of D2R in BBB cells causes courtship defects. The courtship defects observed in genetic D2R mutants can be rescued by expression of normal D2R specifically in the BBB of adult males. Drosophila BBB cells are glial cells. Our findings thus identify a specific glial function for the DR2 receptor and dopamine signaling in the regulation of a complex behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence of male-male courtship display is widespread across the animal kingdom. Yet, its function and evolutionary origin remain unclear. Here, we hypothesise that male-male courtship display evolved in response to selection pressure exerted by intrasexual competition during male-female courtship interactions. Intrasexual competition can be caused by bystander male pressure through eavesdropping and exploiting on displayer male's courtship interactions with females. This bystander pressure can lead to an audience effect by the displayer, who will change their courtship behaviour in the presence of bystanders and display directly towards them, even in the absence of females, as an intimidation strategy. In species where this selection pressure has taken place, we predict that the male courtship display will have a dual function: attract females and deter competitors. Therefore, we expected to find more evidence of bystander-related behaviours in species for which male-male courtship display is linked to intrasexual competition compared to species for which other explanatory hypotheses are more plausible (e.g., mistaken identity or courtship practice). Methodology: We conducted two systematic reviews to test this hypothesis. First, we conducted a search for studies of species with courtship display between males and of the hypotheses provided to explain this behaviour. Our goal was to identify the species with male-male courtship display and evidence of intrasexual competition. Second, among the species with male-male courtship display, we searched for evidence of bystander-related behaviours, i.e., articles referring to eavesdropping, exploitation, and audience effect during male-female courtship interactions. Our goal was to test whether species with intrasexual competition are also more likely to show bystander-related behaviours. Results: Although most studies reporting male courtship display towards other males do not suggest any explanatory hypothesis for this behaviour, the intrasexual competition hypothesis was largely mentioned and supported by some studies reviewed. Additionally, there is more evidence of eavesdropping and of all three bystander-related behaviours combined in species for which the intrasexual competition hypothesis was suggested. Conclusions: Overall, our review supports the hypothesis that intrasexual competition can play a key role in male courtship display evolution, namely that male-male courtship display may have evolved as a secondary function of male-female courtship interactions via bystander male pressure. However, our review also shows that despite the increasing interest in same-sex sexual behaviours, and male-male courtship display in particular, most studies were found to be merely descriptive, and the hypotheses they suggested to explain courtship display between males mostly speculative. This highlights an important gap in the literature. To clarify both the evolution and the function of male-male courtship display, this behaviour needs to be empirically studied more often. Our review can help advancing this research area, as it makes the 20 species with male-male courtship display for which the intrasexual competition hypothesis was suggested excellent candidates for empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of aggressive humor (e.g., teasing, schadenfreude, and sarcasm) is a spiteful behavior because it inflicts costs on both others and the self. To explain the existence of this spiteful behavior, two hypotheses derived from sexual selection theory--namely Mate-Choice and Contests-- posit that the use of aggressive humor helps one attract mates or repel competitors. Both hypotheses have merit, but extant data are unable to discriminate between them. Methods: We critically tested those two hypotheses with a survey study that measured 509 U.S. MTurkers' self-reported tendencies to use aggressive (and other types of) humor, the motives to engage in competition and courtship, and the Dark-Triad personality traits. The final sample was N = 439. Results: We found that (1) the motive of competition but not courtship positively and significantly correlated with the self-reported tendency to use aggressive humor. (2) Subclinical psychopathy--a personality trait positively associated with competition--mediated the correlation between the motive of competition and self-reported use of aggressive humor. These results were held in both female and male respondents. Discussion: Our findings favored the Contests Hypothesis and helped reveal the psychological mechanism that generates the use of aggressive humor as a form of verbal aggression and spiteful behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combat has been described in captive but not in wild Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle). Combat may be seldom observed in the wild because of the habitats used by these highly aquatic, cryptic turtles. We report 1 observation of fighting in M. temminckii and 3 observations of fighting in M. suwanniensis (Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle) from Florida and Georgia. Combat involved wrestling and biting of heads and front feet, and it was usually accompanied by dramatic bubbling of the water surface from submerged turtles. Observations were made in September, October, and December, outside of the presumed courtship and mating season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently described Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae is endemic to the Brazilian Province, including oceanic islands. Although it is expected to have life‐history traits similar to the southern stingray H. americanus, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present the first observations of courtship behaviour (n = 4), copulation (n = 3) and an induced parturition of H. berthalutzae at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, an insular Marine Protected Area from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The mating event records included (1) 'chasing/close following', (2) 'biting/precopulatory biting', (3) 'insertion/copulation' and (4) 'separation'. These results are especially relevant considering that records of reproductive behaviour in the wild are rare for elasmobranchs in general. Mating events occurred in different months, suggesting that the reproductive cycle of H. berthalutzae in this insular system is asynchronous, as observed for other stingray species in regions with favourable environmental conditions and abundant food throughout the year. The opportunistic documentation of the induced parturition allowed for direct nonlethal observation of the two pups at or near full term in late May. Although preliminary, these observations should be considered in future management plans as they provide relevant data about the life‐history traits and mating behaviour of this endemic and threatened species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]