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Sexual selection is an important evolutionary force and despite extensive research, understanding mate choice on naturally occurring trait variation remains an intriguing area of study. The correlation between mass, a trait associated with courter viability and common target for mate choice, and signals is particularly noteworthy. This study focuses on Schizocosa mccooki, the largest member of a wolf spider genus renowned for its diverse complex male courtship. Our objective was to understand the relationship of male mass and other courtship signals on female choice within this species. We conducted lab experiments involving random pairings of field caught males and females, recording vibratory courtship and its outcomes. Our findings revealed that S. mccooki courtship consisted of vibratory signals with two major components, thumps and raps. Male mass, overall courtship vigor, and thump duration were found to predict mating success. Interestingly, we found no correlation between temporal traits and mass suggesting independent information and an absence of trade‐offs between mass, courtship vigor, and signal component rates/durations. Instead, we found that heavier males tend to produce thumps with lower frequencies. The finding that male mass predicts mating success contrasts with patterns observed in other species in this well‐studied genus. By uncovering the mate choice patterns of S. mccooki, this study underscores the importance of comparative studies to understand the ways in which sexual selection drives diversification, even among closely related taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the animals' environment often impact on their behavior and the way they communicate. Particularly in spiders, living on webs or not is a determining factor. While the Lycosidae family predominantly comprises wandering spiders, only a few species inhabit webs. Aglaoctenus oblongus (C.L. Koch 1847) challenges this norm, as it has been found both in webs and wandering, suggesting a previously undocumented mixed strategy. This study aims to: (1) describe the sexual behavior of A. oblongus under laboratory conditions and (2) utilize phenological data to elucidate when and where mating occurs. Sexual encounters were observed within and outside webs, with minimal differences noted between them. Courtship was characterized by groping and leg shaking performed by the males. Copulation was lengthy (near to seven hours), featuring an irregular pattern of palpal insertions, and culminating in a backward dismount. Individuals showed a mixed life history, with the spiders most often found in webs being females with eggs. Both sexes were found throughout the year, with a peak in autumn. We compare the sexual characteristics of this species with that of A. lagotis (also belonging to the Sosippinae subfamily), the only other wolf spider studied to date that exclusively inhabits webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing vocalisations of species in the wild is an important step to understanding their function. A wild-living population of mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) was monitored in Israel, using camera traps, thereby providing a first detailed description of the acoustic repertoire. We described six acoustical signals that were either reported by previous authors or that were hitherto not reported. Acoustic signals were categorised according to behavioural context as alarm calls, courtship calls or threat calls and — if possible — characterised by four acoustic variables, i.e., duration, maximum amplitude frequency, three power quartiles and fundamental frequency. Vocalisations were illustrated as spectrograms supplemented by full video sequences to show the acoustical signal in its environmental, social, and behavioural context. Given the rather inconspicuous character of many acoustic signals, we proposed further in-depth studies of vocalisation in mountain gazelles and other Antilopine species to unravel new insights into their behaviour and social organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mate choice is posited to explain the evolution and maintenance of numerous secondary sexual traits, including ornamentation. This study explores the role of ornamentation in the mating success of two sister-species of wolf spider with divergent ornamentation. Mature male Schizocosa crassipalpata lack ornamentation while males of its closest living relative, S. bilineata, express both dark pigmentation and foreleg brushes. Following phenotypic manipulations of foreleg ornamentation - i.e. adding ornamentation in the form of dark pigment to non-ornamented males (S. crassipalpata, Aim 1) and removing ornamentation in varying degrees from highly ornamented males (S. bilineata, Aim 2 - shaving brushes; Aim 3 - shaving brushes and painting over dark pigment in vibration present/absent environments) - we found no evidence that ornamentation alone improves male mating success in either species, regardless of the vibratory signaling environment. In both S. bilineata experiments, however, higher courtship rates resulted in higher mating success, suggesting selection for courtship performance. Furthermore, females were more likely to turn, a presumed receptivity display, in response to males that courted at a higher rate. Also, similar to findings in another relative (S. stridulans), we found indications that ornamentation may function to ease a male's reliance on courtship performance - i.e., at low courtship rates, only ornamented males can secure a mating. Our phenotypic manipulations also influenced courtship behavior in S. bilineata. Shaved males began courting earlier and courted more often over a longer time than intact males, yet ultimately acquired similar matings. This increased courtship effort likely compensated for reduced ornamentation. Finally, the vibratory environment appears crucial for female-male dialogue in S. bilineata, as vibratory absent environments resulted in increased female attacks and decreased male courtship rates. Together, our data suggest that S. crassipalpata females do not possess a preference for ornamentation and that S. bilineata females do not use ornamentation alone in mating decisions. Instead, our results are consistent with a hypothesis that ornamentation in Schizocosa evolved, and is likely maintained, due to its interactions with dynamic movement displays (i.e. leg movements), which can themselves be plastically altered based on the signaler's phenotype as well as the signaling environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals display numerous colors that can range from red, green, blue, and orange to ultraviolet, whereas others are dull or have a uniform coloration. The reason for this variation in coloration remains unknown. It has been hypothesized that different colors represent multiple signals that either reflect different components, redundant information, or simply no longer provide reliable information regarding body quality. Here, we analyzed the highly diverse coloration of male golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus) using an avian visual model from the avian visual system and related the different components of coloration to several phenotypic traits of body quality. We found that different components of plumage color correlated with the length of the body, tail, spur, and beak, suggesting that the multiple colors in male golden pheasants signal different components of body quality. In particular, tail length was correlated with many aspects of coloration, especially the green and orange colors of neck plumage, which are particularly important because male golden pheasants spread their neck plumage and show it to females during their courtship display. Therefore, these findings reveal that the plumage colors of male golden pheasants encode multiple signals that reflect their body condition during courtship displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued use and development of new insecticides are seen as a necessary part of modern agriculture, but insecticides, even at sublethal levels, may also affect beneficial non‐target species, such as pollinators, predators, and parasitic wasps. Here, we studied sublethal effects of four insecticides – acetamiprid, dimethoate, flupyradifurone, and sulfoxaflor – all targeting cholinergic neurons in insects, on sexual communication and olfactory host finding in the parasitic wasp Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). We found that all four insecticides reduced, at least at one of the tested sublethal doses, pheromone‐mediated courtship behaviour (wing fanning) in males and the mating frequency of treated wasps. Treated females no longer preferred host‐associated kairomones. This suggests that the olfactory sense of the wasps is hampered by sublethal insecticide doses. The lowest bioactive doses tested in the bioassays were 0.021 ng for sulfoxaflor and 0.105 ng for acetamiprid, dimethoate, and flupyradifurone. These low amounts are field realistic and might be taken up by the wasps, e.g., by feeding contaminated plant nectar. Exposure to these compounds likely compromises the important ecosystem service provided by parasitic wasps as natural enemies in terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex pheromones are considered to play critical roles in partner communication of most parasitic Hymenoptera. However, the identification of sex pheromone components remains limited to a few families of parasitoid wasps. In this study, we functionally characterized a candidate sex pheromone component in Microplitis mediator (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary parasitoid of Noctuidae insects. We found that the body surface extract from female wasps could significantly stimulate courtship behavior of males. Gas chromatography‐electroantennographic detection (GC‐EAD) analysis revealed that a candidate semiochemical from extract triggered significant electrophysiological response of antennae of males. By performing gas chromatography‐mass spectrometer (GC‐MS) measurement, GC‐EAD active compound was identified as n‐octyl acrylate, a candidate sex pheromone component in female M. mediator. In electroantennogram (EAG) tests, antennae of male wasps showed significantly higher electrophysiological responses to n‐octyl acrylate than those of females. Y‐tube olfactometer assays indicated that male wasps significantly chose n‐octyl acrylate compared with the control. Furthermore, male wasps showed a remarkable preference for n‐octyl acrylate in a simulated field condition behavioral trial; simultaneously, n‐octyl acrylate standard could also trigger significant courtship behavior in males. We propose that n‐octyl acrylate, as a candidate vital sex pheromone component, could be utilized to design behavioral regulators of M. mediator to implement the protection and utilization of natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals that live in human‐impacted landscapes experience an onslaught of novel stimuli that may interfere with natural communication pathways. During mating, this interference may alter the criteria deployed to assess potential mates as males and females find they must shift their focus and emphasize alternative sensory modalities. The wolf spider, Tigrosa helluo (Araneae, Lycosidae) is common in agricultural fields where commercial formulations of herbicides with glyphosate as the active ingredient are regularly applied. With the development of genetically resistant crops, glyphosate‐based herbicides have become among the most widely used and heavily applied agricultural chemicals in the world. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the effects of this herbicide on male—female interactions during courtship, mating, and sexual cannibalism. We expected that it might impact assessment such that there was a shift in the features that were important to the outcome of mating interactions. When herbicide was present, female body condition, an indication of recent feeding success, became important to mating success. This result was, in part, due to higher rates of sexual cannibalism in parings of males and females with low body condition values. The leg raises and pedipalp waves that males perform in courtship were not affected by herbicide nor were they related to mating success but, across all treatments, they were negatively correlated with lytic activity of females as measured just prior to pairing. This result indicates that males detected this aspect of the female's physiology and that a strong immune response made the female less attractive, possibly because it indicated a current or recent infection. Taken together, these results verify that a common herbicide shifts mating criteria used by an agribiont spider and, separate from the herbicide, the immune status of females affects the reactions of courting males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competition over resources is often decided via aggressive interactions, which may or may not escalate to all-out fights. Weapons and body size play important roles in such interactions, as they often provide reliable cues of an individual's fighting ability. In contrast, traits like nonfunctional display "weapons" may dishonestly exaggerate fighting ability in order to intimidate opponents into retreating. Signals used in the context of aggressive interactions potentially evolve via very different mechanisms than courtship signals, but have received far less theoretical attention. Here, we contrast the evolution of honest and dishonest signals of fighting ability using a game-theoretic model. Contests are assumed to consist of three discrete stages: display from a distance, low-intensity physical contact, and fighting. At each stage, contestants evaluate the fighting ability of their opponents in comparison to their own based on body size and an aggressive signal. After making this evaluation, contestants decide whether to escalate the interaction or cede to their opponent. Our model predicts that both honest and dishonest aggressive signals can exaggerate far beyond their ecological optima, but that exaggeration is more pronounced for honest signals. Equilibrium levels of aggressiveness—as measured by individuals' propensity to escalate aggressive interactions to the next stage—are independent of the honesty of signals. We additionally develop a novel approach, based on causal inference theory, to understand how changes in underlying parameters shape the coevolution of multiple traits. We use this approach to study how aggression coevolves with body and signal size in response to changes in the cost of losing a fight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1980s, groundbreaking theoretical studies showed that ornaments displayed during courtship can coevolve with preferences for such ornaments, leading to extreme exaggeration of both traits. Later models cast doubt on such "runaway" sexual selection, showing that even a small cost of preferences can prevent exaggerated ornaments from persisting long-term. It was subsequently shown that if mutations acting on the ornament are biased—tending to produce smaller rather than larger ornaments—then exaggeration can persist even in the presence of preference costs, seemingly vindicating the original models. Here, we unpack an implicit assumption of these "biased mutation" models: Mutations are assumed to lead, on average, to both smaller and less costly ornaments. Biased mutation consequently generates both a fitness cost (due to reduced mating success) and a fitness benefit (due to increased survival). We lift this assumption by separating an individual's investment in an ornament from their efficiency in converting such investment into ornament size. We assume that biased mutation acts only on efficiency but not on investment, and discuss the plausibility of this alternative assumption. Our model predicts that exaggerated ornaments and preferences can persist stably once they arise, but that strong initial preferences are needed to kick-start the runaway process. Consequently, biased mutation alone may not always be sufficient to save runaway sexual selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genesis 3:16b has traditionally been interpreted as proof of woman's inferiority, her nefarious powers of seduction, and as a license for men to rule and master her. Such an interpretation seems to have a much greater affinity with the Hellenistic context from which it arose than with its immediate Hebraic and Ancient Near Eastern context. If we are to remain faithful to this context—where woman was held in high esteem—we need more than ever to approach Genesis 3:16b with a lens that does not do violence to the woman. This article seeks to offer a new exegetical lens on Genesis 3:16b, as a redemptive rather than a punitive moment. This will entail that the two key concepts "rule" (mashal) and "loving intention" (teshuqah) be re-interpreted, in the light of its Ancient Near Eastern context, as containing vestiges of the sacred marriage trope figuring in Sumerian cultic texts, notably the Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi. The parallels between our story and the Courtship will reveal some stunning parallels, enabling us to illuminate a radically new understanding of Genesis 3:16b as a sacred marriage scene, with the woman enabling the uplifting of man, inaugurating his reign as the king of the land, rather than finding herself dominated by him and a victim of his power over her. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mating experience impacts the physiology and behavior of animals. Although mating effects of female Drosophila melanogaster have been studied extensively, the behavioral changes of males following copulation have not been fully understood. In this study, we characterized the mating-dependent behavioral changes of male flies, especially focusing on fly-to-fly interaction, and their dependence on rearing conditions. Our data demonstrate that male flies quiesce their courtship toward both females and males, as well as their locomotor activity. This post-copulatory quiescence appears to be contingent upon the presence of a peer, as minimal variation is noted in locomotion when the male is measured in isolation. Interestingly, copulated males influence a paired male without successful copulation to reduce his locomotion. Our findings point to a conditional behavioral quiescence following copulation, influenced by the presence of other flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic communication is widespread in beetles, is often sexually dimorphic, and plays a significant role in behaviours such as premating recognition, courtship, and copulation. However, the factors that determine the presence or absence of acoustic signalling in a given species remain unclear. We examined acoustic communication in bark beetles (Scolytinae) and pinhole borers (Platypodinae), which are two speciose groups with widespread sound production capabilities. We show that body size along with the sequence of host colonisation predict the presence of acoustic communication, and report, for the first time in the animal kingdom, a size limit—1.9 mm—below which acoustic signalling ceases to be present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) seasonally aggregate in coastal surface waters of the North Atlantic, providing opportunities for visual observation. While putative courtship displays have been observed, actual copulation has not been documented. Here we examine video collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle (“drone”) of novel behavioral interactions between basking sharks in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts in May 2021. The behaviors, including close following and tight concentric circling, are consistent with pre‐copulatory behavior observed in other shark species. These observations provide new insights into the pre‐copulatory behavior of basking sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the representation of suicide committed for love in English popular print in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It shows how, within ballads and pamphlets, suicide resulting from failed courtship was often portrayed as romantic and an expression of devotion. Within this literature, however, young women often bore the blame for male suicide, influenced by early modern ideas about the innate characteristics of men and women. This examination interrogates a context in which suicide, rather than being condemned, was consistently depicted sympathetically. It also sheds crucial light on the representation and performance of masculinity and femininity in courtship and matters of love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natalisin (NTL) is a conserved neuropeptide, only present in insects, that has been reported to regulate their sexual activity. In this study, we investigated the involvement of NTL in the reproductive behaviors of a major invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda. We identified NTL precursor-encoded transcripts, and evaluated their transcript levels in different stages and tissues of S. frugiperda. The results showed that the NTL transcript level was expressed in both male and female pupae and both male and female adults in the later stage. It was highly expressed in male pupae, 3-day-old male and female adults, and 5-day-old male adults. In different tissues, the expression level is higher in the male and female adult brain and male testis. Immunohistochemical staining of the brain of S. frugiperda female and male adults revealed that three pairs of brain neurons of S. frugiperda adults of both sexes secreted and expressed NTL. To study the role of NTL in reproductive behaviors, NTL was silenced in S. frugiperda male and female adults by RNA interference (RNAi) technology, the results showed that silencing NTL could significantly affect the sexual activity behavior of the adults, reducing the calling rate of females, the courtship rate of males, and the mating rate. In summary, this study emphasizes the important role of NTL in regulating the mating behavior and sexual activity of S. frugiperda in both male and female adults, potentially laying a foundation to employ NTL as a new insect-specific target to control populations of pest insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The butterfly Byasa hedistus exhibits strong volatiles but shows no significant differences in color and shape. We analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and tested the visual and olfactory behavioral responses of B. hedistus during foraging and courtship. The effects of colors and VOCs on the foraging and courtship of B. hedistus are discussed. This study enhances our understanding of how male and female butterflies of similar coloration use different signals for foraging and courtship. Color and odor are crucial cues for butterflies during foraging and courtship. While most sexual dimorphic butterflies rely more on vision, our understanding of how butterflies with similar coloration use different signals remains limited. This study investigated the visual and olfactory behavioral responses of the similarly colored butterfly Byasa hedistus during foraging and courtship. While visiting artificial flowers of different colors, we found that B. hedistus exhibits an innate color preference, with a sequence of preferences for red, purple, and blue. The frequency of flower visits by B. hedistus significantly increased when honey water was sprayed on the artificial flowers, but it hardly visited apetalous branches with honey water. This proves that locating nectar sources by odor alone is difficult in the absence of floral color guides. During courtship, males are active while females hardly chase; only two models were observed: males chasing males and males chasing females. The courtship process includes four behaviors: slowing approach, straight chasing, hovering, and spinning. B. hedistus cannot distinguish between sexes based on color, as there is no significant difference in color and shape between them. Twenty-three VOCs (>1%) were identified in B. hedistus, with 21 shared by both sexes, while ketones are specific to males. These VOCs are principally represented by cineole, β-pinene, and linalool. When cineole was added to butterfly mimics, many butterflies were attracted to them, but the butterflies did not seem to distinguish between males and females. This suggests that cineole may be the feature VOC for identifying conspecific groups. Adding β-pinene and linalool to mimics induced numerous butterflies to chase, hover, spin around, and attempt to mate with them. This suggests that β-pinene and linalool are crucial cues indicating the presence of females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kinkajous are one of the most widely distributed Neotropical mammals, nonetheless, their nocturnal habits have posed challenges on the study of their ecology and behavior. Here, we used arboreal camera trapping in a pristine Amazonian forest in Ecuador, and ad libitum data from direct encounters in a lowland and a highland forest in Colombia to describe their activity patterns and describe anecdotal data on their diet and reproductive behaviors. As expected, kinkajous are strictly nocturnal and seem to be active throughout the entire night, although in our study there was less activity towards the beginning and the end of the night. Kinkajous were observed to be mostly solitary, rarely in groups of two to three adult individuals. Although their diet has not been described in detail, fruits from Moraceae and Urticaceae appear to be important components of their diet. Their reproductive behavior involves an isolated pair of kinkajous, and may be interrupted by other males. Pairs seem to meet for reproductive purposes and range together for several hours, during which courtship may take place, ending in copulation, which lasts for approximately 3 min. After copulation, the male and female appear to separate and return to their solitary habits. The results of this study complement the scarce information on the elusive kinkajous in the Neotropical forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Animals plastically adjust their physiological and behavioural phenotypes to conform to their social environment—social niche conformance. The degree of sexual competition is a critical part of the social environment to which animals adjust their phenotypes, but the underlying genetic mechanisms are poorly understood. We conducted a study to investigate how differences in sperm competition risk affect the gene expression profiles of the testes and two brain areas (posterior pallium and optic tectum) in breeding male zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis). In this pre-registered study, we investigated a large sample of 59 individual transcriptomes. We compared two experimental groups: males held in single breeding pairs (low sexual competition) versus those held in two pairs (elevated sexual competition) per breeding cage. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we observed significant effects of the social treatment in all three tissues. However, only the treatment effects found in the pallium were confirmed by an additional randomisation test for statistical robustness. Likewise, the differential gene expression analysis revealed treatment effects only in the posterior pallium (ten genes) and optic tectum (six genes). No treatment effects were found in the testis at the single gene level. Thus, our experiments do not provide strong evidence for transcriptomic adjustment specific to manipulated sperm competition risk. However, we did observe transcriptomic adjustments to the manipulated social environment in the posterior pallium. These effects were polygenic rather than based on few individual genes with strong effects. Our findings are discussed in relation to an accompanying paper using the same animals, which reports behavioural results consistent with the results presented here.

This article examines the emotional landscape of courtship and engagements in seventeenth-century Sweden. By using a framework by Illouz, understanding courtship as a cultural technique aimed at creating certainty in socially risky situations, the courtship of two women by one student is examined. The analysis moves from the intimate interactions of the couple to the family, the community and lastly the ecclesiastical and university authorities. The article shows that the main sources of uncertainty in the courtship process stemmed from procedural and ontological uncertainty—the order of courtship, the rituals of engagements and the significance of exchanged gifts were not clear, causing confusion and disruption in the courtship process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary changes and interspecific diversity in sexual coercion and autonomy are often linked to indirect selection on mate preferences. Yet, this approach overlooks the small fraction of indirect selection in total selection on mate choice and assumes unnecessarily specific conditions in the recent ‘autonomy-enhancing’ risk-reduction model. This paper proposes a more parsimonious approach based on direct selection and basic signalling theory, incorporating ecological variables to better explain sexual biodiversity. Particularly, the spatial dimensionality of mating environments is emphasized for its role in enhancing sexual freedom through both diminishing monopolization and elevating escape potential from sexual coercion. Empirical evidence, ranging from waterfowl to humans, seems to better align with this ecologically constrained signalling perspective. Furthermore, it suggests that choosers keep coercion risk at ecological baseline by leveraging their escape potential. This repositions intriguing protective elements like bowerbirds' constructions as courtship features that have been bargained to respect sexual autonomy rather than enhancing it through indirect selection. It implies that courtship induced risks, such as reduced mobility, may in principle increase substantially precisely because they are offset by protective measures. Future research could reveal the prevalence of such risk-balancing strategies, advancing our understanding of mating dynamics. This work suggests new theoretical and empirical research avenues within the ecology of mating dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the reproductive biology of the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), a Southern Ocean predator. Here we observed sexual behavior in wild leopard seals in Laguna San Rafael, Chile during a 2 h courtship interaction between a female and male. The female was hauled out on ice, mostly lying still (69% of the time) or moving (19%). The male was mostly under water (87%) or at the water's surface (11%). The female made seven in-air calls (i.e., thump pulse, noseblast, blast, growl). The male produced 65 underwater calls (i.e., low- and high-double trills, unidentified trills). The underwater calls appeared to be directed toward the female. After the primary male vocalized for an hour, one or two unidentified leopard seals briefly swam near the female. After leaving the area, we heard underwater calls for another 8 h. The next day, the primary male was hauled out on ice with a swollen genital opening. The male was bleeding from a laceration caudal to the preputial opening, suggesting the male attempted to mate and that the female, or another seal, was responsible for the injury. Together, we find that leopard seal courtship involves a suite of behavioral and acoustic behaviors by both sexes, both in air and under water. This is the first description of leopard seal sexual behavior in the wild. Our study also provides the first evidence that leopard seals mate in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dark Triad (DT) is a set of personality traits consisting of subclinical psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Separately, The Red Pill (TRP) is a seduction community part of an online men's movement that advocates incorporating DT traits and behaviors in romantic or sexual relationships with women. This study investigates the potential presence of DT influences in relationships with TRP‐affiliated men as described by former romantic partners. Using a directed content analysis of six semi‐structured interviews, four thematic categories emerged: relationship development, coaxing, outward appearances, and DT‐associated Internet behaviors. TRP men consistently displayed self‐interest and willingness to use manipulation to meet their needs, portraying themselves to their partners and the world as successful while callously disregarding partners' emotions in their pursuit of sex or social desirability. Participants' experiences of TRP men's behaviors aligned with prior knowledge regarding DT‐associated romantic and sexual relationships. This research may be used to inform future research connecting DT personalities and maladaptive social groups, as well as generating prevention strategies among relationship‐based practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication governs the formation and maintenance of social relationships. The interpretation of communication signals depends not only on the signal's content but also on a receiver's individual experience. Experiences throughout life may interact to affect behavioural plasticity, such that a lack of developmental sensory exposure could constrain adult learning, while salient adult social experiences could remedy developmental deficits. We investigated how experiences impact the formation and direction of female auditory preferences in the zebra finch. Zebra finches form long-lasting pair bonds and females learn preferences for their mate's vocalizations. We found that after 2 weeks of cohabitation with a male, females formed pair bonds and learned to prefer their partner's song regardless of whether they were reared with ('normally reared') or without ('song-naive') developmental exposure to song. In contrast, females that heard but did not physically interact with a male did not prefer his song. In addition, previous work has found that song-naive females do not show species-typical preferences for courtship song. We found that cohabitation with a male ameliorated this difference in preference. Thus, courtship and pair bonding, but not acoustic-only interactions, strongly influence preference learning regardless of rearing experience, and may dynamically drive auditory plasticity for recognition and preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many species of birds, the male feeds his partner during courtship. It is hypothesised that courtship-feeding may nutritionally benefit females, strengthen pair-bonds, and/or signal male quality. Here we explore the dynamics and repeatability of courtship-feeding decisions in wild toutouwai (North Island robin, Petroica longipes), using data collected over three breeding seasons. We experimentally provisioned males and found that they were more likely to share in trials closer to incubation onset and when their mate vocalised. Males were consistent in their courtship-feeding decisions, as the proportion of food-items they shared was repeatable within breeding seasons. Males were also repeatable in the proportion of food-items they shared between breeding seasons, but only when paired to the same female. Our results suggest that male toutouwai courtship-feeding decisions are largely driven by female nutritional need. Moreover, if the consistent interindividual variation we found in male courtship generosity in our experiment is correlated with natural courtship behaviour, then courtship feeding could reliably signal a male's quality as reproductive partner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some populations of the Two-Lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata) species complex, males exhibit two alternative reproductive tactics: "searching" and "guarding." Searching males have secondary sexual characters—including a large, pheromone-producing mental gland—used in terrestrial courtship, whereas guarding males have hypertrophied jaw musculature used in mate-guarding behavior near aquatic nesting sites. Although this polymorphism occurs in at least four evolutionarily distinct lineages, previous histological studies have only focused on soft-tissue differences in one of these species and no studies have evaluated osteological differences between alternative reproductive tactics. Herein, we present new histological and osteological data from three evolutionarily distinct lineages within the E. bislineata species complex. We confirmed that traditional mental glands are restricted to searching males and that caudal courtship glands are present in both male phenotypes, but not in females. We also found variation in other skin glands that warrants further investigation. Cleared and stained specimens and microcomputed tomography data both revealed substantial osteological differences in skull morphology. Compared with searching males, guarding males have increased skull ossification, fewer and larger teeth, and more pronounced otic and squamosal crests. Together, these data expand our knowledge of morphological differences between alternative reproductive tactics, and we discuss the implications of our results for hypotheses regarding phenotypic plasticity throughout the lifetime of an individual male. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of reproductive behavior can help reveal patterns of sexual isolation and clarify species boundaries. In northern Georgia, Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamanders (Eurycea cf. wilderae) and Brown-backed Salamanders (Eurycea aquatica) are syntopic but do not hybridize. Within this region, Eurycea cf. wilderae males exhibit a reproductive polymorphism, with "searching" males that appear adapted for terrestrial courtship and "guarding" males that appear adapted for aquatic mate-guarding. To understand better how inter- and intraspecific reproductive variation might contribute to sexual isolation between E. aquatica and E. cf. wilderae, we staged T-maze trials and courtship trials, and we conducted preliminary analyses of sex hormones from noninvasive fecal samples. We found that males of both species preferred conspecific female scents to heterospecific female scents, but that searching male E. cf. wilderae were not better than guarding males at locating a conspecific female scent. We also found evidence for strong propensity asymmetry, with male and female E. cf. wilderae much more likely than E. aquatica to engage in courtship behaviors in the lab. Still, we observed some instances of heterospecific courtship through spermatophore transfer. Finally, we found evidence for higher fecal testosterone concentrations in males than females and higher concentrations in guarding male than in searching male E. cf. wilderae. Together, our data provide further insight into the reproductive ecologies of and the nature of reproductive isolation between Eurycea aquatica and Eurycea cf. wilderae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male Ensatina eschscholtzii do not have a mental gland, a macrogland used by males during courtship that is considered an ancestral character of plethodontids. We tested whether males and females have nonmental courtship glands associated with the integument of the rostrum and mentum (chin). We found that both male and female E. eschscholtzii possess courtship-like integumentary glands (modified granular glands) in the upper labia extending dorsally along the rostrum and lower labia extending ventrally across the mental region. These glands are sexually dimorphic in size (larger in females) and react positively with periodic acid–Schiff. We hypothesize that these glands are involved in courtship through production of pheromones that may or may not be similar to pheromones produced in courtship glands of other plethodontid salamanders. These rostral glands are structurally and chemically unique in comparison with glands of the rostrum that empty along the length of nasolabial grooves (nasolabial glands) of Ensatina, which do not appear to be involved in pheromone production. Both females and males have relatively few traditional mucous glands throughout the skin in comparison with other species of plethodontids, although some clusters are identified at the anterior edges of the labia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the connection between personality and fitness is an important topic in both behavioural and evolutionary ecology. Most of our current knowledge stems from lab-studies despite that studies in natural populations for most parts generate more ecologically relevant information on behavioural variation and mating success. Here, we quantified Calopteryx splendens male mating success across two behavioural axes: courtship and boldness-aggression, testing personality and plasticity of behavioural traits in a natural population situated in the central-core of the species distribution. We also measured wing patch area and body size as these traits are important in damselfly sexual selection. The only behavioural trait that positively affected mating success was consistency in courtship effort. Among morphological traits, smaller wing patch size was associated with greater male mating success, while thorax size was a better predictor of male mating success than either personality or plasticity in boldness and activity. Our results demonstrate the importance of behavioural consistency over plasticity in a wild insect population and support prior studies showing the importance of body size for mating success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though a previous study in Sudan confirmed the existence of a living hybrid of an oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) and a reef manta ray (M. alfredi), courtship behaviors between the two closely related species have never been documented. Here we report the first observation of courtship behaviors between two male M. birostris and a female M. alfredi at a manta ray cleaning station on a shallow coral reef seamount in Misool, Raja Ampat, Indonesia. The observed courtship event lasted for approximately 45 min and involved one male oceanic manta actively chasing the mature reef manta female around the cleaning station and repeatedly bumping her on the left wing tip with his right cephalic lobe, while the second male continuously flanked the female to seemingly prevent her retreat from the cleaning station and potential evasion of the pursuing male. Notably, the female exhibited a rapid coloration change, likely indicative of courtship-related stress, transitioning from the striking pale hue she exhibited throughout the courtship activity to a normal chevron pattern once the males departed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioural observations were used to investigate the temporal dynamics events and associated variation in the daily activities of a sedentary population of mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) inhabiting an urban park in northern Portugal. Data was collected at Porto City Park from December to April, during the species' courtship and early nesting periods. The most frequent activities for this population were locomotion, resting and feeding. Statistical analysis revealed that male and female behaviours differed significantly throughout the courtship period, as males exhibited more displays and aggressive behaviour while females were more prone to feed in order to meet their increased nutritional and energetic needs. Temporal analyses showed that courtship reached a peak in intensity in February, since it was in this month that the highest values for mating, aggressive behaviour in males and defensive behaviour in females were observed. Behavioural differences were found for this population, with higher feeding rates compared to those of wild populations as well as lower defensive behaviour rates. This paper sheds light on how synanthropized populations, as well as those from Southwestern Europe, show different behavioural responses from other populations. Additional extensive monitoring of population dynamics and factors such as latitudinal differences, habituation to humans and climate change will help to predict future growth and expansion rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the influence of laboratory domestication, under relaxed conditions, on the courtship behaviour of the fruit fly species Anastrepha obliqua, an important agricultural pest. We compared the temporal patterns of pheromone emission (Calling behaviour) and the frequencies and sequences of the courtship behavioural units of males of a laboratory lineage and a wild lineage. Our results indicated similarities in the temporal behavioural patterns of calling, the durations of their behavioural sequences, the final sequences of courtships resulting in copulation, of wild and laboratory males. Differences, however, were observed between the two populations in terms of the frequencies of the behavioural units executed and the initial sequence of courtship. Differences were noted in the presence or absence of some behavioural units within the courtship behavioural repertoires of the laboratory‐reared and wild. The wild males did not show units such as Alignment, Contact, Fighting and Marking Leaf that were observed in the laboratory males' courtship behaviour under laboratory conditions; on the other hand, laboratory males did not show the Abdominal movements and Oscillation observed in the courtship behaviour of wild males. The rearing of A. obliqua males under relaxed conditions in the laboratory provides an environment adequate for the preservation of behavioural characteristics relevant to the successful mating, such as Movement, Arrowhead 1, and Attempt, and in temporal patterns of pheromone emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were conducted to study and document the copulation duration and effect of mating on the female calling behaviour of the Indian population of an invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Results showed that 58.39% of the females exhibited calling in the absence of males and 88.18% of females in the presence of males on the first scotophase. The onset time of calling was early in females when males were present. Calling length and calling bouts varied significantly with an increase in the age of virgin females, while in multiple-mated females, the trend was different. The copulation duration of S. frugiperda varied between 78.00 ± 7.35 min and 197.14 ± 11.06 min. The copulation duration and percentage of females mated were maximum in the second scotophase. The fecundity of multiple-mated females ranged between 841 and 1849 with a mean of 1176 ± 113 eggs per female, while in single-mated females, it ranged between 476 and 1368 with a mean of 878 ± 175 eggs per female. Our results indicated that the calling and mating took place in the first scotophase and were at a peak in the second scotophase. This information can be used in formulating biorational molecules, which can modulate calling behaviour and improve mating disruption in S. frugiperda for its management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms underlying the divergence of reproductive strategies between closely related species are still poorly understood. Additionally, it is unclear which selective factors drive the evolution of reproductive behavioral variation and how these traits coevolve, particularly during early divergence. To address these questions, we quantified behavioral differences in a recently diverged pair of Nova Scotian three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations, which vary in parental care, with one population displaying paternal care and the other lacking this. We compared both populations, and a full reciprocal F1 hybrid cross, across four major reproductive stages: territoriality, nesting, courtship, and parenting. We identified significant divergence in a suite of heritable behaviors. Importantly, F1 hybrids exhibited a mix of behavioral patterns, some of which suggest sex linkage. This system offers fresh insights into the coevolutionary dynamics of reproductive behaviors during early divergence and offers support for the hypothesis that coevolutionary feedback between sexual selection and parental care can drive rapid evolution of reproductive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the evolutionary drivers of sexual signal complexity is a key challenge in the study of animal communication. Among mammals, male bovids and cervids often perform elaborate gestural displays during courtship, consisting of ritualized movements of various parts of the body but the causes underlying interspecific variation in complexity of such displays remain poorly understood. Here we apply the comparative method to investigate which factors may have either promoted or constrained gestural repertoire size. We found that sexual selection was a strong predictor of gestural display complexity in male bovids and cervids. Repertoire size was positively correlated with breeding group size, an indicator of the intensity of sexual selection in males. Moreover, repertoires were larger in species adopting nonterritorial and lek breeding mating systems than in species adopting resource-defence territoriality, a finding that can be explained by more emphasis on direct benefits than indirect benefits in resource-defence systems, where male mating success may also be less skewed due to difficulty in monopolizing mates. The results also indicate that gestural repertoire size was positively correlated with the number of closely related species occurring in sympatry. This is consistent with display complexity being selected to facilitate species recognition during courtship and thereby avoid interspecific hybridization. At the same time, repertoire size was negatively associated with male body mass, possibly due to the energetic and mechanical constraints imposed on movements in very large species. By contrast, we found no evidence that the habitat drives selection for complex gestural courtship displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mating behavior arises from interactions between males and females. The precopulatory stage includes various male and female mating behaviors that are potentially influenced (independently or jointly) by each sex, thereby shaping the dynamics of this stage. However, limited attention has been given to determining the relative contributions of males and females to the expression of precopulatory behaviors. Here, we adopted a variance-partitioning approach to assess which sex controls each precopulatory behavior. This approach also enabled us to evaluate the existence of mate choice by assessing whether the expression of precopulatory behavior depends on the identity of the opposite-sex partner. In our study, using the bean bug Riptortus pedestris , we exposed individual males and females to different opposite-sex partners (i.e. mating assays) up to six times. During the mating assay, we measured multiple precopulatory behaviors (e.g. latency to mount, courtship rate, courtship duration, and duration of position change). Variance partitioning showed that the variation in each precopulatory behavior could be attributed solely to either sex but not to both sexes. Hence, the precopulatory stage of R. pedestris comprises a combination of male-controlled and female-controlled behaviors. We also suggested that mate choice was absent in both sexes of R. pedestris in the postmounting and precopulatory stages. Our findings highlight the importance of the variance-partitioning approach in the study of mating behavior, as it facilitates the investigation of whether mate choice occurs at specific mating stages and enhances our understanding of evolutionary dynamics during mating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social interactions (e.g. aggression, mating and parenting) often depend on the social environment, and recent studies suggest that the adult sex ratio (ASR, the proportion of males in the adult population) modulates these social interactions. While observational studies and phylogenetic analyses provide strong support for the proposition that the relative frequencies of adult males and females impact social decisions, the experimental evidence for the impacts of ASR on social interactions is moot. In this study, we manipulated ASR in dung beetles, Onthophagus taurus , to test the responses of males and females in contest behaviour, courtship behaviour and breeding success. We found that ASR influenced the intensity of both contest and courtship, with both contests and courtships being more frequent in male-biased ASRs than in female-biased and unbiased treatments. The weight of brood balls did not differ significantly between ASR treatments, suggesting that ASR does not affect the breeding success of dung beetles by changing the parental investment of females and males. Moreover, the mean number of brood balls per male was fewer in male-biased treatments than in female-biased and unbiased treatments, while there was no significant difference in the mean number of brood balls per female between treatments, supporting the hypothesis that a male-skewed ASR can impair the breeding success of organisms by influencing the reproductive capacity of males but not females. Our results extend the understanding of the influence of ASR on the reproductive strategy decisions of males and females in breeding success. Future analyses are needed to understand the physiological and genetic implications of mate choice and contest behaviour in the context of a variable social environment, as represented by ASR. • An increased male-biased ASR frequently intensifies contest and courtship behaviour. • ASR shows no impact on parental care, evidenced by consistent brood ball weights. • ASR shifts male, not female, reproductive capacity, impacting breeding success. • There is no ASR effect on the parental care–fecundity trade-off in our experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motor and cognitive aging can severely affect life quality of elderly people and burden health care systems. In search for diagnostic behavioral biomarkers, it has been suggested that walking speed can predict forms of cognitive decline, but in humans, it remains challenging to separate the effects of biological aging and lifestyle. We examined a possible association of motor and cognitive decline in Drosophila, a genetic model organism of healthy aging. Long term courtship memory is present in young male flies but absent already during mid life (4–8 weeks). By contrast, courtship learning index and short term memory (STM) are surprisingly robust and remain stable through mid (4–8 weeks) and healthy late life (>8 weeks), until courtship performance collapses suddenly at ~4.5 days prior to death. By contrast, climbing speed declines gradually during late life (>8 weeks). The collapse of courtship performance and short term memory close to the end of life occur later and progress with a different time course than the gradual late life decline in climbing speed. Thus, during healthy aging in male Drosophila, climbing and courtship motor behaviors decline differentially. Moreover, cognitive and motor performances decline at different time courses. Differential behavioral decline during aging may indicate different underlying causes, or alternatively, a common cause but different thresholds for defects in different behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual dimorphism stands out as a significant evolutionary outcome of sexual selection between males and females across various species. Reptiles also exhibit distinct morphological differences between males and females. For instance, the genus Darevskia, exemplified by Darevskia schaekeli in this study, displays sexual dimorphism. Examination of morphological traits in this species revealed that males possess greater head length, trunk length, forelimb and hindlimb length, as well as a higher number of femoral pores compared to females. All these morphological distinctions, favoring males, are pivotal in their mating and reproductive processes. In this species, the mating process commences with the male biting the female's head. Subsequently, he restrains her by gripping her hindlimbs and positions their cloacal edges to rotate his body in front of hers. Greater body length and hind limb size are crucial for this maneuver. During the mating season (spring), males exhibit a more diverse and prominent dorsal and lateral color pattern compared to females, suggesting a form of sexual selection within this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study takes a relational stage approach to understanding the role of online dating in the progression of relationships toward marriage. Fifty interviews were conducted with individuals from across the United States (ages 21–62; M age = 33.42) who were married or engaged to someone they met via online dating. The results present a comprehensive view of online dating through 4 stages and 13 subcategories of relationship development. Participants described meeting through a process of technology-enabled relationship initiation. Once the relationship escalated offline, they entered a period of multimodal development that demonstrated the enduring influence technology continued to have after meeting in person. Throughout this process, participants stressed the role of online dating platforms in breaking down barriers and reinforcing divisions. Three outcomes for marriage were also uncovered. Findings from this study suggest that online dating is changing more than where couples meet and have theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates rules of marriage in the plays of King Lear, The Way of The World, Lady Windermere’s Fan, and The Browning Version. Analysis is devoted to thirteen dialogues comprising seven dialogues whose illumination reveals principles of marital sustainability in addition to six dialogues whose scrutiny shows causes of marital disruption. Thus, an overall frame of healthy marriage can be drawn based on the adoption of the principles and the obviation of the causes. The analytical, descriptive and comparative methods are applied. The researcher has found that couples intending marriage should apprehend that virtue transcends wealth and authority, courtship encompasses a rational and passionate formula, matchmaking foundations should tackle worries expected after marriage. A married couple should understand that martial sustainability is based on preservation of morality, celebration of sincerity, firm faithfulness, tolerance, and concealment of marital disruption. Marital sustainability could be also endangered due to hatred and boredom, recurrent reprimand, false appetite and fading lust, thirst for sexual gratification, undervaluation of a partner, superficial dutifulness, and spoiling a partner’s moments of happiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ololiuhqui, the seeds of coatl xoxouhqui (morning glory, Turbina corymbosa), contain a nonhuman life force within them that Central Mexican Nahua specialists have used to diagnose and prognosticate cocoliztli (illness) and help guide cocoxqueh (sick people) back to pactinemiliztli (health). In the seventeenth century, Spanish priest Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón went on a campaign against ololiuhqui and its users that lasted more than two decades. Early in his war against ololiuhqui, the priest became ill, and some Nahuas in his parish viewed his cocoliztli as a result of his contempt toward the seed. This further fueled his rage toward ololiuhqui and drove him to uncover and punish specialists and their clients. After 1617, when the archbishop of Mexico licensed Ruiz de Alarcón to investigate Native "heterodoxy," the zealous priest quickly found that non-Native people were also involved in ololiuhqui networks and seldom wished to comply with his investigations. As a result, well into the 1630s the priest courted the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico with the goal of obtaining jurisdiction over all colonial racial and ethnic categories in New Spain. Ruiz de Alarcón failed to extirpate the relationship Nahuas had with ololiuhqui, and he also failed to become an official member of the Holy Office's networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genes involved in melanin production directly impact insect pigmentation and can affect diverse physiology and behaviours. The role these genes have on sex behaviour, however, is unclear. In the present study, the crucial melanin pigment gene black was functionally characterised in an urban pest, the German cockroach, Blattella germanica. RNAi knockdown of B. germanica black (Bgblack) had no effect on survival, but did result in black pigmentation of the thoraxes, abdomens, heads, wings, legs, antennae, and cerci due to cuticular accumulation of melanin. Sex-specific variation in the pigmentation pattern was apparent, with females exhibiting darker coloration on the abdomen and thorax than males. Bgblack knockdown also resulted in wing deformation and negatively impacted the contact sex pheromone-based courtship behaviour of males. This study provides evidence for black function in multiple aspects of B. germanica biology and opens new avenues of exploration for novel pest control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male chum salmon display a courtship behaviour involving an actively "quivering" against female, which is essential for female orgasm. Because generally male prefer larger female, we determined whether the elements of quivering such as the number, the amplitude, and the distance are affected by female body size. Additionally, quivering changes towards oviposition; therefore, we also identified the essential time for the male to succeed in his courtship behaviour. We conducted two experiments to measure quivering parameters: (i) measuring the number and the amplitude of quivering by the acceleration data logger and (ii) measuring the distance between sexes during quivering by observation of recorded video. From the first experiment, there was no significant relationship between the ratio of female‐to‐male body lengths and the number and the amplitude of quivering, while an important relationship between the body length ratio and the distance between sexes from the second experiment. Therefore, we think the distance is more significant than the number or vigour of quivering for male choice, and males quiver more closely to a larger female to increase reproductive success. In addition, when the body length ratio of the sexes is 1.01, the distance during quivering is the shortest. So, there is a possibility that the reproduction of chum salmon is based on size‐assortative mating. And both experiments also showed that male quiver passively as spawning approaches. We suggest that males may not quiver actively for smooth mating as females spawning approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theory predicts that males and females of dioecious species typically engage in an evolutionary sexual conflict over the frequency and choice of mating partner. Female sexual cannibalism, a particularly dramatic illustration of this conflict, is widespread in certain animal taxa including spiders. Nevertheless, females of some funnel weaving spiders that are generally aggressive to conspecifics enter a cataleptic state after male courtship, ensuring the males can mate without risk of attack. In this study, we demonstrated that the physical posture and duration, metabolites, and central neurotransmitters of females of Aterigena aculeata in sexual catalepsy closely resemble females in thanatosis but are distinct from those in anesthesia, indicating that the courted females feign death to eliminate the risk of potentially aggressive responses and thereby allow preferred males to mate. Unlike the taxonomically widespread thanatosis, which generally represents a deceptive visual signal that acts against the interest of the receivers, sexual catalepsy of females in the funnel weaving spiders may deliver a sexual-receptive signal to the courting males and thereby benefit both the signal senders and receivers. Therefore, sexual catalepsy in A. aculeata may not reflect a conflict but rather a confluence of interest between the sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argiope anasuja Thorell, 1887 is a species of orb-weaving spider found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Despite its widespread distribution, little is known about its natural history and mating behavior. In this study, I describe some aspects of the natural history and mating behaviors of A. anasuja in captivity and in natural habitats. The spiders were found to occupy less shady areas close to water bodies, building their webs between 50 to 200 cm above the ground level. Web decorations were common in female webs, primarily in the central area, and consisted of dense zigzag bands of silk. A significant difference in copulation duration was observed between cannibalized and non-cannibalized individuals. Furthermore, a significant difference in copulation duration was found between individuals in natural environments and laboratory conditions. However, no significant difference was observed in courtship duration between individuals in natural environment and laboratory conditions. Understanding the mating behaviors of A. anasuja is important because they play a key role in determining the success of mating. This study highlights the natural history and mating behavior of A. anasuja, contributing to our understanding of this species in Sri Lanka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Traits that mediate reproductive isolation between species, such as those involved in mate choice and/or recognition, are predicted to experience stabilizing selection towards the species mean. Male orchid bees collect chemical compounds from many sources, such as plants and fungi, which they use as a perfume signal (pheromone) during courtship display, and are suggested to contribute to reproductive isolation between species. Environmentally acquired signals are more prone to variation as source availability can vary through space and time. If orchid bee perfumes are important for reproductive isolation between species, we expect them to exhibit stable species-specific differences in time and space. Here, we describe phenotypic patterns of inter- and intraspecific variation in the male perfumes of three sympatric species of Euglossa orchid bees across an entire year, investigating both their seasonality and species specificity. Our analysis revealed considerable within-species variation in perfumes. However, species specificity was maintained consistently throughout the year, supporting the idea that these perfumes could play an important role in reproductive isolation and are experiencing stabilizing selection towards a species mean. Our analysis also identified strong correlations in the abundance of some compounds, possibly due to shared collection sources between species. Our study suggests that orchid bee perfumes are robust in the face of environmental changes in resource availability and thus can maintain reproductive isolation between species.