Abstracts » Zoology and wildlife conservation

Parasites reduce attractiveness and reproductive success in male grain beetles

Article Abstract:

Sexual characters may show the quality of a possible mate including the level of infection with parasites. Female preference for odours produced by male grain beetles that were infected by tapeworm, or uninfected, were measured. Females were found to be less attracted to the odours from parasitized males, although they were preferentially attracted to infected females.

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Females prefer noninfected males as mates in the grain beetle Tenebrio molitor: Evidence in pre- and postcopulatory behaviours

Article Abstract:

A study on the effects of infection by tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta on mate choice in a wild strain of grain beetle, Tenebrio molitor was conducted. The study reveals that female beetles mate multiply so both precopulatory and postcopulatory behaviours are important to sexual selection in species and when the virgin females were allowed to choose between tetrahedral males, one infected and noninfected they spent more time near and copulated more with noninfected males than infected males.

Mate selection, Sexual selection in animals, Sexual selection (Natural selection)

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Intraspecific nest parasitism of cavity-nesting wood ducks: costs and benefits to hosts and parasites

Article Abstract:

Fitness benefits of intraspecific nest parasitism to hosts and parasites in precocial cavity-nesting wood ducks, Aix spons, are analyzed.

United States, Breeding, Wood duck, Wood ducks

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