Authors: George W Uetz Stephanie Norton
Publish Date: 2006/11/29
Volume: 61, Issue: 4, Pages: 631-641
Abstract
Individual variation in female preference for male traits may influence mate choice especially if benefits and costs of choosiness vary with the range of available males or reproductive timing We examined variation in female preference for male leg tuft size in Schizocosa ocreata Hentz wolf spiders with video playback Dichotomous simultaneous choice test experiments included all possible combinations of four stimuli ie modified versions of the same video male stimulus average tuft size control reduced −25 enlarged +25 and no tufts removed Females exhibited a directional preference for larger tuft size independent of the nature of the choice except for reduced tufts vs no tufts where no difference was seen Female preference in the short term over a period of 4 days was also highly repeatable for control vs reduced tufts but not for control vs enlarged tufts Responses of females in ‘nochoice’ presentations of a single control male stimulus varied with age postmaturity females were less receptive in weeks 1 and 2 highly receptive at week 3 and less thereafter Mated females were least receptive and most aggressive towards a male stimulus Females offered choices repeatedly at different ages postmaturity consistently preferred the control male vs reduced tufts over all 3 weeks but varied in their preference for enlarged tufts vs control male In the first 2 weeks females preferred the enlarged tuft male stimulus but showed no preference by the third week Females tested in week 4 showed no preference in either choice Results suggest that the potential interaction between female preference for male traits and female reproductive timing may be a critical consideration in mate choiceThis work represents a portion of a thesis submitted by SN in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati This research was supported by grants IBN9906446 and IBN0239164 from the National Science Foundation to GWU Voucher specimens from this population of S ocreata Hentz are deposited in the collection at the US National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institution and the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History We are grateful to the Cincinnati Nature Center Milford Ohio for allowing us to collect spiders at their Rowe Woods facility We would also like to acknowledge the assistance of J A Roberts L Pfeiffer S Morgan A Fenhoff J Best A Manter C Kluener M Salpietra R Srivastava A Callahan E White S Doherty and Anne Wick in collecting and maintaining spiders for this research project We also appreciate statistical advice and comments on the manuscript from PW Taylor C Harris J A Roberts J Gibson K Wrinn J Milliser J Johns M Elgar and several anonymous reviewers This research was conducted in compliance with all pertinent laws and regulations of the USA the State of Ohio and the University of Cincinnati
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