Hypotheses exploring the influence of dietary conditions on the life‐history trade‐off between survival and reproductive success are extensively tested in female insects but only rarely explored in males. The present study examines the impact of dietary quality and female access on age‐specific reproduction and survival of the male Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae). There is a clear cost of female access for males with access to dietary protein, measurable as a decrease in life expectancy, which is further influenced by the age when females are introduced. A protein deficient diet reduces the lifespan benefit of virginity and masks the detrimental effect of female access on male life expectancy. Dietary protein is not necessary for reproductive success, although access to protein at eclosion improves the lifetime reproductive success of males compared to when it is delayed. Overall, reproductive success diminishes as the male flies age, regardless of the dietary conditions, providing evidence for reproductive senescence in males. Delaying the males' access to a protein source fails to influence the negative effect of age on reproductive ability. Because age‐specific reproductive rates decline with age, regardless of diet, male fitness does not benefit from lifespan extension. Therefore, males can be expected to allocate available resources towards reproductive effort in favour of an extended lifespan, regardless of mate and protein availability.

中文翻译：

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雌性获取和饮食影响雄性墨西哥果蝇的受精成功、衰老和繁殖成本

探索饮食条件对生存和繁殖成功之间生活史权衡影响的假设在雌性昆虫中进行了广泛的测试，但很少在雄性昆虫中进行探索。本研究调查了饮食质量和雌性获取对墨西哥雄性实蝇 Anastrepha ludens Loew（双翅目：实蝇科）特定年龄繁殖和存活的影响。对于获得膳食蛋白质的男性来说，女性获得膳食蛋白质的成本是显而易见的，可以通过预期寿命的减少来衡量，这进一步受到引入女性的年龄的影响。缺乏蛋白质的饮食会降低处女的寿命，并掩盖女性进入对男性预期寿命的不利影响。饮食蛋白质不是繁殖成功所必需的，尽管与延迟时相比，在羽化时获得蛋白质可以提高雄性的终生繁殖成功率。总体而言，无论饮食条件如何，随着雄性果蝇年龄的增长，繁殖成功率都会降低，这为雄性果蝇的生殖衰老提供了证据。延迟雄性获取蛋白质来源并不能影响年龄对生殖能力的负面影响。因为特定年龄的生殖率随着年龄的增长而下降，无论饮食如何，男性健康都不会从寿命延长中受益。因此，无论配偶和蛋白质的可用性如何，雄性都可以将可用资源分配给繁殖努力以延长寿命。无论饮食条件如何，都为男性生殖衰老提供了证据。延迟雄性获取蛋白质来源并不能影响年龄对生殖能力的负面影响。因为特定年龄的生殖率随着年龄的增长而下降，无论饮食如何，男性健康都不会从寿命延长中受益。因此，无论配偶和蛋白质的可用性如何，雄性都可以将可用资源分配给繁殖努力以延长寿命。无论饮食条件如何，都为男性生殖衰老提供了证据。延迟雄性获取蛋白质来源并不能影响年龄对生殖能力的负面影响。因为特定年龄的生殖率随着年龄的增长而下降，无论饮食如何，男性健康都不会从寿命延长中受益。因此，无论配偶和蛋白质的可用性如何，雄性都可以将可用资源分配给繁殖努力以延长寿命。