Injuries frequently accumulate with age in nature. Despite the commonality of injury and the resulting impairment, there are limited experimental data for the effects of impairment on life history trade‐offs between reproduction and survival in insects. We tested the effects of artificial injury and the resulting impairment on the reproductive costs and behavior of male medflies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Treatment flies were impaired by amputating tarsomere segments 2–5 from the right foreleg at either eclosion or age 22 days. The effect of impairment and age on the cost of reproduction was tested by varying the timing of female availability among the treatments. Courtship behavior and copulation rates were observed hourly from age 2–5 days to determine the effects of impairment on reproductive behavior. Female access combined with the impairment reduced the life expectancy of males more than the impairment alone, whereas the health effect of amputation was influenced by age. Conversely, the risk of death due to impairment was not influenced by the males' mating status prior to amputation. The males' copulation success was reduced due to impairment, whereas courtship behavior was not affected. Impairment does not reduce the males' impulse to mate, but decreases the females' receptivity to copulation, while also increasing the cost of each successful mating. Overall, minor impairment lowers the reproductive success of males and reduces longevity.

中文翻译：

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腿部损伤放大了雄性地中海果蝇的繁殖成本

伤害通常随着年龄的增长而累积。尽管损伤和由此产生的损伤具有共性，但关于损伤对昆虫繁殖和生存之间生活史权衡的影响的实验数据有限。我们测试了人工损伤的影响以及由此产生的对雄性地中海果蝇的繁殖成本和行为的影响，Ceratitis capitalta (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae)。在羽化或 22 天龄时，从右前腿截掉 2-5 节跗节，使治疗果蝇受损。通过改变治疗中女性可用性的时间来测试损伤和年龄对生殖成本的影响。从 2 至 5 天大时，每小时观察一次求偶行为和交配率，以确定损伤对生殖行为的影响。与单独的损伤相比，女性进入与损伤相结合更能降低男性的预期寿命，而截肢对健康的影响受年龄的影响。相反，由于损伤导致的死亡风险不受截肢前雄性交配状态的影响。由于损伤，雄性的交配成功率降低，而求偶行为不受影响。损伤不会减少雄性交配的冲动，但会降低雌性对交配的接受度，同时也增加了每次成功交配的成本。总的来说，轻微的损伤会降低雄性的繁殖成功率并缩短寿命。因损伤而死亡的风险不受截肢前雄性交配状态的影响。由于损伤，雄性的交配成功率降低，而求偶行为不受影响。损伤不会减少雄性交配的冲动，但会降低雌性对交配的接受度，同时也增加了每次成功交配的成本。总的来说，轻微的损伤会降低雄性的繁殖成功率并缩短寿命。因损伤而死亡的风险不受截肢前雄性交配状态的影响。由于损伤，雄性的交配成功率降低，而求偶行为不受影响。损伤不会减少雄性交配的冲动，但会降低雌性对交配的接受度，同时也增加了每次成功交配的成本。总的来说，轻微的损伤会降低雄性的繁殖成功率并缩短寿命。