Abstract

Males with damaged weapons often lose intraspecific contests; however, recent research suggests these males may use post-copulatory means to mitigate reduced reproduction. When intraspecific competition is absent, can weapon-damaged males produce more offspring in multi-mating scenarios relative to intact males? We examined the reproductive potential of weapon-damaged males in Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae), a species that exhibits resource defense polygyny and is known to increase testes size when developmental weapon damage occurs. We induced weapon damage during development. Upon sexual maturation, we provided intact and weapon-damaged males with access to four unmated females successively and without any competitors. The mating partners of weapon-damaged males were more likely to have their eggs hatch. Furthermore, weapon-damaged males produced more offspring, though only with larger females. These results suggest that weapon-damaged males have enhanced fertilization outcomes, potentially minimizing reproductive costs of weapon damage.

Significance statement

Weapon damage is common in nature and can reduce pre-copulatory success. However, few studies have examined the reproductive consequences of weapon damage. We tested the hypothesis that weapon-damaged males can compensate for a pre-copulatory disadvantage through increased investment in traits that improve post-copulatory fertilization success. To examine the reproductive potential of weapon-damaged males, we provided males with four females in succession, then measured reproductive outcomes. We found that mating partners of weapon-damaged males were more likely to have their eggs hatch relative to the mating partners of intact males. Furthermore, we found that weapon-damaged males produced a larger number of offspring than intact males. This evidence reveals that weapon damage allows males to boost reproductive outcomes in non-competitive contexts.

中文翻译：

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在一夫多妻制情况下，遭受武器伤害的雄性是否比完整雄性有更大的繁殖潜力？

摘要

武器受损的男性经常会输掉比赛。但是，最近的研究表明，这些雄性可能使用交配后的方式减轻生殖能力的下降。当种内竞争不存在时，相对于完整的雄性，受武器损坏的雄性在多重交配的情况下会产生更多的后代吗？我们研究了纳尼亚尼亚fe鼠武器受损的男性的生殖潜力（半翅目：Core科），该物种表现出资源防御的一夫多妻制，并且已知在发生发展性武器损坏时会增加睾丸的大小。我们在开发过程中造成了武器损坏。性成熟后，我们为完好无损且武器受损的雄性提供了连续接触四名未交配雌性的机会，并且没有任何竞争者。武器受损的雄性的交配伙伴更容易孵化卵。此外，武器受损的雄性产生的后代更多，尽管雌性更大。这些结果表明，武器损坏的雄性具有增强的受精效果，有可能将武器损坏的生殖成本降到最低。

重要性声明

武器伤害在自然界中很普遍，会降低交配成功率。但是，很少有研究检查武器损坏的生殖后果。我们检验了这样一种假说，即武器损坏的雄性可以通过增加性状投资来改善交配后的受精成功，从而弥补交配前的劣势。为了检查武器受损的男性的生殖潜能，我们连续为男性提供了四名女性，然后测量了生殖结局。我们发现，相对于完整雄性的交配伙伴，武器受损的雄性交配伙伴更容易孵卵。此外，我们发现武器受损的雄性比完整雄性产生更多的后代。