Journal of Insect Behavior (2014) 27, 268-278

Casey D. Flay, Qiao Wang and Xiong Z. He (2014)
Female reproductive fitness declines with increasing male density in the polyandrous weevil Sitophilus oryzae
Journal of Insect Behavior 27 (2), 268-278
Abstract: The effect of male density on female reproductive fitness is still poorly understood in many insect species. Here we examined how male density influenced female mating behaviour, fecundity, longevity and damage to the genital tract in Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an important pest of whole grains worldwide. We show that with increasing male density, (1) both male mate competition and female copulation duration significantly increased and (2) female fecundity, longevity and feeding time significantly decreased. Dissection indicates that the backward pointing spines on the reversed internal sac of male genitalia may grip and damage the female genital tracts. These results suggest that longer copulation and more frequent matings under higher male densities reduce the time for feeding and oviposition and increase the damage to female genital tracts. We conclude that the decreased female reproductive fitness under high male densities is most likely caused by a combination of the decreased feeding and oviposition time and increased damage to female genital tracts.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Qiao Wang

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Sitophilus oryzae