Sexy faces in a male paper wasp.
Sexually selected signals are common in many animals, though little reported in social insects. We investigated the occurrence of male visual signals mediating the dominance relationships among males and female choice of sexual partner in the paper wasp Polistes simillimus. Males have three conspicu...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24849073/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1831759426018607104 |
|---|---|
| author | André Rodrigues de Souza Carlos Alberto Mourão Júnior Fabio Santos do Nascimento José Lino-Neto |
| author_facet | André Rodrigues de Souza Carlos Alberto Mourão Júnior Fabio Santos do Nascimento José Lino-Neto |
| author_sort | André Rodrigues de Souza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sexually selected signals are common in many animals, though little reported in social insects. We investigated the occurrence of male visual signals mediating the dominance relationships among males and female choice of sexual partner in the paper wasp Polistes simillimus. Males have three conspicuous, variable and sexually dimorphic traits: black pigmentation on the head, a pair of yellow abdominal spots and body size differences. By conducting behavioral assays, we found that none of the three visual traits are associated with male-male dominance relationship. However, males with higher proportion of black facial pigmentation and bigger yellow abdominal spots are more likely chosen as sexual partners. Also, after experimentally manipulating the proportion of black pigment on males' face, we found that females may evaluate male facial coloration during the choice of a sexual partner. Thus, the black pigmentation on P. simillimus male's head appears to play a role as a sexually selected visual signal. We suggest that sexual selection is a common force in Polistes and we highlight the importance of this group as a model for the study of visual communication in insects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:07:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15574a3d2f954acfa8db4830e6712902 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:07:14Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-15574a3d2f954acfa8db4830e67129022022-12-21T18:44:03ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0195e9817210.1371/journal.pone.0098172Sexy faces in a male paper wasp.André Rodrigues de SouzaCarlos Alberto Mourão JúniorFabio Santos do NascimentoJosé Lino-NetoSexually selected signals are common in many animals, though little reported in social insects. We investigated the occurrence of male visual signals mediating the dominance relationships among males and female choice of sexual partner in the paper wasp Polistes simillimus. Males have three conspicuous, variable and sexually dimorphic traits: black pigmentation on the head, a pair of yellow abdominal spots and body size differences. By conducting behavioral assays, we found that none of the three visual traits are associated with male-male dominance relationship. However, males with higher proportion of black facial pigmentation and bigger yellow abdominal spots are more likely chosen as sexual partners. Also, after experimentally manipulating the proportion of black pigment on males' face, we found that females may evaluate male facial coloration during the choice of a sexual partner. Thus, the black pigmentation on P. simillimus male's head appears to play a role as a sexually selected visual signal. We suggest that sexual selection is a common force in Polistes and we highlight the importance of this group as a model for the study of visual communication in insects.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24849073/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | André Rodrigues de Souza Carlos Alberto Mourão Júnior Fabio Santos do Nascimento José Lino-Neto Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. PLoS ONE |
| title | Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. |
| title_full | Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. |
| title_fullStr | Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. |
| title_short | Sexy faces in a male paper wasp. |
| title_sort | sexy faces in a male paper wasp |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/24849073/?tool=EBI |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrerodriguesdesouza sexyfacesinamalepaperwasp AT carlosalbertomouraojunior sexyfacesinamalepaperwasp AT fabiosantosdonascimento sexyfacesinamalepaperwasp AT joselinoneto sexyfacesinamalepaperwasp |