Publications by the same author
plus in the repository
plus in Google Scholar

Bibliografische Daten exportieren
 

Analysing the information content of the multimodal courtship display of a parasitoid wasp

DOI zum Zitieren der Version auf EPub Bayreuth: https://doi.org/10.15495/EPub_UBT_00008653
URN to cite this document: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-8653-8

Title data

Lang, Sandra Regina ; Conrad, Taina ; Steiger, Sandra ; Stökl, Johannes:
Analysing the information content of the multimodal courtship display of a parasitoid wasp.
In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. Vol. 145 (2025) Issue 2 . - blae069.
ISSN 0024-4066
DOI der Verlagsversion: https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae069

[thumbnail of blae069.pdf]
Format: PDF
Name: blae069.pdf
Version: Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons BY 4.0: Attribution
Download (4MB)

Project information

Project title:
Project's official title
Project's id
Multimodale Signale im Balzverhalten der Männchen von parasitischen Wespen: ein Test der „multiple messages“ Hypothese
520619503
Open Access Publizieren
No information

Project financing: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Abstract

Courtship displays are generally composed of multiple signal components that are transmitted and perceived through different sensory modalities. However, previous studies on multimodal courtship displays have focused mainly on individual signals, thus failing to provide a full explanation of why these displays evolved despite the added costs involved. Therefore, it is essential to identify the purpose of each display component and link them to prevailing hypotheses on multimodal display function. Here, we study the multimodal courtship display of males of the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina heterotoma, which consists of wing fanning and a putative antennal pheromone, by determining the information conveyed about male quality through these two modalities. We found that a high wing-fanning frequency and a large body size led to a higher mating success, whereas we found no correlation of the pheromone composition with mating success. We conclude that the wing-fanning component conveys mate-assessment information, whereas the chemical display component, found to be species specific in a previous study, functions as a species-recognition mechanism but does not reflect the quality of a male. Altogether, our study suggests that the multimodal courtship display of L. heterotoma fits the multiple message hypothesis and might thus be a useful model for further studies.

Further data

Item Type: Article in a journal
Keywords: mate choice; insect communication; signal function; signal evolution; sexual selection
DDC Subjects: 500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)
Institutions of the University: Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology II - Evolutionary Animal Ecology > Chair Animal Ecology II - Evolutionary Animal Ecology - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sandra Steiger
Faculties
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology
Faculties > Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences > Department of Biology > Chair Animal Ecology II - Evolutionary Animal Ecology
Language: English
Originates at UBT: Yes
URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:703-epub-8653-8
Date Deposited: 11 Nov 2025 16:40
Last Modified: 11 Nov 2025 16:40
URI: https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/8653

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year