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Comparison of reproductive traits of regular and irradiated male desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae): Evidence of last-male sperm precedence

Authors :
Severin Dushimirimana
Thierry Hance
David Damiens
Source :
Biology Open, Vol 1, Iss 3, Pp 232-236 (2012)
Publication Year :
2012
Publisher :
The Company of Biologists, 2012.

Abstract

Summary The sterile insect technique (SIT) is increasingly used to control pest insect populations. The success of SIT control programs depends on the ability to release sterile males and on the capacity of sterile males to compete with wild males to inseminate wild females. In this study, we evaluated the mating performance of Schistocerca gregaria (Försk.) males irradiated with 4 Gray. We compared reproductive traits, such as duration of precopulation time, mating duration, quantity of sperm stored by females after copulation, number of females mated successively and postmating competition of irradiated males with non-irradiated males. Irradiated males were able to mate but the resulting number of offspring was dramatically reduced compared to the average number of offspring observed during a regular mating. During a single copulation, irradiated males transferred fewer sperm than regular males but, theoretically, this quantity is enough to fertilize all the eggs produced by a female during its reproductive life. Irradiated males also had the ability to remove sperm from a previous mating with unirraditated males. This new information on the mating strategies helps explain the post-copulation guarding behaviour of S. gregaria.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20466390
Volume :
1
Issue :
3
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Biology Open
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4419b99f8294659b753c2cb0d9092c5
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.2012323