Mating enhances the probability of winning aggressive encounters in male lobster cockroaches.
In the present study, we report that contact with isolated female antenna significantly increases both the pheromone 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (3H-2B) release and the hemolymph JH III level in all examined aggressive posture-adopting (AP) and NP (non-AP-adopting) socially naïve males, with significantly faster concomitant pre-mating wing-raising behavior in AP as compared to NP males. 3H-2B release and JH III level were significantly increased after mating in both AP and NP males. A positive correlation was observed between mating experience and dominant status. Furthermore, mated-AP males initiated fights more rapidly and fought for a significantly longer duration than mated-NP males; retention with the paired female for 24h did not affect this increase. JH III level and 3H-2B release were significantly increased in dominant males as compared to subordinates. These results suggest that prior mating experience in invertebrates may enhance aggression in subsequent male-male encounters, with accompanying physiological (hormone and pheromone) responses.
Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: kourong@gate.sinica.edu.tw.
Rong
R
Kou
Chu-Chun
CC
Hsu
D000374:Aggression / Q000502:physiology*; D000378:Agonistic Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000502:physiology; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000502:physiology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000378:metabolism; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013731:Territoriality
D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D012724:Sex Attractants; C036585:juvenile hormone III
3-Hydroxy-2-butanone; Aggressive posture; Juvenile hormone III; Mating experience; Nauphoeta cinerea