publication . Article . 2010

Experimentally induced spermatophore production and immune responses reveal a trade-off in crickets

Name: Experimentally induced spermatophore production and immune responses reveal a trade-off in crickets
Keywords: Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Scott K. Sakaluk; Angela M. Kerr; Susan N. Gershman;

Open Access

Published: 01 Jan 2010 Journal: Behavioral Ecology, volume 21, issue 3, pages 647-654

Summary

Abstract

The energetic demands of the immune system and reproduction are often high and can lead to trade-offs between these 2 life-history traits. In decorated crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus, much of a male's reproductive effort is devoted to calling, and to the synthesis of a spermatophylax, a large, gelatinous, non--sperm-containing mass forming part of the spermatophore and consumed by the female after mating. We employed a reciprocal design in which we experimentally induced an immune response in some males by injecting them with lipopolysaccharides and experimentally induced increased spermatophore production in others to determine if male G. sigillatus trade off i...

doi: 10.1093/beheco/arq035

Subjects

free text keywords: Animal Science and Zoology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Zoology, Immunity, Spermatophore, Immunology, Immune system, Trade-off, Spermatophylax, Biology, Gryllodes sigillatus, cricket.player, cricket

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