Presentation Details
| Infection stress and mate assessment in wolf spiders:choice varies with sensory mode of courtship Olivia Bauer-Nilsen, George W.Uetz. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA |
Abstract
Fighting infection is energetically costly, creating resource trade-offs with other life history processes, including reproduction. We examined the trade-offs between infection stress and female mate choice in a wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata, in which choosy females select males displaying condition-dependent traits indicating high mate quality (larger/more symmetrical foreleg tufts, higher peak amplitude vibratory signals). We tested whether infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common pathogenic bacterium in their habitat, impacts choosiness across three sensory modes (visual, vibratory, multimodal) using two treatment groups (infected, control). Females underwent a two-choice test between high- and low-quality males using video and/or vibratory playback manipulated to reflect quality differentials (large vs. small foreleg tufts; high vs low peak amplitude vibratory signals). Female receptivity varied by sensory mode and infection treatment; visually tested infected females showed significantly reduced choosiness and receptivity than their infected counterparts. These results suggest infection stress affects mate choice and may preferentially impact the visual sensory pathway.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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