School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA.
Evolution. 2011 Jan;65(1):268-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01125.x. Epub 2010 Sep 29.
A broad understanding of multimodal courtship function necessitates knowledge of the potential information content of signal components, the efficacy of signal components in eliciting the appropriate receiver response, and the fitness consequences of mating decisions based upon various signal components. We present data addressing each of these requirements for the multimodal-signaling wolf spider, Schizocosa floridana Bryant. Using diet manipulations, we first demonstrate that both visual and seismic courtship signals are condition-dependent. Next, using high- and low-quantity diet individuals in mate choice trials across manipulated signaling environments, we demonstrate that the seismic signal is crucial for mating success and further show that female choosiness is environment-dependent. Females mated more with high diet males only in the absence of visual signals, showing no discrimination in the presence of visual signals. Finally, by quantifying the number of offspring produced by our mated females, we reveal that a female's mating environment, in conjunction with her potential resource availability, influences her fitness-in environments in which females exerted choice, heavier females produced more offspring. Together, this comprehensive set of experiments demonstrates that female choosiness varies across environments, leading to direct fitness consequences.
广泛理解多模态求偶功能需要了解信号成分的潜在信息含量、信号成分在引发适当的受体反应方面的功效，以及基于各种信号成分的交配决策的适合度后果。我们提出了针对多模态信号狼蛛 Schizocosa floridana Bryant 的这些要求的每个要求的数据。通过饮食处理，我们首先证明了视觉和地震求偶信号都是条件依赖的。接下来，在经过操纵的信号环境中使用高和低数量饮食个体进行交配选择试验，我们证明了地震信号对交配成功至关重要，并进一步表明雌性的选择性是环境依赖的。只有在没有视觉信号的情况下，雌性才会更多地与高饮食雄性交配，而在存在视觉信号的情况下则没有表现出歧视。最后，通过量化我们交配雌性产生的后代数量，我们揭示了雌性的交配环境与她潜在的资源可用性一起影响她的适合度——在雌性施加选择的环境中，较重的雌性产生更多的后代。总的来说，这一系列全面的实验表明，雌性的选择性在不同的环境中变化，导致直接的适合度后果。
