Evaluation of Darwin's fecundity advantage hypothesis in Parthenium beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata.

In the Parthenium beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata Pallister (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), variation in body size exists between and within the sexes. The females are larger than the males. Darwin (1874) proposed the fecundity advantage hypothesis, i.e. large sized female produce more progeny, with subsequent studies supporting as well as refuting the hypothesis. Thus, in order to evaluate whether this hypothesis stands in Z. bicolorata we performed experiments to investigate the role of body size in influencing: (i) assortative mating, (ii) reproductive attributes, and (iii) growth, development and survival of offspring. It is the first attempt in this beetle. We found that size influenced assortative mating, reproductive output and offspring fitness. Larger males and females were preferred as mates over smaller ones. The pairs having larger adults as mates had higher fecundity while the egg viability was influenced by the male size only. The offspring of larger parents had fast development and higher survival indicating thereby possible better nutrient allotment by the female and supply of accessory gland proteins by the male in addition to better quality of genes.