Co-innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
School of Agriculture, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China.
J Insect Sci. 2019 Nov 1;19(6). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/iez116.
Multiple mating in females is common in nature but may involve fitness costs. Adult females and males of the beetle Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting can mate multiple times. We studied the effect of mating frequency and mating pattern (time interval between matings) on female reproductive fitness by measuring fecundity, hatching probability, and female longevity. Fecundity and longevity were similar in single- and double-mated (two matings separated by a 7 d interval) females. However, two and three successive matings and three matings separated by two 7 d interval had a significant negative effect on the lifetime fecundity and longevity of females. Multiple mating had a positive effect on egg hatching, and two matings sufficed to fertilize the full egg load. These results indicate that the two matings separated by a 7 d interval are optimum for reproductive fitness in female P. versicolora. Suboptimal mating frequency (successive mating or an excessive number of matings) exacts a physiological cost that shortens the female life span and reduces fecundity.
在自然界中，雌性动物多次交配很常见，但这可能涉及到适应度成本。甲虫 Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting 的成年雌性和雄性可以多次交配。我们通过测量繁殖力、孵化率和雌性寿命来研究交配频率和交配模式（两次交配之间的时间间隔）对雌性生殖适应性的影响。单次交配和两次交配（两次交配间隔 7 天）的雌性繁殖力和寿命相似。然而，两次和三次连续交配以及三次交配间隔两次 7 天对雌性终生的繁殖力和寿命有显著的负面影响。多次交配对卵孵化有积极影响，两次交配足以使全部卵受精。这些结果表明，两次交配间隔 7 天对 P. versicolora 雌性的繁殖适应性是最佳的。次优的交配频率（连续交配或交配次数过多）会导致生理成本增加，缩短雌性寿命并降低繁殖力。
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