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Abstract <p>The influence of pre-copulatory courtship on mate acquisition has been well explored but the effects of copulatory courtship (or behaviours occurring after intromission) on reproductive fitness largely remains underexplored. In insects, behaviour performed during copulation often involves rapid, successive movements with several limbs and wing beats, which are often difficult to observe and quantify. There is also a lack of understanding of how behavioural plasticity can compensate for physical impairments (e.g. loss of limbs) during copulation. Here, we studied the reproductive consequences of limb loss using two North American (NA) and two European (EU) populations of <i>Sepsis punctum</i> flies that are known to employ various limbs to interact with females during copulation. We observed plasticity in copulatory behaviour as a consequence of limb loss, giving rise to novel behavioural characters. The loss of different sets of limbs (forelegs vs. midlegs vs. hindlegs) significantly decreased mating success (i.e., successful copulations), but individuals that did copulate, did not vary in fertilisation success (i.e., number of offspring), suggesting that plasticity in copulatory behaviour has consequences for mate acquisition and less for fertilization success. Notably, we observed population level differences in baseline copulatory behaviour, and higher levels of plasticity for EU populations when compensating for limb loss impairments. Our results suggest that limb loss in <i>S. punctum</i> males influences the behavioural repertoire performed during copulation, but population-specific differences in plasticity may be able to compensate for reproductive success.</p> Significance statement <p>Courtship influences non-random mate choice via mate acquisition and fertilisation success. Across the courtship phases (pre-copulatory, copulatory, and post-copulatory), copulatory behaviours remain a mystery. The widespread dung fly, <i>Sepsis</i> <i>punctum</i>, displays a variety of contact behaviours using all sets of limbs. We observed continental differences between North American and European populations, with North American populations displaying a wider repertoire of copulatory behaviours. We also observed that the loss of different sets of limbs (e.g. forelegs, midlegs, hindlegs) impacted mate acquisition to different extents but it did not significantly influence fertilization success. Notably, novel copulatory behaviours and behavioural plasticity could rescue copulatory courtship particularly with the loss of midlegs that are important for behavioural interactions in sepsid flies.</p>

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Break a leg! Cross-continental plasticity in copulatory behaviour, pre- and post-limb loss, in a dung fly, Sepsis punctum (Diptera: Sepsidae)

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月20日

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  • Tyrone R. H. Tan,
  • Yi Peng Toh,
  • Nicole L. Y. Lee,
  • Nalini Puniamoorthy

摘要

Abstract

The influence of pre-copulatory courtship on mate acquisition has been well explored but the effects of copulatory courtship (or behaviours occurring after intromission) on reproductive fitness largely remains underexplored. In insects, behaviour performed during copulation often involves rapid, successive movements with several limbs and wing beats, which are often difficult to observe and quantify. There is also a lack of understanding of how behavioural plasticity can compensate for physical impairments (e.g. loss of limbs) during copulation. Here, we studied the reproductive consequences of limb loss using two North American (NA) and two European (EU) populations of Sepsis punctum flies that are known to employ various limbs to interact with females during copulation. We observed plasticity in copulatory behaviour as a consequence of limb loss, giving rise to novel behavioural characters. The loss of different sets of limbs (forelegs vs. midlegs vs. hindlegs) significantly decreased mating success (i.e., successful copulations), but individuals that did copulate, did not vary in fertilisation success (i.e., number of offspring), suggesting that plasticity in copulatory behaviour has consequences for mate acquisition and less for fertilization success. Notably, we observed population level differences in baseline copulatory behaviour, and higher levels of plasticity for EU populations when compensating for limb loss impairments. Our results suggest that limb loss in S. punctum males influences the behavioural repertoire performed during copulation, but population-specific differences in plasticity may be able to compensate for reproductive success.

Significance statement

Courtship influences non-random mate choice via mate acquisition and fertilisation success. Across the courtship phases (pre-copulatory, copulatory, and post-copulatory), copulatory behaviours remain a mystery. The widespread dung fly, Sepsis punctum, displays a variety of contact behaviours using all sets of limbs. We observed continental differences between North American and European populations, with North American populations displaying a wider repertoire of copulatory behaviours. We also observed that the loss of different sets of limbs (e.g. forelegs, midlegs, hindlegs) impacted mate acquisition to different extents but it did not significantly influence fertilization success. Notably, novel copulatory behaviours and behavioural plasticity could rescue copulatory courtship particularly with the loss of midlegs that are important for behavioural interactions in sepsid flies.