Flight Behaviour Attenuates The Trade-off Between Flight Capability And Reproduction In A Wing-polymorphic Cricket

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 26 Nov 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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When different energetically costly traits compete for limited resources, animals may invest in some traits at the expense of others.

In many species of field crickets, individuals that are flight-capable, as indicated by morphology and muscle physiology, invest less in reproductive behaviour and development of gametes than flight-incapable individuals. We show that this apparent trade-off is essentially erased when flight-capable individuals are allowed to fly.

A brief bout of flight accelerates ovarian development of females, and promotes reproductive behaviour of males. These results suggest that the evolutionary consequences of this flight-reproduction trade-off may require reconsideration.

Royal Society Journal Biology Letters

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Biology Letters