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Diet during development affects mating habits, insect study shows

Date:
April 15, 2019
Source:
University of Edinburgh
Summary:
An animal's choice of mating partner can be influenced by what it eats during its sexual development, a study of insects has shown.
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An animal's choice of mate can be influenced by its diet as it reaches sexual maturity, research has shown.

The study in beetles is the first to link an animal's nutritional intake during sexual development with its adult breeding habits.

It could aid understanding of the likely impact on animals' behaviour as food availability varies with changing climates in the future.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh carried out tests using burying beetles, which become sexually mature a few days after reaching adulthood.

Scientists raised groups of males and female beetles from birth before placing them with potential mating partners. Some of the beetles were given less food than others, either at the time of their sexual development, or when placed alongside the opposite sex.

Females that had been underfed at any point in their lives preferred to mate with well-fed males, the study showed. This may be because they seek to optimise the health of their offspring by choosing a partner in relatively good condition.

Males that had been denied food during sexual development also behaved differently from those who had not. Underfed males spent more time making courtship signals, possibly to avoid physically competing with other males for mates, researchers suggest.

Scientists say their findings -- that diet during development influences sexual behaviour -- may be common in other species. Future studies could examine this, and what impact this may have on the offspring of affected animals.


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Materials provided by University of Edinburgh. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Jon Richardson, Per T. Smiseth. Nutrition during sexual maturation and at the time of mating affects mating behaviour in both sexes of a burying beetle. Animal Behaviour, 2019; 151: 77 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.013

Cite This Page:

University of Edinburgh. "Diet during development affects mating habits, insect study shows." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 April 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415104956.htm>.
University of Edinburgh. (2019, April 15). Diet during development affects mating habits, insect study shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415104956.htm
University of Edinburgh. "Diet during development affects mating habits, insect study shows." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190415104956.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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