Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thornhill, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Thornhill, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1992 International Society for Behavioral Ecology

research-article

Female preference for the pheromone of males with low fluctuating asymmetry in the Japanese scorpionfly (Panorpa japonica: Mecoptera)

Randy Thornhill

Department of Biology, The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131-1091, USA

ABSTRACT

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is denned as small, random deviations from perfect bilateral symmetry in a bilaterally symmetrical morphological trait. The relationship between FA in forewing length of males and the relative sexual attractiveness of their pair-formation pheromones was studied experimentally in the Japanese scorpionfly, Panorpa japonica. This is the first study of the role of FA in pheromonal communication systems, and one of only a few studies on the relationship between FA and sexual selection. Collectively, the results of four interrelated experiments reveal that females prefer the pheromone of males of relatively low FA in forewing length. The experimental manipulation of forewing FA of males by cutting wing lengths did not influence their olfactory attractiveness to females. In this case, females chose the male with the lowest premanipulation FA. Thus, natural wing length FA apparently is correlated with inherent differences between males that influence the properties of sex attractant males produce. Female preference for low-FA males may be adaptive as a result of material and/or genetic benefits received by females.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Behav EcolHome page
C. Koshio, M. Muraji, H. Tatsuta, and S.-i. Kudo
Sexual selection in a moth: effect of symmetry on male mating success in the wild
Behav. Ecol., May 1, 2007; 18(3): 571 - 578.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Behav EcolHome page
P. J. Weatherhead, K. W. Dufour, S. C. Lougheed, and C. G. Eckert
A test of the good-genes-as-heterozygosity hypothesis using red-winged blackbirds
Behav. Ecol., November 1, 1999; 10(6): 619 - 625.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Behav EcolHome page
K. Takamura
Wing length and asymmetry of male Tokunagayusurika akamusi chironomid midges using alternative mating tactics
Behav. Ecol., September 1, 1999; 10(5): 498 - 503.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.