Sexual Selection of Scorpions: an example of patterns and mechanisms in a Neotropical species

PERETTI, ALFREDO V.; OVIEDO DIEGO, MARIELA; VRECH, DAVID E.; OLIVERO, PAOLA A.

Congreso; XVI Congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology; 2017

European Society for Evolutionary Biology

PRESENTADOR: ALFREDO V. PERETTIRESÚMEN: In the last years, there was an increase in research oriented to sexual selection of scorpions. However, the knowledge remains partial and fragmented: 1) few global studies in a worldwide context, in particular in comparative analyses; 2) lack of long-term investigations on key topics such as mate choice, sperm competition, cryptic female choice, and sexual conflict. In this presentation, firstly, we will review the history of the study of reproductive biology of scorpions by means of a survey. Secondly, we will show examples on presence of precopulatory and postcopulatory sexual selection, including morphological and ecological traits. In these two contexts, we will analyze our baseline knowledge and gaps on: a) patterns of intersexual communication; b) genitalia and mating plugs; c) links between precopulatory and postcopulatory mechanisms; d) rules and exceptions in reproductive ecology(sexual sting, sexual cannibalism). For example, some studies show that during the precopulatory phase, scorpion males appear to use luring rather than coercive behaviors when facing resisting females. In postcopulatory sexual interactions, as predicted by the sperm competition theory, testes mass increases with higher levels of sperm competition. This presentation ends with prospects for integrative studies on proximate and ultimate causes of sexual selection in scorpions.