Polyandry contributes to Gonipterus platensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) rearing

• Published in: PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) Vol. 12; p. e17929
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Murilo Fonseca, Cavallini, Gabriela, Solce, Gabriel Negri, Favoreto, Ana Laura, Passos, José Raimundo De Souza, Hurley, Brett, Wilcken, Carlos Frederico
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States PeerJ Inc 22-08-2024
• Subjects: Animal Behavior; Animals; Biological control; Entomology; Eucalyptus snout-beetle; Fecundity; Female; Fertility; Fertility - physiology; Forestry; Male; Male harassment; Monogamy; Oviposition - physiology; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Reproduction - physiology; Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology; Weevils - physiology; Eucalyptus snout-beetle; Fertility; Biological control; Monogamy; Polyandry; Forest entomology; Fecundity; Male harassment
• ISSN: 2167-8359; 2167-8359
• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17929

Marelli, 1926 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the main defoliating beetles in
plantations. Biological control with egg parasitoids is one of the main control strategies for this pest and a constant supply of fresh host eggs is required to rear the parasitoids. Polyandry can influence
oviposition by increasing female fecundity and fertility; however, the high density of individuals in laboratory colonies can lead to male harassment, resulting in lower reproduction rate. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of monoandry and polyandry on the reproduction of
and the effects of male harassment on laboratory rearing conditions.
Reproductive parameters were compared between three treatments: monoandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with the same male; no choice polyandry, where the female was allowed to mate daily with a different male; and polyandry with choice, where the female was allowed to mate daily, but with a choice between five different males. Another experiment varying the density of males was conducted to evaluate the effect of male harassment.
Polyandry with choice resulted in the longest period of oviposition, highest fecundity and highest number of eggs per egg capsules when compared to monoandrous females. No negative effect related to male harassment in the laboratory, such as decreased fertility, fecundity, or number of eggs per egg capsule, was detected.
Polyandry contributes to mass rearing as it increases fecundity and oviposition period on females and there is no evidence of male harassment on
.