Title: Size- and context-dependent nest-staying behaviour of males of the Japanese dung beetle, Copris acutidens (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)
Abstract:tion is needed for a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of sexually selected traits (Trillo, 2008).In the dung beetle genus Copris, male horn morphology has been investigated in only a few s...tion is needed for a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of sexually selected traits (Trillo, 2008).In the dung beetle genus Copris, male horn morphology has been investigated in only a few species (Eberhard & Gutiérrez, 1991;Sugiura et al., 2007).However, the behaviour associated with dimorphism and the adaptive aspects of these morphological features, except for a single fi eld observation of combat using horns in C. lunaris (Rommel, 1967), is poorly documented.When both sexes construct nests, provisioning of food for the progeny by major and minor males can differ.In dung beetles, major males provide more food in Onthophagus, whereas both morphs contribute similarly in Phanaeus (Cook, 1988;Hunt & Simmons, 1998;Rasmussen, 1994).Even female parental care in both genera is generally restricted to brood mass construction (Halffter & Edmonds, 1982).On the other hand, females of the genus Copris are considered to be subsocial in terms of their nesting behaviour.They repair fractured brood balls, prevent larval death by desiccation and fungal infection, and repulse predators and parasites (Halffter et al., 1996).The male cooperatesRead More