Repeatability of sperm number across multiple matings in three cricket species, Gryllodes sigillatus, Gryllus veletis, and Gryllus texensis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

• Published in: Canadian journal of zoology Vol. 80; no. 3; pp. 582 - 585
• Main Authors: Schaus, J.M, Sakaluk, S.K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ottawa, Canada NRC Research Press 01.03.2002; National Research Council of Canada
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; copulation; ejaculates; ejaculation; enumeration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gryllidae; Gryllus; mating frequency; Protozoa. Invertebrata; repeatability; species differences; spermatophores; spermatozoa; Spermatozoa; Insecta; Orthoptera; Interspecific comparison; Multiple mating; Male; Gryllus veletis; Gryllidae; Repeatability; Number; Arthropoda; Invertebrata; Gryllodes sigillatus
• ISSN: 0008-4301; 1480-3283
• DOI: 10.1139/z02-012

Although studies of various taxa have shown that males can alter the number of sperm in their ejaculates according to the risk of sperm competition, few studies have examined the extent to which the number of sperm transferred by males across multiple matings is repeatable. We assess the within-male and between-male components of variation in sperm number by counting the sperm in multiple ejaculates of males of three cricket species and determining the repeatability of sperm number. Sperm number was highly repeatable across multiple matings in all three species, leaving open the possibility that variation in sperm number is based, in part, on heritable genetic variation.