Abstract
Sperm competition inBactrocera cucurbitae was studied by double matings of one female with normal and sterile males, with different intervals between the first and the second matings and with or without allowing oviposition after the first or the second mating. When the interval was less than 4 days, the last-male sperm precedence,P2, was not different from 0.5, but as the interval was prolonged,P2 was higher than 0.5. There was no significant difference between treatments in which females were allowed to oviposit after the first mating and only after the second mating. The reason for the higherP2 when the interval was long was therefore attributed not to sperm usage for egg fertilization during the two matings but, possibly, to sperm mortality. ThatP2 was 0.5 for shorter intervals suggests that particular sperm replacement mechanisms such as removal and inactivation are absent in B. cucurbitae. Our study is the first to demonstrate a significant effect of short sperm longevity on the last-male sperm precedence.
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