Abstract
Gammarid crustacea exhibit precopula mate guarding in which a male will carry a potential mate beneath his ventral surface, guarding her for several days until she moults and lays her eggs. I investigated the role of the calceoli (bulb-like structures on the second antennae) in mate assessment and precopula pairing in twoGammarusspecies by comparing the behaviour of males with and without calceoli. Removal of the calceoli had no effect on the pattern of size-assortative mating, nor did it reduce the number of contacts made per unit time between potential mates. However, males without calceoli reduced their assessment of potential mates, were less likely to guard a suitable female and guarded for a shorter period. These data support the hypothesis that calceoli are used during contact assessment to determine a female’s intermoult period and hence suitability for guarding.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
