Kin recognition and its influence on mating preferences of the field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus (de Geer)

Data suggest that the mechanism of recognition in this species involves the learning of self recognition cues as well as those of individuals previously experienced, however, a female's own recognition cue may take priority since experience of unrelated males strengthened afemale's recognition abilities rather than resulting in her treating familiar unrelated males as kin.

Abstract

Female field crickets, Gryllus bimaculatus, responded differentially towards courting males of different degrees of relatedness. They evaded and even attacked persistently courting full siblings sigificantly more than half-siblings or unrelated males. The latency to mate was therefore greater for full sibling and half-sibling pairs suggesting that females may prefer unrelated males as mates. Female discrimination was also apparent in post-copulatory behaviour. Females were less passive when mated and guarded by full siblings; they attempted to escape more often from guarding full siblings and halfsiblings and spent longer trying to escape than females mated with unrelated males. They were capable of discriminating between males even when they had had no prior experience of conspecifics. Data suggest that the mechanism of recognition in this species involves the learning of self recognition cues as well as those of individuals previously experienced. However, a female's own recognition cue may take priority since experience of unrelated males strengthened a female's recognition abilities rather than resulting in her treating familiar unrelated males as kin. Cuticular pheromones are suggested as a likely candidate for a recognition cue.