Walsh, B. S., Heys, C. and Lewis, Z. (2017) Gut microbiota influences female choice and fecundity in the nuptial gift-giving species, Drosophila subobscura (Diptera: Drosophilidae). European Journal of Entomology, 114, pp. 439-445. (doi: 10.14411/eje.2017.056)
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Abstract
Recently, there has been rapidly growing interest in the effects of the microbiota on host physiology and behaviour. Due to the nutritional value of bacteria, gut microfl ora may be particularly important in species that present nuptial gifts during courtship. Here, we explore whether the presence or absence of gut microbiota in males and females of the nuptial gift-giving species Drosophila subobscura (Collin, 1936) alters mating behaviour in terms of female preference, male investment, and female fecundity. We found that females that had been fed antibiotics, compared to females with intact gut bacteria, were more willing to mate with a male that had been fed normally. However female fecundity was higher when both males and females lacked gut bacteria compared to both individuals having a full complement of gut bacteria. This implies that the presence of the microbiota acts to reduce female fecundity in this species, and that male gut bacterial content infl uences female fecundity. Our results provide further evidence to the growing consensus that the microbiota of an individual may have important effects on both reproductive behaviour and physiology, and suggest that it may also contribute to the nutritional value of the nuptial gift in this system.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Heys, Dr Chloe |
| Authors: | Walsh, B. S., Heys, C., and Lewis, Z. |
| Subjects: | Q Science > QL Zoology |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine |
| Journal Name: | European Journal of Entomology |
| Publisher: | Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology |
| ISSN: | 1210-5759 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1802-8829 |
| Published Online: | 23 October 2017 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2017 Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice |
| First Published: | First published in European Journal of Entomology 114: 439-445 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
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