Effect of Male Body Size on Female Reproduction in Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera, Pyrrhocoridae)

Simple Summary The benefits of copulation with large males were investigated in the firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera). Sexually immature adults were transferred from the field and kept as female-male pairs with different partner size ratios. We investigated the influence of male body size on the number and weight of eggs and time elapsed from the transfer to their deposition. The expected positive effect of increasing male body size on the characteristics of female reproduction was not detected. Females and males of the abundant heteropteran species Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.) mate with the larger of the available partners. The male benefits from copulation with a large female, which is more productive than a small female. However, the benefit to females from copulation with a large male has not yet been investigated. Overwintered sexually immature adults were transferred from the field to indoors for a long day at 25 degrees C and subsequently kept as female-male pairs with different partner size ratios. The female lays eggs in several successive clutches. We investigated the influence of male size on the number and weight of eggs in individual clutches and the time elapsed from the transfer to their deposition. These characteristics of reproduction were first regressed on female size, and residuals of this regression were then regressed on male size. The positive effect of increasing male size on the characteristics of female reproduction manifested as a significant value of the latter regressions. The expected positive effect of increasing male body size on female reproductive characteristics was not detected. Several reasons for this deficiency are discussed.

Automated summary

This study investigated the benefits of copulation with large males in the firebug species, Pyrrhocoris apterus. The results showed that increasing male body size did not have a positive effect on the reproductive characteristics of females. Several reasons for this deficiency were discussed.