Evol Ecol Res 11: 1131-1139 (2009)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Endurance in exercise is associated with courtship call rate in decorated crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus

Tarmo Ketola1, Raine Kortet2 and Janne S. Kotiaho1,3

1Centre of Excellence in Evolutionary Research, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä,  2Faculty of Biosciences, University of Joensuu, Joensuu and 3Natural History Museum, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland

Correspondence: T. Ketola, Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland.
e-mail: tarmo.t.ketola@jyu.fi

ABSTRACT

Question: Is sexual signalling (courtship call rate) determined by physiological fitness (energy metabolism at rest), endurance during physically demanding activity, an aspect of immune defence (lytic activity) or body mass?

Organism: Pedigree laboratory population of decorated crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus).

Methods: Behavioural trial of male courtship call rate and measurements of males’ physiological performance. Covariance analysis exploring the determinants of courtship call rate.

Results: We found that endurance was strongly positively associated with the courtship call rate. However, neither the lytic activity nor the resting metabolic rate correlated with courtship call rate. Together with body mass and family effects, endurance explained over 77% of the variance in courtship call rate. Hence, only physically fit individuals can perform sexual displays well.

Keywords: condition, energy use, exercise, immunity, physiology, quality.

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