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Sexual Size Dimorphism and Aggressive Interactions under Starvation Conditions in the Seed Bug Togo hemipterus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae)

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Abstract

Males of the seed bug Togo hemipterus are larger in size and have considerably larger front legs compared to females. This size discrepancy is likely related to the fact that males fight for food using their enlarged forelegs. A “hungry” bug, i.e. one previously without food, is expected to behave in a certain way when food is present. Here, we demonstrate that aggressive “fighting and chasing” behavior was frequently observed only between males under starvation conditions and became especially severe when food was present. Togo hemipterus males may adopt a resource-defense mating system that is beneficial for males because females aggregate near food when it is scarce. This strategy strongly suggests that the aggressive behavior acts as male–male competition. In a second set of experiments, aggressive behavior occurred between two small males, two large males, or one large and one small male. Fighting ensued mainly when large males were involved, and larger males won fights. Consequently, the male-biased sexual size dimorphism in T. hemipterus appears to be partially attributable to sexual selection favoring larger males.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. T. Nishida and the members of the Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Kyoto University, for valuable advice and discussion of the experiments. This work was supported in part by the 21st Century COE program for Innovative Food and Environmental Studies Pioneered by Entomomimetic Sciences, from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (JSPS Grant-in-Aid, No. 19–54183).

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  1. Chihiro Himuro

    Present address: Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Chihiro Himuro & Kenji Fujisaki

  2. Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Oiwakechou, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Chihiro Himuro

Authors
  1. Chihiro Himuro
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  2. Kenji Fujisaki
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Correspondence to Chihiro Himuro.

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Himuro, C., Fujisaki, K. Sexual Size Dimorphism and Aggressive Interactions under Starvation Conditions in the Seed Bug Togo hemipterus (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae). J Insect Behav 25, 242–253 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-011-9292-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-011-9292-6

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