24 research outputs found
An assemblage of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea) in southern Brazil and its contribution to leaf litter processing
Balloniscus glaber (Crustacea, Isopoda, Balloniscidae), a habitat specialist species in a disturbed area of Brazil
Biologia reprodutiva de Ligia exotica (Crustacea, Isopoda, Ligiidae) em Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
A taxonomic bibliography of the South American snakes of the Crotalus durissus complex (Serpentes, Viperidae)
L'organe pinéal du Brochet (Esox lucius L.). III. Voies intrapinéales de conduction des messages photosensoriels
International audienc
Polymorphisme d'origine géographique portant sur la « valence » des chromosomes sexuels et phénomÚnes de monogénie résultant du croisement de différentes populations de Porcellio dilatatus Brandt (Crustacé Isopode Terrestre)
International audienc
Variable male potential rate of reproduction: high male mating capacity as an adaptation to parasite-induced excess of females?
Numerous animals are known to harbour intracytoplasmic symbionts that gain transmission to a new host generation via female eggs and not male sperm. Bacteria of the genus Wolbachia are a typical example. They infect a large range of arthropod species and manipulate host reproduction in several ways. In terrestrial isopods (woodlice), Wolbachia are responsible for converting males into females (feminization (F)) in some species, or for infertility in certain host crosses in other species (cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI)). Wolbachia with the F phenotype impose a strong excess of females on their host populations, while Wolbachia expressing CI do not. Here, we test the possibility that male mating capacity (MC) is correlated with Wolbachia-induced phenotype. We show that males of isopod hosts harbouring F Wolbachia possess a strong MC (i.e. are able to mate with several females in a short time), while those of species harbouring CI Wolbachia possess a weaker MC. This pattern may be explained either by the selection of high MC following the increase in female-biased sex ratios, or because the F phenotype would lead to population extinction in species where MC is not sufficiently high. This last hypotheses is nevertheless more constrained by population structure