References & Sources

Who’s Dying for Sex?
Scientists refine the calculation of when it’s really worth it

Sexual cannibalism offers a puzzling mixture of risks and benefits.

References:

Andrade, M.C.B. 1996. Sexual selection for male sacrifice in the Australian redback spider. Science 271(Jan. 5):70.

Andrade, M.C.B., and E.M. Banta. 1999. Multiple mating does not increase male fitness in a cannibalistic spider. Meeting of the Animal Behavior Society. June. Lewisburg.

Birkhead, T.R., K.E. Lee, and P. Young. 1988. Sexual cannibalism in the praying mantis Hierodula membranacea. Behaviour 106:112.

Lawrence, S.E. 1992. Sexual cannibalism in the praying mantid, Mantis religiosa: A field study. Animal Behaviour 43:569.

Maxwell, M.R. 1998. Lifetime mating opportunities and male mating behaviour in sexually cannibalistic praying mantids. Animal Behaviour 55:1011.

Polis, G.A. 1981. The evolution and dynamics of intraspecific predation. Annual Review of Entomology 27:1.

Further Readings:

Johns, P.M., and M.R. Maxwell. 1997. Sexual cannibalism: Who benefits? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 12(April 4):127.

Lawrence, S.E. 1991. Sexual cannibalism in praying mantids. Ph.D. thesis. University of Sheffield.

Maxwell, M.R. 1999. The risk of cannibalism and male mating behavior in the Mediterranean praying mantid, Iris oratoria. Behaviour 136:205.

______. In press. Does a single meal affect female reproductive output in the sexually cannibalistic praying mantid Iris oratoria? Ecological Entomology.

______. In press. Mating behavior. In Praying Mantids: Research Perspectives, F.R. Prete, et al., eds. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore, Maryland.

Milius, S. 1998. Why aren’t there more cannibals around? Science News 153(May 9):295.

Roeder, K.D. 1935. An experimental analysis of the sexual behavior of the praying mantis (Mantis religiosa). Biological Bulletin 69:203.

Sources:

Maydianne C.B. Andrade
Cornell University
Section of Neurobiology and Behavior
S.G. Mudd Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

Goran Arnqvist
University of Umea
Department of Ecology and Environmental Science
SE – 901 87 Umea
Sweden

Tim R. Birkhead
University of Sheffield
Animal and Plant Sciences
Alfred Denny Building
Sheffield S10 2TN
United Kingdom

Ruth Buskirk
University of Texas at Austin
Department of Microbiology
A5000
Austin, TX 78712-1095

Michael R. Maxwell
University of California, San Diego
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
P.O. Box 271
La Jolla, CA 92038

Gary Polis
University of California, Davis
Environmental Science & Policy
2136 Wickson Hall
Davis, CA 95616

From Science News, Vol. 156, No. 20, November 13, 1999, p. 312. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.