| Abstract: |
\nHighlightsIn a few species, males face a choice between mating and/or cannibalizing females. Various factors influence this decision, making it essential to decipher the role of male behavioral variation. In particular, aggressiveness has been proposed as a trait under sexual selection that may also increase the incidence of cannibalism in such systems. In this study, we investigated the role of male aggressiveness in the likelihood of reversed sexual cannibalism occurring in the female-cannibalistic ground spider Micaria sociabilis. We conducted behavioral experiments to measure male aggressiveness level, and to assess male mating behavior, along with potential seasonal (spring and summer) and morphological traits (body size, female size). We found that male aggressiveness was a repeatable trait. However, it was not significantly linked to the likelihood of reversed cannibalism or to the likelihood of copulation. Similarly, aggressiveness did not affect the size of a mating plug but male size did. Seasonal variation significantly affected reversed cannibalism, with males more likely to engage in cannibalism during summer, while copulation frequency did not differ in spring and summer. Additionally, while aggressiveness was not related to male attacks on females, seasonality had a notable impact, with males attacking females more frequently in summer, while females attacked males more in spring. These findings highlight the complexity of mating dynamics in M. sociabilis, pointing to a multifaceted interaction between intrinsic behavioral type and extrinsic factors, such as ecological pressures and female condition. ●Male aggressiveness was a repeatable trait in Micaria sociabilis●Aggressiveness was not significantly linked to the likelihood of reversed cannibalism or to the likelihood of copulation●Environmental/life history factors seemed to be more determined factors explaining the likelihood of reversed cannibalism and/or copulation as well as the behavioral transaction in the role of females and males●Male aggressiveness was a repeatable trait in Micaria sociabilis●Aggressiveness was not significantly linked to the likelihood of reversed cannibalism or to the likelihood of copulation●Environmental/life history factors seemed to be more determined factors explaining the likelihood of reversed cannibalism and/or copulation as well as the behavioral transaction in the role of females and males [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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