Os similares não se atraem: ausência de pareamento associativo por coloração em uma libélula com sinalização honesta de qualidade

Abstract

Ornaments are conspicuous traits used in intraspecific signaling and can be either sexually dimorphic or monomorphic. Although male ornamentation is often studied, female ornamentation in species with mutual ornamentation has long been considered a byproduct of male ornamentation. However, other less explored processes, such as mutual mate choice, may explain ornamentation in both sexes. According to the mutual mate choice hypothesis, if males and females prefer the same phenotypic trait, it tends to be reinforced over generations, especially if the ornamentation signals individual quality. However, selectivity in mate choice should vary according to the time available for the entire reproductive process to take place. For instance, the time available for oviposition may influence the degree of mate choice exercised by males and females. In this study, we used the damselfly Acanthagrion lancea, a species in which both males and females possess blue coloration, to investigate two hypotheses: i) the blue coloration is a result of mutual mate choice, in which coloration signals quality, and ii) selectivity in mate choice decreases as time constraints for reproduction increase. To test this, we analyzed whether there was a correlation between the coloration of individuals in copulation, considering the damselfly visual spectrum, and whether this correlation decreased throughout the day. We used lipid quantity and individual size as indicators of quality. Coloration was positively correlated with individual size. However, there was no relationship between the coloration of individuals in copulation, regardless of the time of day. These results suggest that, although coloration signals quality, it is not used in mutual mate choice, regardless of the available time for reproduction.