Male Weaponry in Field Crickets
Author Information
Author(s): Kevin A. Judge, Vanessa L. Bonanno
Primary Institution: Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga
Hypothesis
The size of male heads, maxillae, and mandibles in the fall field cricket, Gryllus pennsylvanicus, has been shaped by sexual selection through male-male aggression.
Conclusion
Males with larger weaponry won more aggressive contests, especially when contests escalated to grappling.
Supporting Evidence
- Males with proportionately larger weaponry won more fights.
- Increasing differences in weaponry size between males increased the fighting success of the male with the larger weaponry.
- These results validate traditional knowledge about cricket fighting in Chinese culture.
Takeaway
Bigger heads and mouthparts help male crickets win fights against each other.
Methodology
Two experiments were conducted to test the effects of head and mouthpart size on the outcomes of aggressive contests between male crickets, controlling for body size and mass.
Limitations
The study did not control for all potential size differences, and the effects of weaponry size on contest duration and intensity were not significant.
Participant Demographics
151 male and 75 female field crickets were collected for the study.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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