[HELICONIUS] Heliconius antiaphrodisiac doesn't work?

[James MALLET]

Hi, just came across this while searching the internet archive. It looks interesting! Don't know how good it is, though. I thought Catalina might be interested, and maybe the guys in Panama.

Cornish, Matt. 2001. Effects of female postmating odour on male sexual behaviour in Heliconius butterflies. MSc Thesis, Brock University, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract:
The effects of the female postmating odour on male sexual behaviour were examined inHeliconius erato and H. charithonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Predictions from the antiaphrodisiachypothesis were tested using the two reproductive strategies of these species. Within the pupal matingstrategy, results from behavioural experiments quantified and statistically tested dispersal rates ofpupal-perched males to the presence of stimuli with and without the postmating odour. Results do notsupport an antiaphrodisiac function to the postmating odour. Similarly, within the adult courtshipstrategy, behavioural test results indicate that males do not alter their expenditure of energy in terms ofeither the duration or frequency of courtship behaviours elicited by females with and without thepostmating odour. The data from both experiments did not support the antiaphrodisiac hypothesis forthe function of the female postmating odour. A novel hypothesis predicting that the postmating femaleodour acts as an oviposition-deterring pheromone is presented.

http://www.archive.org/details/effectsoffemalep00cornuoft

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