Multiple matings affect the reproductive performance of the aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Coelophora saucia (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

The effect of multiple matings on the readiness with which mating occurred, fecundity, egg viability and adult longevity in the aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Coelophora saucia (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), was investigated under laboratory conditions. The time to onset of mating after previous pairing was found to decrease with increase in the number of matings. Multiply mated females had a higher fecundity and egg viability than single mated females. The trends in the results were analyzed using both binomial regression and the Gompertz equation. The best fitting curve was that based on the binomial equation, which indicates that 95% of the maximum theoretical fecundity was attained after mating 11 times and 95% of the maximum theoretical egg viability after mating 3 times. Unlike previous studies on ladybirds, a slight but statistically significant increase in female longevity was observed with increase in number of matings indicating that the male ejaculate might provide a supply of nutrients.

Keywords

• coccinellidae
• coelophora saucia
• ladybird
• fecundity
• multiple mating
• egg viability
• longevity