BIOL 1200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Cannibalism
Document Summary
Females eat males that are unsuitable as mates. To test: compare the quality and mating success of cannibalized vs. non- cannibalized males. Females eat their mates because they are hungry. To test: compare cannibalism rates of two groups of females (one group feeds naturally, while the other has its diet supplemented) The female eats the male because he detangle his abdomen in front of her jaws. The female can produce a larger egg sac if she eats the male. The female gains nutrients by eating her mate: cq: choose an ultimate explanation for female cannibalism: The female eats the male because he dangles his abdomen in front of her jaws. The female gains nutrients from eating the male. The female copulates longer while eating her mate: behavior of male redbacks. Female redback spiders eat their mates because they are hungry. Males benefit by contributing nutrients (their own bodies!) to increase the number and size of their offspring.
