JPR Advance Access originally published online on October 9, 2007
Journal of Plankton Research 2007 29(12):1023-1030; doi:10.1093/plankt/fbm076
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HORIZONS |
Copepod mating: chance or choice?
1 Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, Norway 2 Department Of Marine Ecology, GÖTeborg University, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, 45034 FiskebÄCkskil, Sweden 3 The University Centre in Svalbard, PO Box 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
* CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: josefin.titelman{at}marecol.gu.se
Received on May 16, 2007; accepted on October 4, 2007
| Abstract |
|---|
Mate choice is common in most animals, but the issue has largely been ignored in regard to pelagic copepods—the most abundant zooplankton group in the oceans. Contemporary demographic models of copepods assume that all encounters lead to successful copulation and viable egg production. We revisit the subject of copepod mating biology in the framework of sexual selection theory. We discuss, and point to, examples that suggest mate choice in both sexes. Sexual selection theory may add an important dimension for understanding copepod population dynamics and potentially lead to renewed interpretations of the diverse copepod behaviours and life histories. In addition, the range of mating strategies in copepods represents a rich, but unexplored, source of information for general behavioural ecologists.
Written responses to this article should be submitted to R. P. Harris at r.p.h@pml.ac.uk within two months of publication. For further information, please see the Editorial Horizons in Journal of Plankton Research, Volume 26, Number 3, Page 257.
Communicating editor: R.P. Harris
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. K. Ali, R. Primicerio, I. Folstad, S. Liljedal, and J. Berge Morphological correlates of mating frequency and clutch size in wild caught female Eudiaptomus graciloides (Copepoda: Calanoida) J. Plankton Res., April 1, 2009; 31(4): 389 - 397. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
