What is the evolutionary advantage of this?
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Sheldon Johnson
Well-known member
Orchid males become adult quicker than females due ot their size. In the wild, this often helps to prevent inbreeding.
The other reason is, when youve only got a 3-6 month adult life span and all you can do is mate, then do you really need to be large and therefore reduce your chance of survival by requiring more food in an already very competative world?
The other reason is, when youve only got a 3-6 month adult life span and all you can do is mate, then do you really need to be large and therefore reduce your chance of survival by requiring more food in an already very competative world?
Besides that, male praying mantis is also smaller so that it could fly around looking for mate, being lighter in weight. As female orchid has 2 extra molt than the male, it make sense that the female is considerably larger. Smaller orchid male probably survive better in the wild in my opinion, especially with a large ferocious female as mate.
Here is a pic of a mating orchid pair just couple of days ago.
Here is a pic of a mating orchid pair just couple of days ago.
Hi.
There may be several advantages:
1. as Sheldon said, this may prevent inbreeding, especially in rare species, as the male is forced to leave the habitat in order to search for mates.
2. avoiding of cannibalism: there are two strategies regarding this point: to be very large compared to the female or to be very small. The second point is not very obvious, but a male as small as this sitting on the back of the female can hardly be grabbed by her. He is simply out of reach. This is also found in Parhymenopus and Theopropus.
3. At least in Hymenopus: the male guards the female to avoid other males copulating with her. In this case it is better to be small to not disturb the female very much. First, she is not hindered from moving around, secondly, he is safer from her (see above).
Noone exactly knows if these are the real reasons for the adaptation. But it makes at least sense from an evolutionary point of view.
Ragards,
Christian
There may be several advantages:
1. as Sheldon said, this may prevent inbreeding, especially in rare species, as the male is forced to leave the habitat in order to search for mates.
2. avoiding of cannibalism: there are two strategies regarding this point: to be very large compared to the female or to be very small. The second point is not very obvious, but a male as small as this sitting on the back of the female can hardly be grabbed by her. He is simply out of reach. This is also found in Parhymenopus and Theopropus.
3. At least in Hymenopus: the male guards the female to avoid other males copulating with her. In this case it is better to be small to not disturb the female very much. First, she is not hindered from moving around, secondly, he is safer from her (see above).
Noone exactly knows if these are the real reasons for the adaptation. But it makes at least sense from an evolutionary point of view.
Ragards,
Christian
Rob Byatt
Well-known member
The theories from both Sheldon and Christian are more than likely true, but there is also another underlying reason why males of alot species of invertebrate are small by comparison.
It is not necessary for males to have a large body mass because they are simply the carriers of sperm; it is the females that need to be large to produce large numbers of eggs.
It would also appear to be a trend (not a generalization) that males of cryptic species of mantis are small in comparison to the female. This may be because cryptic females do not want to advertise their presence to predators (hence the crypsis), so attract males with species specific pheromones.
It may be an advantage to a male that is unaware of the exact location of a female to be less conspicuous while flying towards the source of the pheromone.
But these are just theories !
Cheers, Rob.
It is not necessary for males to have a large body mass because they are simply the carriers of sperm; it is the females that need to be large to produce large numbers of eggs.
It would also appear to be a trend (not a generalization) that males of cryptic species of mantis are small in comparison to the female. This may be because cryptic females do not want to advertise their presence to predators (hence the crypsis), so attract males with species specific pheromones.
It may be an advantage to a male that is unaware of the exact location of a female to be less conspicuous while flying towards the source of the pheromone.
But these are just theories !
Cheers, Rob.
OGIGA
Dead Leaf Mantis
Oh so that's how it's done. I have been wondering how something can mate with a considerable larger counterpart.Besides that, male praying mantis is also smaller so that it could fly around looking for mate, being lighter in weight. As female orchid has 2 extra molt than the male, it make sense that the female is considerably larger. Smaller orchid male probably survive better in the wild in my opinion, especially with a large ferocious female as mate. Here is a pic of a mating orchid pair just couple of days ago.
Look at spiders where the male is really tiny compared to the female. In mammals males are larger as they (we?) fight for the right to mate and size is helpful in a fight. I think even male cats are usually almost twice the size of females.
I'm glad not to be a mantid. My wife already figuratively bites my head off. God, if she were five times my size I'd never see a football game!
I'm glad not to be a mantid. My wife already figuratively bites my head off. God, if she were five times my size I'd never see a football game!
it's like throwing a hot dog down a cave.Besides that, male praying mantis is also smaller so that it could fly around looking for mate, being lighter in weight. As female orchid has 2 extra molt than the male, it make sense that the female is considerably larger. Smaller orchid male probably survive better in the wild in my opinion, especially with a large ferocious female as mate. Here is a pic of a mating orchid pair just couple of days ago.
randyardvark
Well-known member
thats comment has actually made my day..
Ha! That was funny...
It wasn't that bad really!! Male is so small compares to the female so they can escape better being lighter (and able to fly better), aslo more difficult for the female to catch while he is on her back.
OGIGA
Dead Leaf Mantis
How well do the females fly? Their wing-to-body ratio is much larger than most species.
:lol: lol, u guys are 2 funny, and thats not the reason at all... God figured since us girls had to carry u guys around so much that he would make the load lighter! ha ha
As to the 'How well do females fly?' question:
Not that great, and only until they get heavy with food and eggs. A newly molted female can fly for short distances but usually only if they are really warm. They do a lot of the "flying leaps" between objects but that's about it. Once they bulk up with eggs flight is difficult if not impossible for most female mantids as far as I know.
Not that great, and only until they get heavy with food and eggs. A newly molted female can fly for short distances but usually only if they are really warm. They do a lot of the "flying leaps" between objects but that's about it. Once they bulk up with eggs flight is difficult if not impossible for most female mantids as far as I know.
skinnylegs
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in all those pictures the male looks like a bit of a perv :lol:
OGIGA
Dead Leaf Mantis
I had a dream this morning that when I tried to mate my pair, the female grabbed the male and took a big bite out of him before I could rescue him. I hope that doesn't happen in real life...
OGIGA
Dead Leaf Mantis
Okay, so I finally got my orchid male to get one top of my orchid female. The male bent his abdomen down to make contact a couple of times, but it was really quick. How long (generally) are they supposed to stay connected for them to count as "mated"?
