Sperm Competition in the Field Cricket Gryllus integer (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

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Abstract
Sperm competition was studied in the field cricket Gryllus integer. Control females mated with a normal, fertile male, and then with a second fertile male (NN females). Experimental females mated with a fertile male and then with a male sterilized with gamma radiation (NR females), or with a sterile male and then with a fertile male (RN females). Females oviposited in individual dishes for 8 days, and 3 successive dishes were used for each female for eight days each. Nymphs and unhatched eggs were counted for each female for each dish. There were generally no differences in the percentage of eggs hatching when different dishes were compared. Considering all egg dishes, NN and RN females produced significantly more offspring than NR, but there were no differences between NN and RN females. Mean P2 value, the proportion of eggs fertilized by the second male, is 0.72. These data suggest that the second mate fertilizes more of a female''s eggs, but that a degree of sperm mixing occurs.

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