Mate choice by male water striders (Gerris lacustris): expression of a wing morph preference depends on a size difference between females

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Abstract
Natural selection maintains wing polymorphism in populations of water striders. Long-winged females benefit from being able to migrate because they avoid the risk of pool evaporation, but early in the season their fecundity is lower than that of short-winged females. We tested preferences of 18 long-winged males and 29 short-winged males in spring. Males preferred long-winged females, and there was no difference between the two male morphs. The preference was only observed when the long-winged female was heavier; when the short-winged female was larger, the males showed no preference. There was a positive relationship between long-winged female weight and number of eggs laid per day, and the males behaved as if they were taking into account that large, long-winged females are more fecund. We suggest that males preferred long-winged females because this preference increases the proportion of long-winged individuals in the autumn F2 generation.

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