Dj. Lonsdale et al., LECTIN-BINDING TO SURFACE GLYCOPROTEINS ON COULLANA SPP (COPEPODA, HARPACTICOIDA) CAN INHIBIT MATE GUARDING, Marine and freshwater behaviour and physiology, 27(2-3), 1996, pp. 153-162
We tested the hypothesis that surface glycoproteins Found on Coullana
spp. are important signals in contact mate-recognition. Female copepod
ites (mostly molt-stage V) of Coullana canadensis (Maryland) and Coull
ana sp. (Florida) were treated with 0.1 mg ml(-1) of four lectins that
represent a variety of carbohydrate affinities. The females were then
washed and exposed to males. Binding of some lectins significantly re
duced the ability of males to recognize potential mates and initiate p
recopulatory mate guarding. Other lectin treatments had no significant
effect on this behavior. These data show that surface glycoproteins o
n female Coullana spp. are important mating signals for males in the r
ecognition of conspecifics. Our results also suggest that differences
in chemical signals among these sibling species may have evolved.