Variation of sperm precedence in the rove beetle Aleochara curtula (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae)

In order to quantify the outcome of sperm competition in the mating system of the rove beetle Aleochara curtula we performed three different mating ex periment series. Paternity was established by DNA fingerprinting with oligo nucleotide probes. We found a precedence of the last male with a proportion of eggs fathered by the last male of 87% (median). Nevertheless, we observ ed a large variation of Pt-values in A. curtula and cases of mixed paternit y were documented as well as cases of 100% or 0% paternity of the last male . The variation of Pt-values correlates with the efficiency of spermatophor e and sperm transfer.