The University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia
News
  • The Campaign for UWA
  • Quick Links
  • News Home
  1. UWA Home
  2. News
  3. Groups
  4. Science Matters
  5. Pantry pests trade immunity for sex
  • News channels
    • Alumni
    • Appointments
    • Arts and Culture
    • Awards and Prizes
    • Business and Industry
    • Events
    • International
    • Regional
    • Research
    • Science
    • Sport
    • Teaching and Learning
  • Media statements
  • Find an expert
  • Contact us
 
 
 

University News

Pantry pests trade immunity for sex

Related areas

  • International
  • Research
Digg Facebook Google Bookmarks LinkedIn Tumblr Twitter

Follow @uwanews

Stories

Poor diet 'reprograms' male sperm to produce smaller offspring
Teenage male whale sharks don't want to leave home
Study shows long-term implications of amphetamine use
275 million-year-old starfish fossil found in Western Australia
Rare glass spearhead found on Rottnest Island
An Indian meal moth
Friday, 7 June 2013

When presented with a bevy of beauties, male meal moths - the scourge of many a household pantry - will prefer to invest in sex over self-preservation, according to researchers.

The study led by behavioural ecologist Dr Kathryn McNamara, from The University of Western Australia's Centre for Evolutionary Biology, found the more sex available, the more the male meal moth will invest in reproduction, even at the risk of weakening its immune system.

The results, published in the journal Biology Letters, appear to contradict previous research on dung flies where males were found to invest more in reproduction - by increasing the size of their testes - in more competitive male-dominated environments.

The researchers kept Indian meal moths for more than 80 generations in an experimental evolution study conducted by team member Professor Nina Wedell at the University of Exeter.

The moths were kept in three different communities: one dominated by males, a second dominated by females and a third that had equal numbers of males and females.

The researchers assessed the immunity of both male and female larvae from each group and found males in the female-dominated communities had lower immunity than those in the other groups.

This result led the scientists to conclude that rather than competing with other males driving them to invest more in reproduction, the meal moth appeared to prefer to take advantage of the many females around.

Dr McNamara said the study shows the trade-off between immunity and reproduction is complex and works differently in different species.

"It shows it's important to consider the species when you are testing these classic trade-offs between immunity and reproduction," she said.

Media references

Dr Kathryn McNamara (UWA Centre for Evolutionary Biology)  (+61 8)  6488 1473
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783

The University of Western Australia

  • University Homepage
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Business and Industry
  • Alumni and Friends
  • Media

University News

    • Staff login

University information

CRICOS Code: 00126G

  • Accessibility
  • Campus map
  • Contact the University
  • Indigenous Commitment
  • Terms of use

This Page

http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/201306075732/international/pantry-pests-trade-immunity-sex