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Horm Behav

Title:		The role of olfaction during mating in the southern temperate spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii
Author(s):		Raethke N; MacDiarmid AB; Montgomery JC;
Address:		"School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. n.raethke@niwa.co.nz"
Journal Title:		Horm Behav
Year:		2004
Volume:		46
Issue:		3
Page Number:		311 - 318
DOI:		10.1016/j.yhbeh.2004.04.005
ISSN/ISBN:		0018-506X (Print) 0018-506X (Linking)
Abstract:		"Chemosensory communication may be crucial during mate choice and mating in the southern temperate spiny lobster Jasus edwardsii to ensure that females mate with large males capable of supplying adequate numbers of sperm during the short mating window. To clarify the role of pheromones during this process, three laboratory experiments were carried out. In an experiment where the output of urine, which contains sex-specific pheromones, from large and small catheterized males was switched, large post-molt females did not make a clear choice of mate. This indicates that while females distinguish among females, males, and juveniles using their chemosensory sense, they distinguish among males using visual and tactile senses in combination with olfaction. Further, two antennule-ablation experiments were carried out to determine if detection of pheromones by the antennules of females or males was critical for mate selection, courting, or mating. In both cases, we observed a (nonsignificant) trend of slightly delayed mating of treatment females. We found that disruption of female olfaction causes less impact on courtship or mating than ablation of male antennules which increased the variance in the length of the period between molting and mating and resulted in a systematic reduction in clutch size. This lesser impact of female ablation may be because females can still respond to their own internal cues about egg ripeness whereas males cannot. In J. edwardsii, unlike the American clawed lobster, Homarus americanus, one fully functional partner of either sex appears sufficient to initiate mating"
Keywords:		"Animals Female Male Palinuridae/*physiology Perception/*physiology Sense Organs/physiology Sex Attractants/*physiology Sex Factors Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Smell/*physiology Urine/physiology;"
Notes:		"MedlineRaethke, Natalie MacDiarmid, Alison B Montgomery, John C eng Comparative Study Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2004/08/25 Horm Behav. 2004 Sep; 46(3):311-8. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2004.04.005"