@article{ZiegeHennigeSchulzMueckschetal.2012,
  author    = {Ziege, Madlen and Hennige-Schulz, Carmen and Muecksch, Frauke and Bierbach, David and Tiedemann, Ralph and Streit, Bruno and Plath, Martin},
  title     = {A comparison of two methods to assess audience-induced changes in male mate choice},
  series = {Current zoology},
  volume    = {58},
  journal   = {Current zoology},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Current Zoology},
  address   = {Beijing},
  issn      = {1674-5507},
  pages     = {84 -- 94},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {Multidirectional communicative interactions in social networks can have a profound effect on mate choice behavior. Male Atlantic molly Poecilia mexicana exhibit weaker mating preferences when an audience male is presented. This could be a male strategy to reduce sperm competition risk: interacting more equally with different females may be advantageous because rivals might copy mate choice decisions. In line with this hypothesis, a previous study found males to show a strong audience effect when being observed while exercising mate choice, but not when the rival was presented only before the choice tests. Audience effects on mate choice decisions have been quantified in poeciliid fishes using association preference designs, but it remains unknown if patterns found from measuring association times translate into actual mating behavior. Thus, we created five audience treatments simulating different forms of perceived sperm competition risk and determined focal males' mating preferences by scoring pre-mating (nipping) and mating behavior (gonopodial thrusting). Nipping did not reflect the pattern that was found when association preferences were measured, while a very similar pattern was uncovered in thrusting behavior. The strongest response was observed when the audience could eavesdrop on the focal male's behavior. A reduction in the strength of focal males' preferences was also seen after the rival male had an opportunity to mate with the focal male's preferred mate. In comparison, the reduction of mating preferences in response to an audience was greater when measuring association times than actual mating behavior. While measuring direct sexual interactions between the focal male and both stimulus females not only the male's motivational state is reflected but also females' behavior such as avoidance of male sexual harassment.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BierbachKronmarckHennigeSchulzetal.2011,
  author    = {Bierbach, David and Kronmarck, Claudia and Hennige-Schulz, Carmen and Stadler, Stefan and Plath, Martin},
  title     = {Sperm competition risk affects male mate choice copying},
  series = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
  volume    = {65},
  journal   = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
  number    = {9},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {New York},
  issn      = {0340-5443},
  doi       = {10.1007/s00265-011-1177-3},
  pages     = {1699 -- 1707},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Mate choice copying was mostly described as a strategy employed by females to assess the quality of potential mates, but also males can copy other males' mate choice. An open question in this context is whether and how copying males evaluate sperm competition risk, as mating with a female that has already copulated with another male obviously sets the stage for intense sperm competition (i.e., in species with internal fertilization). Using the livebearing Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana) as a model, we asked (a) whether males of that species indeed copy other males' choices, and if they do so, (b) whether copying males strategically adjust their behavior to sperm competition risk. We used an approach where focal males could first choose to associate with a large or a small stimulus female. Mate choice tests were then repeated after an "observation phase" during which either no model male was present (treatment 1, control) or the previously non-preferred female could be seen associating (treatment 2) or physically interacting (treatment 3) with a model male. We found that, after the observation phase, males spent considerably more time with the previously non-preferred female in treatment (2), i.e., they copied the model male's choice. This effect was much weaker during treatment (3) where sexual interactions between the model male and the formerly non-preferred female were allowed. Males, therefore, seem to adjust their copying behavior strategically to the perceived risk of sperm competition.},
  language  = {en}
}