Alternative-mating-strategies
Guides
Jassa marmorata
Marbled Scud
A tube-building amphipod native to the northeast Atlantic Ocean, now introduced to northeast Asia. Distinguished by greyish coloration with reddish-brown markings and a maximum length of 10 mm. Notable for exhibiting two distinct male morphs with alternative mating strategies: larger 'major' males that fight for access to females, and smaller 'minor' males that sneak copulations. Constructs protective tubes from detritus and algae fragments bound with mucus secretions.
Maevia
Dimorphic Jumping Spider (M. inclemens)
Maevia is a genus of jumping spiders (Salticidae) historically encompassing species from both the New World and Asia. The genus has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with most Asian species transferred to other genera. The best-studied species, M. inclemens, exhibits remarkable male dimorphism with two distinct morphs differing in appearance and courtship behavior.
Odontoloxozus
cactus flies
Odontoloxozus is a genus of cactus flies in the family Neriidae, established by Enderlein in 1922. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in the Americas. Members of this genus are associated with cactus habitats, with detailed behavioral ecology documented for Odontoloxozus longicornis in Arizona. Males exhibit territorial behavior and alternative mating strategies related to body size and environmental conditions.
Onthophagini
Onthophagine dung beetles
Onthophagini is a large and ecologically significant tribe of dung beetles within the family Scarabaeidae. The tribe comprises approximately half of the world's dung beetle fauna, with the genus Onthophagus alone containing over 2,300 species worldwide. Members are found on every continent except Antarctica. The tribe originated from a single common ancestor shared with the Oniticellini, with which it forms a monophyletic group. While many dung beetles are known for ball-rolling behavior, Onthophagini species exhibit diverse feeding strategies including specialization on fungi, carrion, and dead millipedes, with some species living in close association with termites and ants.