Abstract
Both mass and nitrogen content of ejaculates transferred by male monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) varied with male history. Older virgins and males that had waited longer after a previous mating transferred larger ejaculates with more nitrogen. After mating, ejaculates were broken down within the female bursa copulatrix; mass and nitrogen content decreased at constant rates until little material remained. Because the time required for breakdown of large spermatophores is longer than the intermating interval, a significant portion of a male's investment could be used to benefit offspring from other males.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 367-373 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology |
| Volume | 31 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1992 |