This method gave estimates that compared well with those generated using classical breeding experiments. Resistance appears related to tree phenology, leaf shape and size, and biochemical composition. The striped ground cricket, Allonemobius fasciatus, is an ideal organism for the study of mating preferences in the wild. During copulation females chew on a specialized gland located on the male's tibia . A male's mating history can be ascertained by non-destructive visual inspection of this tibial gland.
Virgins show no damage while mated males show evidence of a chewed tibia.
A second thrust of my research program concerns the evolution of adaptive maternal effects. The design allows assessment of both maternal and offspring environmental effects, as well as direct genetic effects on phenotypic variance in this trait. Thus mate choice may often fall under the rubric of adaptive maternal effects. We ultimately hope to estimate the heritability of mate preferences in these systems. Offspring growth and survival are often determined in large measure by where, when and how mothers lay their eggs.