The differences in reproductive values of sperm vs eggs, and the resulting conflicts of interest between males who want more sex,
精子与卵子的生殖价值观差异,外加雄性动物更热衷于交配,
and females who have had enough, have resulted in the evolution of some pretty extravagant strategies for males to be reproductively successful.
而雌性动物对此往往稍显冷淡,导致了雄性为了成功繁殖,进化出了某些相当奢华的(交配)战略。
After all, if a female has enough sperm in her storage organ she is probably not interested in receiving any more.
毕竟,如果一只雌性的卵巢中精子数量已经足够,她很可能不想再继续接受精子了。
And this is bad news for any guy who has yet to make his own sperm deposit.
这对任何一个尚未将自己精子注入雌性体内的雄性来说都是个坏消息。
So, what can he do to convince a lady that his sperm might be worth an extra roll in the hay? Presents!
那么,他要做些什么,才能说服一只雌性,让她认识到,(即便精子足够,)他的精子也值得接受呢?礼物!
Male nursery web spiders bring gifts to females, the bigger and heavier, the better.
雄性盗蛛给雌性盗蛛带来礼物,而且礼物越大越重越好。
These gifts can take diverse forms, from prey items,
这些礼物各种各样,从猎物、
to glandular secretions, water, specialized meals - or even parts of his own body!
到腺分泌物、水、专门饭菜,甚至是它自己身体的一部分!
And these aren't any cheap gifts. They are giving a female an expensive present in exchange for sex.
这些礼物可都不便宜。他们送给雌性一份昂贵的礼物以换取交配机会。
Well, most of the males. About 30% of the time, male nursery web spiders provide females with dummy gifts - pieces of garbage, arthropod exoskeletons, or plants.
嗯,大部分的雄性。大约有30%的情况,雄性盗蛛会给雌性盗蛛送假礼——(比如)几块垃圾,节肢动物的外骨骼,或植物。
These are made to look like the high-quality gifts of their rivals. Basically, designer knockoffs.
这些东西看起来丝毫不亚于它们竞争对手的高品质礼物。(但)基本上,都是些冒牌货。
In addition to appearing authentic, they come in several layers of wrapping.
它们看起来很真实,此外它们还有几层包装。
Females must take the time to unwrap them before discovering their true quality, time in which the male might already have gotten started.
雌性要想获得这些礼物必然要花费(不少)时间拆包,最终才能探明礼物的真实性,而在这段时间里,雄性可能已经开始交配了。
Since the cheating spiders are not spending any time or energy in actually hunting and killing a ‘nice’ gift they have more time for a higher number of copulation attempts, but with a lower level of sperm transfer.
由于这些行骗术的雄性蜘蛛,准备礼物时并没有花费任何时间精力,并没有实际去狩猎或费心去准备一个'好'礼物,因此它们就有了更多的时间,来进行更多的交配尝试,但精子转移水平也较低。
The good news is that since the cheating males realize a lower level of sexual success, fewer of their cheating genes will be sustained in future generations.
好消息是,由于行骗术的雄性蜘蛛认识到了这样做的交配成功率较低,(经过自然选择,)他们体内的“欺骗基因”也难以在后代中传承下去。
The males giving legitimate gifts will always be more reproductively successful, meaning that the balance of power stays with them.
以真实礼物赠送雌性盗蛛的雄性,成功繁殖的几率总是更大,这意味着它们也更有优势。
This is great news for jilted ladies. Hold out for the high-quality goods - bugs, secretions, eight-legged back rubs.
这对于遭到抛弃的雌性来说倒是个好消息。她们可以拖延时间,以便得到高品质的礼物——(比如)虫子、分泌物、八爪齐下的背部按摩。
They will come your way eventually. Want to see more animal videos? Then check out this playlist from our friends at The Dodo.
它们最终会来到你的身边。想看更多的动物视频吗?那就看看The Dodo上我朋友的节目列表吧。
Don't forget to subscribe, and keep coming back to Seeker for more videos.
欢迎订阅和收看我们的节目。