A sensory ecological perspective on mate sampling strategies: simulation models and an empirical test

Long-range communication signals play a central role in mate search and mate choice across a wide range of taxa. Among the different aspects of mate choice, the strategy an individual employ to search for potential mates (mate sampling) has been less explored despite its significance. Although analytical models of mate sampling have demonstrated significant differences in individual fitness returns for different sampling strategies, these models have rarely incorporated relevant information on the ecology of signalers and sensory physiology of receivers, both of which can profoundly influence which sampling strategy is optimal. In this study, we used simulation models to compare the costs and benefits of different female mate sampling strategies in an acoustically communicating field cricket ( Plebeiogryllus guttiventris ) by incorporating information on relative spacing of callers in natural choruses, their signal intensity and the effect of signal intensity on female phonotaxis behaviour. Mating with the louder caller that the female first approaches emerged as the optimal strategy, thus reflecting the importance of physiological mechanisms of sound signal localization (passive attraction) over active sampling. When tested empirically in the field, female behaviour was consistent with passive attraction.