Figure 4. Incompatible males competitively suppress reproduction in a dose-dependent manner.

Females were mixed with cognate males and an increasing number of incompatible males. They were given 48 hours before blood feeding. The average hatching rates of these crosses were compared. Subsequently, females were retrieved and divided equally into two subgroups, with one mixed with cognate males and the other kept alone. The average hatching rates of these subgroups were compared. (A) TK♀ mixed with TK♂ and WX♂; (B) WX♀ mixed with WX♂ and TK♂; (C) TK♀ retrieved from A were mixed with TK♂ or kept alone; (D) WX♀ retrieved from B were mixed with WX♂ or kept alone. Error bars represent standard errors; ns, non-significant P-value; *** P<0.0001; * P<0.05 by t-test.