Nutrient regulation strategies differ between cricket morphs that trade-off dispersal and reproduction

1. Nutrient regulation should covary with life history, but actual demonstrations of this connection are rare. 2. Here we use a wing-polymorphic cricket, Gryllus firmus, that trades-off dispersal and reproduction; the long-winged morph with functional flight muscles (LW(f)) is adapted for dispersal at the expense of egg production, while the short-winged (SW) morph is adapted for egg production at the expense of flight. We explore the extent to which these two morphs differentially regulate macronutrient intake to best match their life history strategy. 3. In a “choice” experiment, we offered female crickets of each morph (LW(f) and SW) two nutritionally complementary foods varying in protein and digestible carbohydrate content. In a second “no-choice” experiment, we confined crickets to one of five foods, each with a different protein-carbohydrate-ratio. In both experiments, and for both morphs, we measured food intake, mass gain, and lipid concentration. 4. In the “choice” experime...