Sex‐Specific Control and Incomplete Matings: Sperm Removal Behavior in a Bush Cricket Species

ABSTRACT In sexually promiscuous species, sperm removal behavior (SRB) is a male strategy to increase reproductive success by removing rival sperm from the female prior to insemination. This behavior may, however, impose costs on both sexes, generating sexual conflict. We investigated the sex‐specific control over the duration of SRB in Metaplastes ornatus , a bush cricket species exhibiting this behavior. We used a double mating design experiment and recorded morphometric measurements from a wild population in Greece to examine whether male or female traits can predict the duration of SRB or whether repeatabilities differ between the sexes. We found a trend that lighter females mated more frequently, while the body mass of either sex did not affect SRB duration. Repeatability analyses suggested a potential, albeit weak, female influence on SRB duration. We also identified high rates of matings terminated before spermatophore transfer after the initiation of SRB. These events were associated with shorter SRB durations and fewer behavioral breaks. A pilot analysis of male genital morphology revealed that males with narrower subgenital plates may have greater copulation success. Our results suggest that female traits and behavior could play a critical role in shaping the outcome of SRB, indicating potential female counter‐adaptations in this sexually antagonistic system.