Nuptial gift

A nuptial gift is a nutritional gift given by one partner in some animals' sexual reproduction practices. Formally, a nuptial gift is a material presentation to a recipient by a donor during or in relation to sexual intercourse that is not simply gametes in order to improve the reproductive fitness of the donor. Often, such a gift will improve the fitness of the recipient as well. This definition implies neutral gifts, costly gifts and beneficial gifts regarding the fitness of the recipient. Nuptial gifting is at the intersection of sexual selection, nutritional ecology, and life history theory, creating a link between the three. Many nuptial gifts are a source of nutrition for the recipient. In many species of animals, including birds, insects, and spiders, this takes the form of a food item that is transferred from a male to a female just prior to copulation. This is a behavior known as courtship feeding. Inedible tokens may include items such as a fragment of leaf or twig, a seed tuft, or a silk balloon. There are three ways in which a gift may be received. The first is an oral gift, which is absorbed through the digestive system of the recipient. The second is a genital gift, in which the gift is absorbed through the reproductive tract. Lastly, there are transdermal gifts which are injected into the body wall of the recipient by the donor. Nuptial gifts are also classified according to the source of the gift. There are two types of gifts; endogenous gifts and exogenous gifts. Endogenous gifts are produced by the mating donor whereas exogenous gifts are captured, collected or found by the donor. Endogenous gifts are made by the donor. These gifts often carry great cost to the donor and usually contain hemolymph or body parts. For instance, endogenous oral gifts are secreted by the donors glands (salivary, reproductive, etc.). They often carry nutrients that are severely lacking in the body of the recipient, these include types of macronutrients, micronutrients, water and defensive chemicals.