Nuptial gift - Wikipedia
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.[1] Often, such a gift will improve the fitness of the recipient as well.[1] This definition implies neutral gifts, costly gifts and beneficial gifts regarding the fitness of the recipient.[1]
Nuptial gifting is at the intersection of sexual selection, nutritional ecology and life history theory, creating a link between the three.[1][2]
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.[3] This is a behavior known as courtship feeding.[4][5]
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.[1] The second is a genital gift, in which the gift is absorbed through the reproductive tract.[1] Lastly, there are transdermal gifts which are injected into the body wall of the recipient by the donor.[1]
