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Kustra MC, Stiver KA, Marsh-Rollo S, Hellmann JK, Alonzo SH. Social Environment Influences the Temporal Dynamics of Sneak-Spawning in a Fish with Alternative Reproductive Tactics. Am Nat 2023; 202:181-191. [PMID: 37531281 DOI: 10.1086/725057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractSeveral predictions of sperm competition theory are not well supported empirically. One potential reason is that most current theory and empirical research ignore how the social environment influence the temporal dynamics of mating. We propose that understanding these dynamics is key to understanding sexual selection and improving the predictive power of theory. To demonstrate the importance of these dynamics, we quantify how males' social role, interactions among males, and current social environment influence the timing of mating in Symphodus ocellatus, a species with three alternative male reproductive tactics. Nesting males spawn synchronously with females; sneakers and satellites sneak-spawn with some time delay. Satellites also cooperate with nesting males. We found that satellites have shorter sneak-spawning delays than sneakers, a benefit of their cooperation with nesting males. Sneak-spawning delays decreased with increasing nest activity for sneakers but not for satellites, suggesting that sneakers may benefit from increased sperm competition intensity. Current sperm competition models ignore this potential benefit, which may be why the prediction that males should decrease investment when sperm competition involves more than two males is not well supported. Our study provides insight into mechanisms that drive variation in the timing of spawning, which could explain mismatches between theoretical and empirical results.
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Poli F, Marino IAM, Santon M, Bozzetta E, Pellizzato G, Zane L, Rasotto MB. Spatial asymmetry of the paternity success in nests of a fish with alternative reproductive tactics. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3091. [PMID: 33542278 PMCID: PMC7862370 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82508-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Guard-sneaker tactics are widespread among fish, where territorial males defend a nest and provide parental care while sneakers try to steal fertilizations. Territorials and sneakers adopt diverse pre- and post-mating strategies, adjusting their ejaculate investment and/or behavioural responses to the presence of competitors. The relative distance of competitors from the spawning female plays a major role in influencing male mating strategies and the resulting paternity share. However, territorial male quality and sneaking intensity do not fully account for the variability in the relative siring success occurring among species. An often neglected factor potentially affecting sneakers proximity to females is the nest structure. We conducted a field experiment using the black goby, whose nests show two openings of different size. We found that territorial males defend more and sneaking pressure is higher at the front, larger access of the nest than at the back, smaller one. Moreover, microsatellite paternity analysis shows that territorials sire more offspring at the back of their nest. Such a predictable spatial distribution of the paternity share suggests that nest structure might work as an indirect cue of male relative siring success, potentially influencing the territorial male investment in parental care and/or the female egg deposition strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Poli
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy.
| | - I A M Marino
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196, Rome, Italy
| | - M Santon
- Institute for Evolution and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - E Bozzetta
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - G Pellizzato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - L Zane
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196, Rome, Italy
| | - M B Rasotto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131, Padua, Italy
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Ota K. Pause and travel: How sneakers approach closer to spawning sites under territorial vigilance. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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