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Dittrich C, Rödel MO. Drop dead! Female mate avoidance in an explosively breeding frog. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230742. [PMID: 37830023 PMCID: PMC10565404 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Males' and females' reproductive strategies may differ, potentially leading to sexual conflict. Increased efforts by males (harassment, forced copulation, intimidation) to gain access to females could even negatively affect female survival and thus lead to reproductive failure for both individuals. In anurans, a higher mortality risk of mating females has been reported in explosive breeding species. During these mating events, several males cling to a female, which are mostly unable to get rid of the unwanted males. This can lead to the female's death. From the literature, it seems that females of explosive breeding frogs have no means to reject unwanted males. Here we describe female mate avoidance behaviours in the European common frog. We observed three female avoidance behaviours, namely 'rotation', 'release call(s)' and tonic immobility (death feigning). These behaviours were significantly associated with smaller female body size, and smaller females were more successful in escaping amplexus. Tonic immobility as a tactic to avoid mating or male harassment has only been observed in a handful of species and only in one other amphibian. Our observations show that females in explosive breeding frogs may not be as passive and helpless as previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Dittrich
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Deutschland
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Berlin–Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Deutschland
- Berlin–Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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2
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Yu T, Green DM, Deng Y, Han Y. Effects of operational sex ratio and male density on size-dependent mating in Minshan’s toads, Bufo minshanicus, on the Tibetan Plateau of China. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In many animal species, an increase in the operational sex ratio (OSR), density or a combination of both should lead to more intensive competition among individuals of the more abundant sex. To test this, we examined pairing patterns of Minshan’s toad (Bufo minshanicus) from six populations between 2008 and 2015 along the eastern Tibetan Plateau in south-west China. OSRs in breeding aggregations of Minshan’s toad are normally male biased and males actively compete with each other for acquisition and retention of mates. We found evidence that deviations from random mating by size varied between populations and between years according to the magnitude of the OSR and male density. Larger males were generally more successful in pairing than smaller males when the OSR was slightly male biased and male density was high. However, the resulting size-disproportionate mating was more evident when OSR was closer to 1.99, indicating a positive correlation with the intensity of aggressive scramble competition. Thus, the intensity of male-male competition may partly explain variation in size-disproportionate mating among populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonglei Yu
- Department of Biology, College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University , SD 464000 , China
| | - David M Green
- Redpath Museum, McGill University , Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C4 , Canada
| | - Yaohui Deng
- Department of Biology, College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University , SD 464000 , China
| | - Yanting Han
- Department of Biology, College of Life Science, Xinyang Normal University , SD 464000 , China
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3
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Dittrich C, Tietje M, Rödel MO. Larger is not better: no mate preference by European common frog (Rana temporaria) males. BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In explosive breeding frogs, high intrasexual competition between males leads to a sexual coercion ruled mating system, where males presumably evolved preferences for specific female traits. We tested these preferences in the European Common Frog by excluding intrasexual competition. We hypothesized that all males show preferences towards larger female body size, due to higher fecundity. Our results did not show any preference considering female body size, neither in the attempt to amplex a female nor during the formation of pairs. Additionally, we witnessed a high failure rate of male mating attempts, which hints at high mating costs and offers an explanation for the lack of preferences in males. Nonetheless, we observed a non-random mating pattern in successfully formed pairs, where in the absence of size dimorphism females were on average larger than males. This indicates a different mechanism for selection which is independent from male mating preference or scramble competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Dittrich
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin–Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Melanie Tietje
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin–Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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4
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Swierk L, Langkilde T. Size-assortative mating in explosive breeders: a case study of adaptive male mate choice in anurans. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Exploration of size-assortative mating (SAM) in animals has led to a near consensus that it arises through constraints in choice, such as preference for large females combined with a large male advantage during intrasexual competition. Although such ‘apparent’ SAM is well explored, whether SAM arises because of specific preferences for size-matched mates has been less thoroughly considered. We tested for ‘preference-based’ SAM in an explosively breeding frog (Rana sylvatica), quantifying how male and female sizes affected fertilization and if males preferred size-matched females. We found that size mismatch severely reduced fertilization. Furthermore, males preferred size-matched, not larger, females in mate choice trials. Because males that mated with much larger females fertilized fewer eggs overall than they would have with size-matched females, male preference for size-matched females may be adaptive. Our results expand understanding of the mechanisms underlying SAM, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may simultaneously cause size-assortative mating patterns to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Swierk
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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5
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Green DM. Rarity of Size-Assortative Mating in Animals: Assessing the Evidence with Anuran Amphibians. Am Nat 2019; 193:279-295. [DOI: 10.1086/701124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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6
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Bókony V, Üveges B, Ujhegyi N, Verebélyi V, Nemesházi E, Csíkvári O, Hettyey A. Endocrine disruptors in breeding ponds and reproductive health of toads in agricultural, urban and natural landscapes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 634:1335-1345. [PMID: 29710633 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Many chemical pollutants have endocrine disrupting effects which can cause lifelong reproductive abnormalities in animals. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates, but there is little information on the nature and quantity of pollutants occurring in typical amphibian breeding habitats and on the reproductive capacities of amphibian populations inhabiting polluted areas. In this study we investigated the occurrence and concentrations of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the water and sediment of under-studied amphibian breeding habitats in natural, agricultural and urbanized landscapes. Also, we captured reproductively active common toads (Bufo bufo) from these habitats and let them spawn in a 'common garden' to assess among-population differences in reproductive capacity. Across 12 ponds, we detected 41 out of the 133 contaminants we screened for, with unusually high concentrations of glyphosate and carbamazepine. Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nonylphenol and bisphenol-A increased with urban land use, whereas levels of organochlorine and triazine pesticides and sex hormones increased with agricultural land use. Toads from all habitats had high fecundity, fertilization rate and offspring viability, but the F1 generation originating from agricultural and urban ponds had reduced development rates and lower body mass both as larvae and as juveniles. Females with small clutch mass produced thicker jelly coat around their eggs if they originated from agricultural and urban ponds compared with natural ponds. These results suggest that the observed pollution levels did not compromise reproductive potential in toads, but individual fitness and population viability may be reduced in anthropogenically influenced habitats, perhaps due to transgenerational effects and/or costs of tolerance to chemical contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Bálint Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Ujhegyi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktória Verebélyi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary; Institute for Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller u. 50, 1077 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edina Nemesházi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Olivér Csíkvári
- HPLC and HPLC-MS Group, Organic Analytical Department, Bálint Analitika Kft, Fehérvári út 144, 1116 Budapest, Hungary; Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Szent Gellért tér 4, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
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Dittrich C, Rodríguez A, Segev O, Drakulić S, Feldhaar H, Vences M, Rödel MO. Temporal migration patterns and mating tactics influence size-assortative mating in Rana temporaria. Behav Ecol 2018; 29:418-428. [PMID: 29622935 PMCID: PMC5873255 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Assortative mating is a common pattern in sexually reproducing species, but the mechanisms leading to assortment remain poorly understood. By using the European common frog (Rana temporaria) as a model, we aim to understand the mechanisms leading to size-assortative mating in amphibians. With data from natural populations collected over several years, we first show a consistent pattern of size-assortative mating across our 2 study populations. We subsequently ask if assortative mating may be explained by mate availability due to temporal segregation of migrating individuals with specific sizes. With additional experiments, we finally assess whether size-assortative mating is adaptive, i.e. influenced by mating competition among males, or by reduced fertilization in size-mismatched pairs. We find that size-assortative mating is in accordance with differences in mate availability during migration, where larger individuals of both sexes reach breeding ponds earlier than smaller individuals. We observe an indiscriminate mate choice behavior of small males and an advantage of larger males pairing with females during scramble competition. The tactic of small males, to be faster and less discriminative than large males, may increase their chances to get access to females. Experimental tests indicate that the fertilization success is not affected by size assortment. However, since female fecundity is highly correlated with body size, males preferring larger females should maximize their number of offspring. Therefore, we conclude that in this frog species mate choice is more complex than formerly believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Dittrich
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ariel Rodríguez
- TU Braunschweig, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Braunschweig, Germany
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ori Segev
- University of Haifa, Faculty of Science, Institute of Evolution, Community Ecology Lab, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sanja Drakulić
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Population Ecology, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Miguel Vences
- TU Braunschweig, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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8
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Kaczmarski M, Kolenda K, Rozenblut-Kościsty B, Sośnicka W. Phalangeal bone anomalies in the European common toad Bufo bufo from polluted environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:21940-21946. [PMID: 27535156 PMCID: PMC5099355 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Every spring, many of amphibians are killed by motor vehicles on roads. These road-killed animals can be used as valuable material for non-invasive studies showing the effect of environmental pollution on amphibian populations. The aims of our research were to check whether the phalanges of road-killed toads may be useful as material for histological analysis, and whether various degrees of human impact influence the level in bone abnormalities in the common toad. We also examined whether the sex and age structure of toads can differ significantly depending in the different sites. We chose three toad breeding sites where road-killed individuals had been observed: near the centre of a city, the outskirts of a city, and a rural site. We collected dead individuals during spring migration in 2013. The sex of each individual was determined and the toes were used to determine age using the skeletochronology method. While performing age estimates, we looked for abnormalities in relation to normal bone tissue structure. In urban site, females dominate males (sex ratio 2.6:1), but in populations from rural and semi-urban sites, sex ratio was reverse (1:2.2 and 1:1.4, respectively). However, we did not find any significant differences between age structure of all populations (average age of each population: approximately 4 years). We observed abnormalities in more than 80 % of all toads from the city, compared to approximately 20 % from the rural and semi-urban sites. In particular, we found hypertrophic bone cells, misaligned intercellular substance, and irregular outer edges of bones. We suggest that these malformations are caused by different pollution, e.g. with heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Kaczmarski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kolenda
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Beata Rozenblut-Kościsty
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Wioletta Sośnicka
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
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9
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Vági B, Hettyey A. Intraspecific and interspecific competition for mates: Rana temporaria males are effective satyrs of Rana dalmatina females. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2156-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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10
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Vojar J, Chajma P, Kopecký O, Puš V, Šálek M. The effect of sex ratio on size-assortative mating in two explosively breeding anurans. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2015. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00002991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Size-assortative mating (SAM) is a widespread phenomenon related to individual fitness. In our study, we examined: (i) the appearance of SAM, and (ii) the effect of sex ratio on intensity of SAM in wild populations of two explosively breeding anurans, common frogs,Rana temporaria, and common toads,Bufo bufo. Despite a higher male-biased operational sex ratio (OSR) in toads, the body lengths of the paired males and females were significantly correlated only in frogs. Increasing male-male competition, assessed via the OSR, resulted in a stronger correlation also in frogs only. Thus, great variability in the presence and intensity of SAM has been observed within both studied species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiří Vojar
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Chajma
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Oldřich Kopecký
- Department of Zoology and Fish Farming, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Puš
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Šálek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague, Czech Republic
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11
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Hettyey A, Vági B, Kovács T, Ujszegi J, Katona P, Szederkényi M, Pearman PB, Griggio M, Hoi H. Reproductive interference between Rana dalmatina and Rana temporaria affects reproductive success in natural populations. Oecologia 2014; 176:457-64. [PMID: 25138258 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3046-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Experimental evidence suggests that reproductive interference between heterospecifics can seriously affect individual fitness; support from field studies for such an effect has, however, remained scarce. We studied reproductive interference in 25 natural breeding ponds in an area where two ranid frogs, Rana dalmatina and Rana temporaria, co-occur. The breeding seasons of the two species usually overlap and males of both species are often found in amplexus with heterospecific females, even though matings between heterospecifics produce no viable offspring. We estimated species abundance ratios based on the number of clutches laid and evaluated fertilization success. In ponds with low spatial complexity and a species abundance ratio biased towards R. temporaria, the average fertilization success of R. dalmatina eggs decreased, while this relationship was not detectable in spatially more complex ponds. Fertilization success of R. temporaria did not decrease with increasing relative numbers of heterospecifics. This asymmetry in fitness effects of reproductive interference may be attributed to R. temporaria males being more competitive in scramble competition for females than R. dalmatina males. Our study is among the first to demonstrate that in natural breeding populations of vertebrates interference among heterospecifics has the potential to substantially lower reproductive success at the population level, which may in turn affect population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Hettyey
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria,
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12
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Hase K, Shimada M. Female polyandry and size-assortative mating in isolated local populations of the Japanese common toad Bufo japonicus. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuko Hase
- Department of General Systems Studies; The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Meguro Tokyo 153-8902 Japan
| | - Masakazu Shimada
- Department of General Systems Studies; The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Meguro Tokyo 153-8902 Japan
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13
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Luo Z, Li C, Wang H, Zhao M, Gu Q, Gu Z, Liao C, Wu H. Mutual mate choice in the Asiatic toad, Bufo gargarizans, exerts stabilizing selection on body size. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-013-0005-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Aronsen T, Berglund A, Mobley KB, Ratikainen II, Rosenqvist G. SEX RATIO AND DENSITY AFFECT SEXUAL SELECTION IN A SEX-ROLE REVERSED FISH. Evolution 2013; 67:3243-57. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tonje Aronsen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Anders Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal Ecology; Uppsala University; SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Kenyon B. Mobley
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; 24306 Plön Germany
| | - Irja I. Ratikainen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Gunilla Rosenqvist
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
- University of Gotland; SE-621 67 Visby Sweden
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15
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Kasumovic MM. The multidimensional consequences of the juvenile environment: towards an integrative view of the adult phenotype. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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16
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Sztatecsny M, Preininger D, Freudmann A, Loretto MC, Maier F, Hödl W. Don't get the blues: conspicuous nuptial colouration of male moor frogs (Rana arvalis) supports visual mate recognition during scramble competition in large breeding aggregations. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2012; 66:1587-1593. [PMID: 23162205 PMCID: PMC3496481 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1412-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2012] [Revised: 09/03/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Conspicuous male colouration is expected to have evolved primarily through selection by female choice. In what way conspicuous colours could be advantageous to males scrambling for mates remains largely unknown. The moor frog (Rana arvalis) belongs to the so-called explosive breeders in which spawning period is short; intrasexual competition is strong, and males actively search and scramble for females. During breeding, male body colouration changes from a dull brown (similar to females) to a conspicuous blue, and we wanted to test if male blueness influences mating success or facilitates male mate recognition. To do so, we first measured the colour of mated and non-mated males using a spectrophotometer. In an experiment, we then analysed interactions of actual male moor frogs in natural spawning aggregations with a brown (resembling a female or a non-breeding male) and a blue model frog. Mated and non-mated males did not differ in colouration, suggesting that female choice based on colour traits was unlikely. In our behavioural experiment, male moor frogs spent significantly more time in contact and in amplexus with the brown model than with the blue model. Our results suggest that the nuptial colouration in moor frogs can act as a new type of visual signal in anurans evolved to promote instantaneous mate recognition allowing males to quickly move between rivals while scrambling for females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Sztatecsny
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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17
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Allocation in reproduction is not tailored to the probable number of matings in common toad (Bufo bufo) males. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1267-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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18
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19
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Yu TL, Lu X. Mating Patterns of Minshan's Toad (Bufo minshanicus) from Three Populations along an Altitudinal Gradient. Zoolog Sci 2010; 27:856-60. [DOI: 10.2108/zsj.27.856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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20
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Brown WD. Constraints on Size-assortative Mating in the Blister Beetle Tegrodera aloga (Coleoptera: Meloidae). Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1990.tb00425.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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21
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Paternity control for externally fertilised eggs: behavioural mechanisms in the waterfrog species complex. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0934-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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22
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CROSHAW DEANA. Quantifying sexual selection: a comparison of competing indices with mating system data from a terrestrially breeding salamander. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01337.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Opportunity for sexual selection arises at moderate densities in the frog Rana chensinensis: an experimental approach. J ETHOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-009-0179-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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HETTYEY ATTILA, VÁGI BALÁZS, HÉVIZI GERGELY, TÖRÖK JÁNOS. Changes in sperm stores, ejaculate size, fertilization success, and sexual motivation over repeated matings in the common toad, Bufo bufo (Anura: Bufonidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01126.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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25
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Lu X, Ma X, Li Y, Fan L. Breeding behavior and mating system in relation to body size in Rana chensinensis, a temperate frog endemic to northern China. J ETHOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-008-0132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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26
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Voituron Y, Lengagne T. Freezing before mating severely affects the fitness of a capital breeder. Physiol Biochem Zool 2008; 81:204-10. [PMID: 18190285 DOI: 10.1086/527422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Abstract While benefits that explain the success of early breeders in many species have been identified and measured, the costs associated with these strategies, such as those linked to adverse climatic conditions, have often been neglected. In this study, we investigate the influence of a short freezing event on reproductive output in the common toad Bufo bufo, an early-breeding anuran. We then (i) compared male mating behavior between previously frozen and control males and (ii) quantified gamete sensitiveness through egg fertilization success between frozen and control toads. The effect of body mass over all these parameters was determined. Previously frozen males exhibited a reduced competitiveness for females, as the number of attacks made against the amplexus decreased by 62% to 65% (for small males and large males, respectively) compared with the control ones. Furthermore, gamete viability of both males and females was reduced by the freezing events. Indeed, the effect ranged from a 25% to a 56% reduction in small and large males previously frozen, respectively, suggesting that small toads were less affected than large ones in terms of fitness. The same tendency was found for small and large females (29% and 43%, respectively). This study shows how a short and moderate freeze may compromise the fitness of capital breeders in temperate regions and also raises the question of survival as an effective indicator of freezing tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Voituron
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique à Moulis, Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité du Vivant, Moulis, 09200 Saint-Girons, France.
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LENGAGNE THIERRY, ARTHAUD FLORENT, CORMIER MICKAËL, JOLY PIERRE. Cost of sexually embracing a large female offset by the number of eggs fertilized for small maleBufo bufoL. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00930.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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28
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Sztatecsny M, Jehle R, Burke T, Hödl W. Female polyandry under male harassment: the case of the common toad (Bufo bufo). J Zool (1987) 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00120.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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29
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Non-random pairing with respect to past breeding experience in the common toad (Bufo bufo). J Zool (1987) 2006. [DOI: 10.1017/s0952836901001595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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30
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Wiegmann DD, Nguyen T. Mating system and demographic constraints on the opportunity for sexual selection. Theor Popul Biol 2006; 69:34-47. [PMID: 16257429 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2005.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In monogamous systems the fitness difference between males due to competition for mates is limited to one female. This constraint presumably impedes the action of sexual selection relative to polygynous systems. In this paper, we use formal selection theory to show how population size and the adult sex ratio constrain the force of sexual selection and phenotypic evolution under monogamy and polygyny. The force of sexual selection is ultimately constrained by the number of males in a population and the theoretical limit to the rate of male phenotypic evolution is realized if a single male mates with one or many females. These results imply that the force of sexual selection is not strictly constrained by monogamy. The constraint on female phenotypic evolution is typically higher than the constraint on males under polygyny and similar to selection on males in monogamous systems. The sexual asymmetry in the force of selection under polygyny--not necessarily weak sexual selection on males of monogamous systems--may explain the prominence of sexual dimorphism in polygynous systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Wiegmann
- Department of Biological Sciences and J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA.
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31
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Cvetkovic D, Tomasevic N, Aleksic I, Crnobrnja-Isailovic J. Assessment of age and intersexual size differences in Bufo bufo. ARCH BIOL SCI 2005. [DOI: 10.2298/abs0502157c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have underlined the complex nature of relationship between age, size, and reproductive traits in anurans. One of the most intriguing problems for evolutionary biologists is intersexual difference in body size (SSD). For testing various hypotheses about SSD, we need reliable estimates of its extent (the important issue being the choice of trait for analysis) as well as the accurate determination of individual age. The measures of SSD may be subject to error if estimated from populations with unknown age distribution; amphibians continue to grow throughout their life and SSD is linked to sex differences in traits such as age at maturity and lifespan. In the present paper, we analyze problems involved in accurate determination of age structure and factors that may lead to under- or overestimation of individual age, as well as the problem of appropriate choice of traits, in the light of our experience and results of investigating populations of common toad (Bufo bufo) in the vicinity of Belgrade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Natasa Tomasevic
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research, Belgrade
| | - Ivan Aleksic
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research, Belgrade
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32
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Frétey T, Cam E, Garff BL, Monnat JY. Adult survival and temporary emigration in the common toad. CAN J ZOOL 2004. [DOI: 10.1139/z04-058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates exhibiting intermittent breeding, breeding activity is a factor of critical importance in capture–recapture studies using data from individually marked animals. Nonbreeders can be absent from locations used by breeders and can be considered "temporary emigrants". We addressed the influence of sex on survival in common toads, Bufo bufo (L., 1758), using the Joly–Seber model and the existance of temporary emigration in male common toads by assessing trap-dependence and by conducting a robust design analysis. We addressed the hypothesis that the probability of the presence of an individual in the study area depends on the presence of the individual the year before (i.e., that transitions between reproductive states are a first-order Markovian process). Results provided support for the hypotheses of random temporary emigration, of sex-specific differences in survival, and of the presence of "transients" in males. Females had intermediate survival compared with the groups of "transients + residents" and "resident" males. Females had lower recapture probability under the Joly–Seber model, which may be interpreted as evidence of lower breeding probability or lower detectability of breeding females. Behaviour may explain this difference in that females may attend ponds for shorter periods. This may be common in species where females aggregate to seek fertilization and lay eggs in locations attended by males and in species with a "resource-based lek" mating system.
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33
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Marco A, Lizana M. The absence of species and sex recognition during mate search by male common toads,Bufo bufo. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2002. [DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2002.9522756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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34
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Say L, Pontier D, Natoli E. Influence of oestrus synchronization on male reproductive success in the domestic cat (Felis catus L.). Proc Biol Sci 2001; 268:1049-53. [PMID: 11375089 PMCID: PMC1088707 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have predicted that the availability over time of females in oestrus influences the variance of male reproductive success in a given year. When females are spatially aggregated, they represent a potentially defendable resource for each male when oestrus is asynchronous, and the most competitive males are expected to gain priority of access to receptive females. When females breed synchronously, a single male, even when highly competitive, is not able to prevent them from mating with other males. This hypothesis was tested in a large multimale-multifemale group of domestic cats, Felis catus, which was monitored for three years. The results support the prediction that the variance in male reproductive success was four times greater in years when females bred asynchronously, and dominant males sired the highest proportion of offspring. We conclude that the temporal availability of mates plays a role in the adoption of reproductive tactics in the domestic cat.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Say
- Unité Mixte de Recherche associée au Centre National de Recherche Scientifique no. 5558 'Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive', Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne, France.
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35
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36
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Jirotkul M. Operational sex ratio influences female preference and male-male competition in guppies. Anim Behav 1999; 58:287-294. [PMID: 10458880 DOI: 10.1006/anbe.1999.1149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Manipulation of the operational sex ratio (OSR) in guppies, Poecilia reticulata, causes changes in male-male competition and female mate choice. In this study OSR is defined as the number of sexually active males divided by the total number of sexually active adults of both sexes. The rate of male courtship displays decreased, and interference behaviours between males increased, at male-biased OSRs. The OSR influenced both copulatory tactics and postcopulatory guarding. All copulations followed sigmoid displays, except at an OSR of five males to one female where 60% of copulations occurred during sneak attempts. Compared with copulations that followed sigmoid displays, successful sneak copulations were followed by a shorter period of postcopulatory mate guarding and a shorter refractory period before males resumed courtship activities. Females preferred males with more orange colour whenever they had a choice, and the preference for orange colour was stronger with more male-biased OSRs. The OSR thus influences the presence, absence or relative importance of both female mate choice and male-male competition which, in turn, should affect the evolution of secondary sexual traits. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Jirotkul
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, U.S.A
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Rowell GA, Cade WH. Simulation of alternative male reproductive behavior: calling and satellite behavior in field crickets. Ecol Modell 1993. [DOI: 10.1016/0304-3800(93)90083-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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38
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39
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Baur B. Random mating by size in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Arianta arbustorum: experiments and an explanation. Anim Behav 1992. [DOI: 10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80109-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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40
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Brown WD. Size-assortative mating in the blister beetle Lytta magister (Coleoptera: Meloidae) is due to male and female preference for larger mates. Anim Behav 1990. [DOI: 10.1016/s0003-3472(05)80992-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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