1
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Effects of Group Size on Behavior, Reproduction, and mRNA Expression in Brains of Brandt's Voles. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13020311. [PMID: 36831854 PMCID: PMC9954483 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13020311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
For social animals, a moderate group size is greatly important to maintain their reproductive success. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanism of group size on behavior and reproduction has rarely been investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of group size (1, 2, 4 pairs of adult male and female voles raised per cage) on behavior and reproduction. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of stress and reproduction response-related genes in male brains was detected. We found that Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii) in the large-sized group fight more severely than those in the small-sized group. Meanwhile, male voles were more anxious than females. The average number of embryos and litters per female in the medium-sized group was significantly higher than that of large-sized group. In male voles, stress- or reproduction-response mRNA expressions were more related to final group size or final density due to death caused by fighting. Our results indicated that a moderate group size was beneficial to the reproductive output of Brandt's voles. Our study highlights the combined effects of stress- or reproduction-related gene expression or behavior in regulating the fitness of voles with different group sizes.
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2
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Madsen T, Ujvari B, Bauwens D, Gruber B, Georges A, Klaassen M. Polyandry and non-random fertilisation maintain long-term genetic diversity in an isolated island population of adders (Vipera berus). Heredity (Edinb) 2023; 130:64-72. [PMID: 36474024 PMCID: PMC9905584 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00578-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation genetic theory suggests that small and isolated populations should be subject to reduced genetic diversity i.e., heterozygosity and allelic diversity. Our 34 years study of an isolated island population of adders (Vipera berus) in southern Sweden challenges this notion. Despite a lack of gene flow and a yearly mean estimated reproductive adult population size of only 65 adult adders (range 12-171), the population maintains high levels of heterozygosity and allelic diversity similar to that observed in two mainland populations. Even a 14-year major "bottleneck" i.e., a reduction in adult adder numbers, encompassing at least four adder generations, did not result in any reduction in the island adders' heterozygosity and allelic diversity. Female adders are polyandrous, and fertilisation is non-random, which our empirical data and modelling suggest are underpinning the maintenance of the population's high level of heterozygosity. Our empirical results and subsequent modelling suggest that the positive genetic effects of polyandry in combination with non-random fertilisation, often overlooked in conservation genetic analyses, deserve greater consideration when predicting long-term survival of small and isolated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Madsen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217, Australia.
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217, Australia
| | - Dirk Bauwens
- Department of Biology, Laboratory of Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Bernd Gruber
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, 3217, Australia
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3
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Sorci G, Lesobre L, Vuarin P, Levêque G, Saint Jalme M, Lacroix F, Hingrat Y. Enforced monoandry over generations induces a reduction of female investment into reproduction in a promiscuous bird. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2773-2783. [PMID: 34950228 PMCID: PMC8674888 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While uncovering the costs and benefits of polyandry has attracted considerable attention, assessing the net effect of sexual selection on population fitness requires the experimental manipulation of female mating over generations, which is usually only achievable in laboratory populations of arthropods. However, knowing if sexual selection improves or impairs the expression of life-history traits is key for the management of captive populations of endangered species, which are mostly long-lived birds and mammals. It might therefore be questionable to extrapolate the results gathered on laboratory populations of insects to infer the net effect of sexual selection on populations of endangered species. Here, we used a longitudinal dataset that has been collected on a long-lived bird, the houbara bustard, kept in a conservation breeding program, to investigate the effect of enforced monoandry on female investment into reproduction. In captivity, female houbara bustards are artificially inseminated with sperm collected from a single male (enforced monoandry), or sequentially inseminated with semen of different males (polyandry), allowing postcopulatory sexual selection to operate. We identified female lines that were produced either by monoandrous or polyandrous inseminations over three generations, and we compared reproductive investment of females from the two mating system groups. We found that females in the polyandrous lines had higher investment into reproduction as they laid more eggs per season and produced heavier hatchlings. Higher reproductive investment into reproduction in the polyandrous lines did not result from inherited differences from females initially included in the two mating system groups. These results show that removal of sexual selection can alter reproductive investment after only few generations, potentially hindering population fitness and the success of conservation breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Sorci
- BiogéosciencesUMR 6282 CNRSUniversité de Bourgogne Franche‐ComtéDijonFrance
| | - Loïc Lesobre
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLCAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Pauline Vuarin
- BiogéosciencesUMR 6282 CNRSUniversité de Bourgogne Franche‐ComtéDijonFrance
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLCAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
- Present address:
Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive ‐ UMR CNRS 5558Université Claude Bernard Lyon 116 rue Raphaël Dubois69622Villeurbanne CedexFrance
| | | | - Michel Saint Jalme
- Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la ConservationUMR 7204 MNHN CNRS‐UPMCMuseum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Frédéric Lacroix
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLCAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
| | - Yves Hingrat
- Reneco International Wildlife Consultants LLCAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
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4
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Intersexual Selection: How Females Choose. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-82879-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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5
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Firman RC. Of mice and women: advances in mammalian sperm competition with a focus on the female perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20200082. [PMID: 33070720 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although initially lagging behind discoveries being made in other taxa, mammalian sperm competition is now a productive and advancing field of research. Sperm competition in mammals is not merely a 'sprint-race' between the gametes of rival males, but rather a race over hurdles; those hurdles being the anatomical and physiological barriers provided by the female reproductive tract, as well as the egg and its vestments. With this in mind, in this review, I discuss progress in the field while focusing on the female perspective. I highlight ways by which sperm competition can have positive effects on female reproductive success and discuss how competitive outcomes are not only owing to dynamics between the ejaculates of rival males, but also attributable to mechanisms by which female mammals bias paternity toward favourable sires. Drawing on examples across different species-from mice to humans-I provide an overview of the accumulated evidence which firmly establishes that sperm competition is a key selective force in the evolution of male traits and detail how females can respond to increased sperm competitiveness with increased egg resistance to fertilization. I also discuss evidence for facultative responses to the sperm competition environment observed within mammal species. Overall, this review identifies shortcomings in our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which female mammals 'select' sperm. More generally, this review demonstrates how, moving forward, mammals will continue to be effective animal models for studying both evolutionary and facultative responses to sperm competition. This article is part of the theme issue 'Fifty years of sperm competition'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renée C Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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6
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Henshaw JM, Morrissey MB, Jones AG. Quantifying the causal pathways contributing to natural selection. Evolution 2020; 74:2560-2574. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.14091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Henshaw
- Institute of Biology I University of Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau 79104 Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844
| | | | - Adam G. Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844
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7
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Abstract
Sexual interactions negatively impact health and longevity in many species across the animal kingdom. C. elegans has been established as a good model to study how mating and intense sexual interactions influence longevity of the individuals. In this chapter, we review the most recent discoveries in this field. We first describe the phenotypes caused by intense mating, including shrinking, fat loss, and glycogen loss. We then describe three major mechanisms underlying mating-induced killing: germline activation, seminal fluid transfer, and male pheromone-mediated toxicity. Next, we summarize the current knowledge of genetic pathways involved in regulating mating-induced death, including DAF-9/DAF-12 steroid signaling, Insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS), and TOR signaling. Finally, we discuss the possible fitness benefits of mating-induced death. Throughout this review, we compare and contrast mating-induced death between the sexes and among different species in an effort to discuss this phenomenon and underlying mechanisms from the evolutionary perspective. Further investigation using mated C. elegans will improve our understanding of sexual antagonism, as well as the coordination between reproduction and somatic longevity in response to various external signals. Due to the evolutionary conservation in many aspects of mating-induced death, what we learn from a short-lived mated worm could provide new strategies to improve our own fitness and longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Shi
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Coleen T Murphy
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics and Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States.
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8
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Sato N, Tsuda SI, Nur E Alam M, Sasanami T, Iwata Y, Kusama S, Inamura O, Yoshida MA, Hirohashi N. Rare polyandry and common monogamy in the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10962. [PMID: 32620906 PMCID: PMC7334199 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68006-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In cephalopods, all species are considered to be polyandrous because of their common life history and reproductive traits reflecting a polyandrous mating system. Contrary to this belief, here we show several lines of evidence for monogamy in the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans. In this species, females are capable of long-term storage of spermatangia, and of egg spawning even after the complete disappearance of males following the breeding season. The stored spermatangia are distributed equally between bilateral pouches under the female’s neck collar. Such a nonrandom pattern of sperm storage prompted us to hypothesize that females might engage in lifetime monandry. Hence, we genotyped female-stored spermatangia and offspring, and found that in 95% of females (18/19), all the spermatangia had been delivered from a single male and all the embryos in a clutch had been sired by spermatozoa from stored spermatangia. In males, throughout the reproductive season, relative testis mass was much smaller in W. scintillans than in all other cephalopods examined previously. The mean number of male-stored spermatophores was ~ 30, equivalent to only 2.5 matings. Our genetic, demographic and morphometrical data agree with a mathematical model predicting that monogyny is favored when potential mates are scarce. Together, these results suggest mutual monogamy in W. scintillans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriyosi Sato
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan.,Department of Fisheries, School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shizuoka, 424-8610, Japan
| | - Sei-Ichiro Tsuda
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan
| | - Md Nur E Alam
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Sasanami
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 836 Ohya, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529, Japan
| | - Yoko Iwata
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kusama
- Uozu Aquarium, 1390 Sanga, Uozu, Toyama, 937-0857, Japan
| | - Osamu Inamura
- Uozu Aquarium, 1390 Sanga, Uozu, Toyama, 937-0857, Japan
| | - Masa-Aki Yoshida
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan
| | - Noritaka Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan.
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9
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Lasala JA, Hughes C, Wyneken J. Female loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta L.) rarely remate during nesting season. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:163-174. [PMID: 31988720 PMCID: PMC6972835 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this study was to assess the consequences of single versus multiple paternity by identifying paternity of clutches per female to identify whether there were detectable costs or benefits. Multiple mating can occur when the benefits of mating outweigh the costs, but if costs and benefits are equal, no pattern is expected. Previous research on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) populations found male-biased breeding sex ratios and multiple mating by many females nesting in southwestern Florida. A sample of nesting loggerhead females who laid more than one nest over the course of the season and a subset of their hatchlings were examined from 36 clutches in 2016 on Sanibel Island, Florida. Males that fathered hatchlings in the first clutch sampled were identified in subsequent clutches. Interestingly, 75% of the females analyzed had mated singly. No male was represented in more than one female's clutches. The results suggest that females likely mate at the beginning of the season and use stored sperm for multiple clutches. Evidence for mating between laying events was limited. There was no consistent pattern across the subsequent multiple paternity clutches, suggesting benefits to loggerhead females likely equal their costs and subsequent mating is likely determined by female preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A. Lasala
- Florida Atlantic UniversityBoca RatonFLUSA
- Mote Marine LaboratorySarasotaFLUSA
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10
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Chan R, Dunlop J, Spencer PBS. Highly promiscuous paternity in mainland and island populations of the endangered Northern Quoll. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Chan
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch WA Australia
| | - J. Dunlop
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Kensington WA Australia
| | - P. B. S. Spencer
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch WA Australia
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11
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Byrne PG, Gaitan‐Espitia JD, Silla AJ. Genetic benefits of extreme sequential polyandry in a terrestrial‐breeding frog. Evolution 2019; 73:1972-1985. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Phillip G. Byrne
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia 2522
| | - Juan Diego Gaitan‐Espitia
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological SciencesThe University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Rd Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Aimee J. Silla
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia 2522
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12
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Macartney EL, Crean AJ, Nakagawa S, Bonduriansky R. Effects of nutrient limitation on sperm and seminal fluid: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1722-1739. [PMID: 31215758 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Theory predicts that costly sexual traits should be reduced when individuals are in poor condition (i.e. traits should exhibit condition-dependent expression). It is therefore widely expected that male ejaculate traits, such as sperm and seminal fluid, will exhibit reduced quantity and quality when dietary nutrients are limited. However, reported patterns of ejaculate condition dependence are highly variable, and there has been no comprehensive synthesis of underlying sources of such variation in condition-dependent responses. In particular, it remains unclear whether all ejaculate traits are equally sensitive to nutrient intake, and whether such traits are particularly sensitive to certain dietary nutrients, respond more strongly to nutrients during specific life stages, or respond more strongly in some taxonomic groups. We systematically reviewed these potential sources of variation through a meta-analysis across 50 species of arthropods and vertebrates (from 71 papers and 348 effect sizes). We found that overall, ejaculate traits are moderately reduced when dietary nutrients are limited, but we also detected substantial variation in responses. Seminal fluid quantity was strongly and consistently condition dependent, while sperm quantity was moderately condition dependent. By contrast, aspects of sperm quality (particularly sperm viability and morphology) were less consistently reduced under nutrient limitation. Ejaculate traits tended to respond in a condition-dependent manner to a wide range of dietary manipulations, especially to caloric and protein restriction. Finally, while all major taxa for which sufficient data exist (i.e. arthropods, mammals, fish) showed condition dependence of ejaculate traits, we detected some taxonomic differences in the life stage that is most sensitive to nutrient limitation, and in the degree of condition dependence of specific ejaculate traits. Together, these biologically relevant factors accounted for nearly 20% of the total variance in ejaculate responses to nutrient limitation. Interestingly, body size showed considerably stronger condition-dependent responses compared to ejaculate traits, suggesting that ejaculate trait expression may be strongly canalised to protect important reproductive functions, or that the cost of producing an ejaculate is relatively low. Taken together, our findings show that condition-dependence of ejaculate traits is taxonomically widespread, but there are also many interesting, biologically relevant sources of variation that require further investigation. In particular, further research is needed to understand the differences in selective pressures that result in differential patterns of ejaculate condition dependence across taxa and ejaculate traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Macartney
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela J Crean
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Russell Bonduriansky
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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13
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Hernandez-Santin L, Dunlop JA, Goldizen AW, Fisher DO. Demography of the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) in the most arid part of its range. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus) is a carnivorous marsupial that has suffered severe population declines over the last 50 years and is now listed as Endangered. The Pilbara region of Western Australia is a semi-arid area that represents an extreme of the northern quoll’s range. The overall objective of this study was to assess population characteristics of northern quolls at two rocky sites in the Pilbara, focusing on body condition, reproductive timing, population size, and sex-specific survival. We interpret these in the context of variation in habitat quality and the harsh climate. We found that reproduction occurred later in the year than in populations at more mesic locations where quolls have been previously studied, although their life history and demography were otherwise similar to that in other parts of their range. Contrary to our expectations, post-mating mortality of males was not complete. Population sizes differed between sites, suggesting that these rocky habitats varied in habitat quality. We suggest that local population size estimates can guide decisions on the relative importance of sites to ensure the long-term conservation of the species, given impacts of mining and the imminent invasion of introduced cane toads (Rhinella marina).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Hernandez-Santin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Judy A Dunlop
- Science and Conservation Division, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anne W Goldizen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Diana O Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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14
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Russell T, Lane A, Clarke J, Hogg C, Morris K, Keeley T, Madsen T, Ujvari B. Multiple paternity and precocial breeding in wild Tasmanian devils, Sarcophilus harrisii (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Polyandry, a common reproductive strategy in various animal species, has potential female benefits, which include enhanced offspring fitness. Benefits can be direct, such as reduced risk of male infanticide of offspring, or indirect, such as increased genetic diversity of offspring and the acquisition of ‘good genes’. Multiple paternity of litters has been recorded in numerous marsupial species but has not been reported in Tasmanian devils, Sarcophilus harrisii (Boitard). We investigated whether multiple paternity occurred in litters within a wild population of Tasmanian devils. Using major histocompatibility complex-linked and neutral microsatellite markers, the paternity of nine litters was analysed. We found multiple paternity in four out of nine litters and that yearling (> 1, < 2 years old) male devils were siring offspring. This is the first record of multiple paternity and of male precocial breeding in wild Tasmanian devils. To date, there are no data relating to the subsequent survival of devils from single- vs. multiple-sired litters; therefore, we do not know whether multiple paternity increases offspring survival in the wild. These results have implications for the Tasmanian devil captive insurance programme, because group housing can lead to multiple-sired litters, making the maintenance of genetic diversity over time difficult to manage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Russell
- School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amanda Lane
- School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Judy Clarke
- Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Carolyn Hogg
- School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katrina Morris
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, UK
| | - Tamara Keeley
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas Madsen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia
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15
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Hayes GLT, Simmons LW, Dugand RJ, Mills HR, Roberts JD, Tomkins JL, Fisher DO. Male semelparity and multiple paternity confirmed in an arid‐zone dasyurid. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. L. T. Hayes
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - L. W. Simmons
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - R. J. Dugand
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
| | - H. R. Mills
- Centre for Ecosystem Management School of Science Edith Cowan University Joondalup WA Australia
| | - J. D. Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - J. L. Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - D. O. Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld Australia
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16
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Fox RJ, Head ML, Jennions MD. Disentangling the costs of male harassment and the benefits of polyandry for females. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Fox
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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17
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Hare RM, Simmons LW. Sexual selection and its evolutionary consequences in female animals. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2018; 94:929-956. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robin M. Hare
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, 6009 Australia
| | - Leigh W. Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, 6009 Australia
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18
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Túler AC, Silva-Torres CSA, Torres JB, Moraes RB, Rodrigues ARS. Mating system, age, and reproductive performance in Tenuisvalvae notata, a long-lived ladybird beetle. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2018; 108:616-624. [PMID: 29166953 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317001146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The long-lived polygynandrous ladybird beetle Tenuisvalvae notata (Mulsant) found in Brazil was evaluated in the laboratory for the effects of multiple mating and aging on its reproductive performance. This species is native to South America and is an important predator of mealybugs. Specifically studied were partner choice, female reproductive success, adult longevity, male virility, and offspring development. Young (5-10 days old) and older virgin females (95-100 days old) were subjected to either a single mate or multiple mating with the same or different males of various mating status (virgin or previously mated once, twice, and thrice). Results revealed a preference in both genders to mate with previously known partners. Additionally, younger females had higher fecundity and greater longevity when mated only once in comparison to those mated multiple times. Fecundity, fertility, and offspring development were similar across the treatments regardless of the number of mating or male mating history. Fecundity and fertility decreased throughout the oviposition period regardless of mating treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Túler
- Department of Entomology and Acarology,Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture,University of São Paulo,Piracicaba,Brazil
| | - C S A Silva-Torres
- Departamento de Agronomia - Entomologia,Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco,Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros,s/n,Dois Irmãos 52171-900,Recife - PE,Brazil
| | - J B Torres
- Departamento de Agronomia - Entomologia,Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco,Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros,s/n,Dois Irmãos 52171-900,Recife - PE,Brazil
| | - R B Moraes
- Departamento de Agronomia - Entomologia,Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco,Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros,s/n,Dois Irmãos 52171-900,Recife - PE,Brazil
| | - A R S Rodrigues
- Instituto Federal Goiano - Campus Rio Verde,Diretoria e Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação; Goiânia,Goiás,Brazil
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19
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Wu Q, Wen L, Chen J, Li D, Jiao X. Experimental evidence for the genetic benefits of female mate choice in the monandrous wolf spider Pardosa astrigera. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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20
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Kekäläinen J, Evans JP. Gamete-mediated mate choice: towards a more inclusive view of sexual selection. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20180836. [PMID: 30051836 PMCID: PMC6083266 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
'Sperm competition'-where ejaculates from two or more males compete for fertilization-and 'cryptic female choice'-where females bias this contest to suit their reproductive interests-are now part of the everyday lexicon of sexual selection. Yet the physiological processes that underlie these post-ejaculatory episodes of sexual selection remain largely enigmatic. In this review, we focus on a range of post-ejaculatory cellular- and molecular-level processes, known to be fundamental for fertilization across most (if not all) sexually reproducing species, and point to their putative role in facilitating sexual selection at the level of the cells and gametes, called 'gamete-mediated mate choice' (GMMC). In this way, we collate accumulated evidence for GMMC across different mating systems, and emphasize the evolutionary significance of such non-random interactions among gametes. Our overall aim in this review is to build a more inclusive view of sexual selection by showing that mate choice often acts in more nuanced ways than has traditionally been assumed. We also aim to bridge the conceptual divide between proximal mechanisms of reproduction, and adaptive explanations for patterns of non-random sperm-egg interactions that are emerging across an increasingly diverse array of taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Kekäläinen
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Jonathan P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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21
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Firman RC. Postmating sexual conflict and female control over fertilization during gamete interaction. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Renée C. Firman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology University of Western Australia Western Australia Australia
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22
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Germain RR, Arcese P, Reid JM. The Consequences of Polyandry for Sibship Structures, Distributions of Relationships and Relatedness, and Potential for Inbreeding in a Wild Population. Am Nat 2018; 191:638-657. [PMID: 29693437 DOI: 10.1086/696855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The evolutionary benefits of simultaneous polyandry (female multiple mating within a single reproductive event) remain elusive. One potential benefit could arise if polyandry alters sibship structures and consequent relationships and relatedness among females' descendants, thereby intrinsically reducing future inbreeding risk (the indirect inbreeding avoidance hypothesis). However such effects have not been quantified in naturally complex mating systems that also encompass iteroparity, overlapping generations, sequential polyandry, and polygyny. We used long-term social and genetic pedigree data from song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to quantify cross-generational consequences of simultaneous polyandry for offspring sibship structures and distributions of relationships and relatedness among possible mates. Simultaneous polyandry decreased full sibships and increased half-sibships, on average, but such effects varied among females and were smaller than would occur in the absence of sequential polyandry or polygyny. Further, while simultaneous polyandry decreased the overall frequencies of possible matings among adult full sibs, it increased the frequencies of possible matings among adult half-sibs and more distant relatives. These results imply that the intrinsic consequences of simultaneous polyandry for inbreeding risk could cause weak indirect selection on polyandry, but the magnitude and direction of such effects will depend on complex interactions with other mating system components and the form of inbreeding depression.
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Shaw RE, Banks SC, Peakall R. The impact of mating systems and dispersal on fine-scale genetic structure at maternally, paternally and biparentally inherited markers. Mol Ecol 2017; 27:66-82. [PMID: 29154412 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
For decades, studies have focused on how dispersal and mating systems influence genetic structure across populations or social groups. However, we still lack a thorough understanding of how these processes and their interaction shape spatial genetic patterns over a finer scale (tens-hundreds of metres). Using uniparentally inherited markers may help answer these questions, yet their potential has not been fully explored. Here, we use individual-level simulations to investigate the effects of dispersal and mating system on fine-scale genetic structure at autosomal, mitochondrial and Y chromosome markers. Using genetic spatial autocorrelation analysis, we found that dispersal was the major driver of fine-scale genetic structure across maternally, paternally and biparentally inherited markers. However, when dispersal was restricted (mean distance = 100 m), variation in mating behaviour created strong differences in the comparative level of structure detected at maternally and paternally inherited markers. Promiscuity reduced spatial genetic structure at Y chromosome loci (relative to monogamy), whereas structure increased under polygyny. In contrast, mitochondrial and autosomal markers were robust to differences in the specific mating system, although genetic structure increased across all markers when reproductive success was skewed towards fewer individuals. Comparing males and females at Y chromosome vs. mitochondrial markers, respectively, revealed that some mating systems can generate similar patterns to those expected under sex-biased dispersal. This demonstrates the need for caution when inferring ecological and behavioural processes from genetic results. Comparing patterns between the sexes, across a range of marker types, may help us tease apart the processes shaping fine-scale genetic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn E Shaw
- Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sam C Banks
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Rod Peakall
- Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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24
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Tomkins P, Saaristo M, Bertram MG, Tomkins RB, Allinson M, Wong BBM. The agricultural contaminant 17β-trenbolone disrupts male-male competition in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 187:286-293. [PMID: 28854383 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.08.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite a growing literature highlighting the potential impact of human-induced environmental change on mechanisms of sexual selection, relatively little is known about the effects of chemical pollutants on male-male competition. One class of environmental pollutant likely to impact male competitive interactions is the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), a large and heterogeneous group of chemical contaminants with the potential to influence morphology, physiology and behaviour at minute concentrations. One EDC of increasing concern is the synthetic, androgenic steroid 17β-trenbolone, which is used globally to promote growth in beef cattle. Although 17β-trenbolone has been found to cause severe morphological and behavioural abnormalities in fish, its potential impact on male-male competition has yet to be investigated. To address this, we exposed wild male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to an environmentally realistic concentration of 17β-trenbolone (average measured concentration: 8 ng/L) for 21 days using a flow-through system. We found that, in the presence of a competitor, 17β-trenbolone-exposed males carried out more frequent aggressive behaviours towards rival males than did unexposed males, as well as performing less courting behaviour and more sneak (i.e., coercive) mating attempts towards females. Considering that, by influencing mating outcomes, male-male competition has important consequences for population dynamics and broader evolutionary processes, this study highlights the need for greater understanding of the potential impact of EDCs on the mechanisms of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raymond B Tomkins
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), Victoria, Australia
| | - Mayumi Allinson
- Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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25
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Springate L, Frasier TR. Gamete compatibility genes in mammals: candidates, applications and a potential path forward. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170577. [PMID: 28878999 PMCID: PMC5579115 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization represents a critical stage in biology, where successful alleles of a previous generation are shuffled into new arrangements and subjected to the forces of selection in the next generation. Although much research has been conducted on how variation in morphological and behavioural traits lead to variation in fertilization patterns, surprisingly little is known about fertilization at a molecular level, and specifically about how genes expressed on the sperm and egg themselves influence fertilization patterns. In mammals, several genes have been identified whose products are expressed on either the sperm or the egg, and which influence the fertilization process, but the specific mechanisms are not yet known. Additionally, in 2014 an interacting pair of proteins was identified: 'Izumo' on the sperm, and 'Juno' on the egg. With the identification of these genes comes the first opportunity to understand the molecular aspects of fertilization in mammals, and to identify how the genetic characteristics of these genes influence fertilization patterns. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of fertilization and gamete compatibility in mammals, which should provide a helpful guide to researchers interested in untangling the molecular mechanisms of fertilization and the resulting impacts on population biology and evolutionary processes.
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26
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McCullough EL, Buzatto BA, Simmons LW. Benefits of polyandry: Molecular evidence from field-caught dung beetles. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3546-3555. [PMID: 28370584 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
When females mate with multiple males, they set the stage for postcopulatory sexual selection via sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice. Surprisingly little is known about the rates of multiple mating by females in the wild, despite the importance of this information in understanding the potential for postcopulatory sexual selection to drive the evolution of reproductive behaviour, morphology and physiology. Dung beetles in the genus Onthophagus have become a laboratory model for studying pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection, yet we still lack information about the reproductive behaviour of female dung beetles in natural populations. Here, we develop microsatellite markers for Onthophagus taurus and use them to genotype the offspring of wild-caught females and to estimate natural rates of multiple mating and patterns of sperm utilization. We found that O. taurus females are highly polyandrous: 88% of females produced clutches sired by at least two males, and 5% produced clutches with as many as five sires. Several females (23%) produced clutches with significant paternity skew, indicating the potential for strong postcopulatory sexual selection in natural populations. There were also strong positive correlations between the number of offspring produced and both number of fathers and paternity skew, which suggests that females benefit from mating polyandrously by inciting postcopulatory mechanisms that bias paternity towards males that can sire more viable offspring. This study evaluates the fitness consequences of polyandry for an insect in the wild and provides strong evidence that female dung beetles benefit from multiple mating under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L McCullough
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Bruno A Buzatto
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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27
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Okada K, Suzaki Y, Sasaki R, Katsuki M. Fitness costs of polyandry to female cigarette beetle Lasioderma serricorne. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2316-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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28
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Kawazu K, Sugeno W, Mochizuki A, Nakamura S. Polyandry increases reproductive performance but does not decrease survival in female Brontispa longissima. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2017; 107:165-173. [PMID: 27573004 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485316000730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The costs and benefits of polyandry are still not well understood. We studied the effects of multiple mating on the reproductive performance of female Brontispa longissima (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), one of the most serious pests of the coconut palm, by using three experimental treatments: (1) singly-mated females (single treatment); (2) females that mated 10 times with the same male (repetition treatment); and (3) females that mated once with each of 10 different males (polyandry treatment). Both multiple mating treatments resulted in significantly greater total egg production and the proportion of eggs that successfully hatched (hatching success) than with the single mating treatment. Furthermore, the polyandry treatment resulted in greater total egg production and hatching success than with the repetition treatment. Thus, mate diversity may affect the direct and indirect benefits of multiple mating. Female longevity, the length of the preoviposition period, the length of the period from emergence to termination of oviposition, and the length of the ovipositing period did not differ among treatments. The pronounced fecundity and fertility benefits that females gain from multiple mating, coupled with a lack of longevity costs, apparently explain the extreme polyandry in B. longissima.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Kawazu
- National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences,Tsukuba,Ibaraki 305-8604,Japan
| | - W Sugeno
- National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences,Tsukuba,Ibaraki 305-8604,Japan
| | - A Mochizuki
- National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences,Tsukuba,Ibaraki 305-8604,Japan
| | - S Nakamura
- Japan International Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences,1-1 Owashi,Tsukuba,Ibaraki 305-8686,Japan
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Lewis JA, Pitcher TE. Tactic-specific benefits of polyandry in Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2017; 90:1244-1256. [PMID: 27873318 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study examined whether polyandrous female Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha obtain benefits compared with monandrous females through an increase in hatching success. Both of the alternative reproductive tactics present in male O. tshawytscha (large hooknoses and small, precocious jacks) were used, such that eggs were either fertilized by a single male (from each tactic) or multiple males (using two males from the same or different tactics). The results show that fertilized eggs from the polyandrous treatments had a significantly higher hatching success than those from the monandrous treatments. It is also shown that sperm speed was positively related with offspring hatching success. Finally, there were tactic-specific effects on the benefits females received. The inclusion of jacks in any cross resulted in offspring with higher hatching success, with the cross that involved a male from each tactic providing offspring with the highest hatching success than any other cross. This study has important implications for the evolution of multiple mating and why it is so prevalent across taxa, while also providing knowledge on the evolution of mating systems, specifically those with alternative reproductive tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Lewis
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - T E Pitcher
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
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Croshaw DA, Pechmann JHK, Glenn TC. Multiple Paternity Benefits Female Marbled Salamanders by Increasing Survival of Progeny to Metamorphosis. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dean A. Croshaw
- Department of Biological Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University Fort Myers FL USA
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Drawer E Aiken SC USA
| | | | - Travis C. Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science University of Georgia Athens GA USA
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Postmating Female Control: 20 Years of Cryptic Female Choice. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:368-382. [PMID: 28318651 PMCID: PMC5511330 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cryptic female choice (CFC) represents postmating intersexual selection arising from female-driven mechanisms at or after mating that bias sperm use and impact male paternity share. Although biologists began to study CFC relatively late, largely spurred by Eberhard's book published 20 years ago, the field has grown rapidly since then. Here, we review empirical progress to show that numerous female processes offer potential for CFC, from mating through to fertilization, although seldom has CFC been clearly demonstrated. We then evaluate functional implications, and argue that, under some conditions, CFC might have repercussions for female fitness, sexual conflict, and intersexual coevolution, with ramifications for related evolutionary phenomena, such as speciation. We conclude by identifying directions for future research in this rapidly growing field.
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32
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Atwood CS, Hayashi K, Meethal SV, Gonzales T, Bowen RL. Does the degree of endocrine dyscrasia post-reproduction dictate post-reproductive lifespan? Lessons from semelparous and iteroparous species. GeroScience 2017; 39:103-116. [PMID: 28271270 PMCID: PMC5352586 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-016-9955-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-reproductive lifespan varies greatly among species; human post-reproductive lifespan comprises ~30-50% of their total longevity, while semelparous salmon and dasyurid marsupials post-reproductive lifespan comprises <4% of their total longevity. To examine if the magnitude of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis dyscrasia at the time of reproductive senescence determines post-reproductive lifespan, we examined the difference between pre- and post-reproductive (1) circulating sex hormones and (2) the ratio of sex steroids to gonadotropins (e.g., 17β-estradiol/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)), an index of the dysregulation of the HPG axis and the level of dyotic (death) signaling post-reproduction. Animals with a shorter post-reproductive lifespan (<4% total longevity) had a more marked decline in circulating sex steroids and corresponding elevation in gonadotropins compared to animals with a longer post-reproductive lifespan (30-60% total longevity). In semelparous female salmon of short post-reproductive lifespan (1%), these divergent changes in circulating hormone concentration post-reproduction equated to a 711-fold decrease in the ratio of 17β-estradiol/FSH between the reproductive and post-reproductive periods. In contrast, the decrease in the ratio of 17β-estradiol/FSH in iteroparous female mammals with long post-reproductive lifespan was significantly less (1.7-34-fold) post-reproduction. Likewise, in male semelparous salmon, the decrease in the ratio of testosterone/FSH (82-fold) was considerably larger than for iteroparous species (1.3-11-fold). These results suggest that (1) organisms with greater reproductive endocrine dyscrasia more rapidly undergo senescence and die, and (2) the contribution post-reproduction by non-gonadal (and perhaps gonadal) tissues to circulating sex hormones dictates post-reproductive tissue health and longevity. In this way, reproduction and longevity are coupled, with the degree of non-gonadal tissue hormone production dictating the rate of somatic tissue demise post-reproduction and the differences in post-reproductive lifespans between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig S Atwood
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, William S. Middleton Memorial VA (GRECC 11G), 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Hospital, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia.
| | - Kentaro Hayashi
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, William S. Middleton Memorial VA (GRECC 11G), 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Sivan Vadakkadath Meethal
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, William S. Middleton Memorial VA (GRECC 11G), 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Tina Gonzales
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, William S. Middleton Memorial VA (GRECC 11G), 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Richard L Bowen
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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Tang-Martínez Z. Rethinking Bateman's Principles: Challenging Persistent Myths of Sexually Reluctant Females and Promiscuous Males. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2016; 53:532-559. [PMID: 27074147 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1150938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In 1948, Angus Bateman published a paper on fruit flies that tested Charles Darwin's ideas of sexual selection. Based on this one fruit fly study, Bateman concluded that because males are able to produce millions of small sperm, males are likely to behave promiscuously, mating with as many females as possible. On the other hand, because females produce relatively fewer, larger, and presumably more expensive eggs, females are likely to be very discriminating in selecting only one high-quality sexual partner. He also posited that a male's reproductive success increases linearly with the number of females he is able to mate with, but that a female's reproductive success peaks after she mates with only one male. Consequently, in almost all organisms, sexual selection acts most strongly on males. These ideas became a recurring theme in attempts to explain wide-ranging differences in male and female behavior not only in nonhuman animals but also in humans. As such, Bateman's conclusions and predictions have become axiomatic and, at times, have gone unquestioned even when modern empirical data do not conform to this model. This article reviews the origins and history of these ideas and uses modern data to highlight the current and growing controversy surrounding the validity and general applicability of this paradigm.
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34
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Individual, social, and sexual niche traits affect copulation success in a polygynandrous mating system. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2112-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Thonhauser KE, Raveh S, Thoß M, Penn DJ. Does multiple paternity influence offspring disease resistance? J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1142-50. [PMID: 26949230 PMCID: PMC4949575 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that polyandry allows females to increase offspring genetic diversity and reduce the prevalence and susceptibility of their offspring to infectious diseases. We tested this hypothesis in wild‐derived house mice (Mus musculus) by experimentally infecting the offspring from 15 single‐ and 15 multiple‐sired litters with two different strains of a mouse pathogen (Salmonella Typhimurium) and compared their ability to control infection. We found a high variation in individual infection resistance (measured with pathogen loads) and significant differences among families, suggesting genetic effects on Salmonella resistance, but we found no difference in prevalence or infection resistance between single‐ vs. multiple‐sired litters. We found a significant sex difference in infection resistance, but surprisingly, males were more resistant to infection than females. Also, infection resistance was correlated with weight loss during infection, although only for females, indicating that susceptibility to infection had more harmful health consequences for females than for males. To our knowledge, our findings provide the first evidence for sex‐dependent resistance to Salmonella infection in house mice. Our results do not support the hypothesis that multiple‐sired litters are more likely to survive infection than single‐sired litters; however, as we explain, additional studies are required before ruling out this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Thonhauser
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - S Raveh
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Thoß
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - D J Penn
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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36
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Yasui Y, Garcia-Gonzalez F. Bet-hedging as a mechanism for the evolution of polyandry, revisited. Evolution 2016; 70:385-97. [PMID: 26748458 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Revised: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Females that mate with multiple males (polyandry) may reduce the risk that their eggs are fertilized by a single unsuitable male. About 25 years ago it was hypothesized that bet-hedging could function as a mechanism favoring the evolution of polyandry, but this idea is controversial because theory indicates that bet-hedging via polyandry can compensate the costs of mating only in small populations. Nevertheless, populations are often spatially structured, and even in the absence of spatial structure, mate-choice opportunity can be limited to a few potential partners. We examined the effectiveness of bet-hedging in such situations with simulations carried out under two scenarios: (1) intrinsic male quality, with offspring survival determined by male phenotype (male's ability to generate viable offspring), and (2) genetic incompatibility (offspring fitness determined nonadditively by parental genotypes). We find higher fixation probabilities for a polyandrous strategy compared to a monandrous strategy if complete reproductive failure due to male effects or parental incompatibility is pervasive in the population. Our results also indicate that bet-hedging polyandry can delay the extinction of small demes. Our results underscore the potential for bet-hedging to provide benefits to polyandrous females and have valuable implications for conservation biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukio Yasui
- Laboratory of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Miki-cho, Kagawa, 761-0795, Japan. ,
| | - Francisco Garcia-Gonzalez
- Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council CSIC, C/ Americo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Isla de la Cartuja, Seville, Spain.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
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37
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Zhao M, Li C, Zhang W, Wang H, Luo Z, Gu Q, Gu Z, Liao C, Wu H. Male pursuit of higher reproductive success drives female polyandry in the Omei treefrog. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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38
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Kekäläinen J, Soler C, Veentaus S, Huuskonen H. Male Investments in High Quality Sperm Improve Fertilization Success, but May Have Negative Impact on Offspring Fitness in Whitefish. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137005. [PMID: 26389594 PMCID: PMC4577118 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Many ejaculate traits show remarkable variation in relation to male social status. Males in disfavoured (subordinate) mating positions often invest heavily on sperm motility but may have less available resources on traits (e.g., secondary sexual ornaments) that improve the probability of gaining matings. Although higher investments in sperm motility can increase the relative fertilization success of subordinate males, it is unclear whether status-dependent differences in sperm traits could have any consequences for offspring fitness. We tested this possibility in whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) by experimentally fertilizing the eggs of 24 females with the sperm of either highly-ornamented (large breeding tubercles, dominant) or less-ornamented (small tubercles, subordinate) males (split-clutch breeding design). In comparison to highly-ornamented individuals, less-ornamented males had higher sperm motility, which fertilized the eggs more efficiently, but produced embryos with impaired hatching success. Also offspring size and body condition were lower among less-ornamented males. Furthermore, sperm motility was positively associated with the fertilization success and offspring size, but only in highly-ornamented males. Together our results indicate that male investments on highly motile (fertile) sperm is not necessarily advantageous during later offspring ontogeny and that male status-dependent differences in sperm phenotype may have important effects on offspring fitness in different life-history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Kekäläinen
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Carles Soler
- Departament de Biologia Funcional i Antropologia Física, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Sami Veentaus
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Hannu Huuskonen
- Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
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39
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Marshall DJ. Environmentally induced (co)variance in sperm and offspring phenotypes as a source of epigenetic effects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:107-13. [PMID: 25568457 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.106427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally, it has been assumed that sperm are a vehicle for genes and nothing more. As such, the only source of variance in offspring phenotype via the paternal line has been genetic effects. More recently, however, it has been shown that the phenotype or environment of fathers can affect the phenotype of offspring, challenging traditional theory with implications for evolution, ecology and human in vitro fertilisation. Here, I review sources of non-genetic variation in the sperm phenotype and evidence for co-variation between sperm and offspring phenotypes. I distinguish between two environmental sources of variation in sperm phenotype: the pre-release environment and the post-release environment. Pre-release, sperm phenotypes can vary within species according to male phenotype (e.g. body size) and according to local conditions such as the threat of sperm competition. Post-release, the physicochemical conditions that sperm experience, either when freely spawned or when released into the female reproductive tract, can further filter or modify sperm phenotypes. I find evidence that both pre- and post-release sperm environments can affect offspring phenotype; fertilisation is not a new beginning – rather, the experiences of sperm with the father and upon release can drive variation in the phenotype of the offspring. Interestingly, there was some evidence for co-variation between the stress resistance of sperm and the stress resistance of offspring, though more studies are needed to determine whether such effects are widespread. Overall, it appears that environmentally induced covariation between sperm and offspring phenotypes is non-negligible and further work is needed to determine their prevalence and strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin J Marshall
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
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40
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Furness AI, Morrison KR, Orr TJ, Arendt JD, Reznick DN. Reproductive mode and the shifting arenas of evolutionary conflict. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1360:75-100. [PMID: 26284738 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, the genetic interests of individuals are not perfectly aligned. Conflicts among family members are prevalent since interactions involve the transfer of limited resources between interdependent players. Intrafamilial conflict has traditionally been considered along three major axes: between the sexes, between parents and offspring, and between siblings. In these interactions, conflict is expected over traits in which the resulting phenotypic value is determined by multiple family members who have only partially overlapping fitness optima. We focus on four major categories of animal reproductive mode (broadcast spawning, egg laying, live bearing, and live bearing with matrotrophy) and identify the shared phenotypes or traits over which conflict is expected, and then review the empirical literature for evidence of their occurrence. Major transitions among reproductive mode, such as a shift from external to internal fertilization, an increase in egg-retention time, modifications of embryos and mothers for nutrient transfer, the evolution of postnatal parental care, and increased interaction with the kin network, mark key shifts that both change and expand the arenas in which conflict is played out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew I Furness
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Keenan R Morrison
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Teri J Orr
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Jeff D Arendt
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
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41
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Schulte-Hostedde AI, Mastromonaco GF. Integrating evolution in the management of captive zoo populations. Evol Appl 2015; 8:413-22. [PMID: 26029256 PMCID: PMC4430766 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Both natural animal populations and those in captivity are subject to evolutionary forces. Evolutionary changes to captive populations may be an important, but poorly understood, factor that can affect the sustainability of these populations. The importance of maintaining the evolutionary integrity of zoo populations, especially those that are used for conservation efforts including reintroductions, is critical for the conservation of biodiversity. Here, we propose that a greater appreciation for an evolutionary perspective may offer important insights that can enhance the reproductive success and health for the sustainability of captive populations. We provide four examples and associated strategies that highlight this approach, including minimizing domestication (i.e., genetic adaptation to captivity), integrating natural mating systems into captive breeding protocols, minimizing the effects of translocation on variation in photoperiodism, and understanding the interplay of parasites/pathogens and inflammation. There are a myriad of other issues that may be important for captive populations, and we conclude that these may often be species specific. Nonetheless, an evolutionary perspective may mitigate some of the challenges currently facing captive populations that are important from a conservation perspective, including their sustainability.
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42
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Parrott ML, Ward SJ, Temple-Smith PD, Selwood L. Females Choose Mates Based on Genetic Relatedness in a Small Dasyurid Marsupial, the Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122381. [PMID: 25923325 PMCID: PMC4414469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Females in a variety of taxa mate with more than one male during a single oestrus and exhibit mate preferences for genetically compatible males, but the influence of female mate choice on siring success is not clearly understood. Whether females choose to mate with more than one male or endure forced copulations is also often unknown. Here, we examined the effects of genetic relatedness on female mate choice and siring success in a small semelparous carnivorous marsupial, the agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), during two consecutive breeding seasons. Experimental trials were conducted in captivity over periods of 72 hours using interconnected enclosures in which female antechinus could choose to access any of four separated males, but males were only able to access females that entered their quarters. Females had access to two genetically similar and two genetically dissimilar males simultaneously and all behavioural interactions were observed and scored from continuous video recordings. Genetic similarity between mates and paternity of young was determined by microsatellite analyses. Some females chose to enter and mate with more than one male during a single oestrus period. Although females investigated all males, they spent significantly more time visiting, and mated more times with, genetically dissimilar males. Males that were genetically dissimilar to the female sired 88% of subsequent offspring. Whilst males mated readily with most females, they rejected the advances of some receptive females, indicating a previously unexpected level of male mate choice. The results show that genetic relatedness between mates has a significant influence on mate choice, breeding and siring success in the agile antechinus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa L. Parrott
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Parkville, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Simon J. Ward
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Biodiversity Conservation Division, NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport, Palmerston, Australia
| | - Peter D. Temple-Smith
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
- Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Parkville, Australia
| | - Lynne Selwood
- Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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43
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Frère CH, Chandrasoma D, Whiting MJ. Polyandry in dragon lizards: inbred paternal genotypes sire fewer offspring. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:1686-92. [PMID: 25937911 PMCID: PMC4409416 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Revised: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple mating in female animals is something of a paradox because it can either be risky (e.g., higher probability of disease transmission, social costs) or provide substantial fitness benefits (e.g., genetic bet hedging whereby the likelihood of reproductive failure is lowered). The genetic relatedness of parental units, particularly in lizards, has rarely been studied in the wild. Here, we examined levels of multiple paternity in Australia's largest agamid lizard, the eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), and determined whether male reproductive success is best explained by its heterozygosity coefficient or the extent to which it is related to the mother. Female polyandry was the norm: 2/22 clutches (9.2%) were sired by three or more fathers, 17/22 (77.2%) were sired by two fathers, and only 3/22 (13.6%) clutches were sired by one father. Moreover, we reconstructed the paternal genotypes for 18 known mother–offspring clutches and found no evidence that females were favoring less related males or that less related males had higher fitness. However, males with greater heterozygosity sired more offspring. While the postcopulatory mechanisms underlying this pattern are not understood, female water dragons likely represent another example of reproduction through cryptic means (sperm selection/sperm competition) in a lizard, and through which they may ameliorate the effects of male-driven precopulatory sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celine H Frère
- GeneCology Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore DC, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, 4558, Australia
| | - Dani Chandrasoma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Martin J Whiting
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
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44
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York JR, Baird TA. Testing the adaptive significance of sex-specific mating tactics in collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua R. York
- Department of Biology; University of Oklahoma; Norman OK 73019 USA
| | - Troy A. Baird
- Department of Biology; University of Central Oklahoma; Edmond OK 73034 USA
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45
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Fitzpatrick CL. Expanding Sexual Selection Gradients; A Synthetic Refinement of Sexual Selection Theory. Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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46
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Lizé A, Price TAR, Heys C, Lewis Z, Hurst GDD. Extreme cost of rivalry in a monandrous species: male-male interactions result in failure to acquire mates and reduced longevity. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:rspb.2014.0631. [PMID: 24827446 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.0631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mating system variation is profound in animals. In insects, female willingness to remate varies from mating with hundreds of males (extreme polyandry) to never remating (monandry). This variation in female behaviour is predicted to affect the pattern of selection on males, with intense pre-copulatory sexual selection under monandry compared to a mix of pre- and post-copulatory forces affecting fitness under polyandry. We tested the hypothesis that differences in female mating biology would be reflected in different costs of pre-copulatory competition between males. We observed that exposure to rival males early in life was highly costly for males of a monandrous species, but had lower costs in the polyandrous species. Males from the monandrous species housed with competitors showed reduced ability to obtain a mate and decreased longevity. These effects were specific to exposure to rivals compared with other types of social interactions (heterospecific male and mated female) and were either absent or weaker in males of the polyandrous species. We conclude that males in monandrous species suffer severe physiological costs from interactions with rivals and note the significance of male-male interactions as a source of stress in laboratory culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Lizé
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Thomas A R Price
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Chloe Heys
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Zenobia Lewis
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Gregory D D Hurst
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
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47
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Bocedi G, Reid JM. Evolution of female multiple mating: A quantitative model of the "sexually selected sperm" hypothesis. Evolution 2014; 69:39-58. [PMID: 25330405 PMCID: PMC4312924 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Explaining the evolution and maintenance of polyandry remains a key challenge in evolutionary ecology. One appealing explanation is the sexually selected sperm (SSS) hypothesis, which proposes that polyandry evolves due to indirect selection stemming from positive genetic covariance with male fertilization efficiency, and hence with a male's success in postcopulatory competition for paternity. However, the SSS hypothesis relies on verbal analogy with “sexy-son” models explaining coevolution of female preferences for male displays, and explicit models that validate the basic SSS principle are surprisingly lacking. We developed analogous genetically explicit individual-based models describing the SSS and “sexy-son” processes. We show that the analogy between the two is only partly valid, such that the genetic correlation arising between polyandry and fertilization efficiency is generally smaller than that arising between preference and display, resulting in less reliable coevolution. Importantly, indirect selection was too weak to cause polyandry to evolve in the presence of negative direct selection. Negatively biased mutations on fertilization efficiency did not generally rescue runaway evolution of polyandry unless realized fertilization was highly skewed toward a single male, and coevolution was even weaker given random mating order effects on fertilization. Our models suggest that the SSS process is, on its own, unlikely to generally explain the evolution of polyandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Bocedi
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, United Kingdom.
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48
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Annavi G, Newman C, Dugdale HL, Buesching CD, Sin YW, Burke T, Macdonald DW. Neighbouring-group composition and within-group relatedness drive extra-group paternity rate in the European badger (Meles meles). J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2191-203. [PMID: 25234113 PMCID: PMC4283041 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Extra-group paternity (EGP) occurs commonly among group-living mammals and plays an important role in mating systems and the dynamics of sexual selection; however, socio-ecological and genetic correlates of EGP have been underexplored. We use 23 years of demographic and genetic data from a high-density European badger (Meles meles) population, to investigate the relationship between the rate of EGP in litters and mate availability, mate incompatibility and mate quality (heterozygosity). Relatedness between within-group assigned mothers and candidate fathers had a negative quadratic effect on EGP, whereas the number of neighbouring-group candidate fathers had a linear positive effect. We detected no effect of mean or maximum heterozygosity of within-group candidate fathers on EGP. Consequently, EGP was associated primarily with mate availability, subject to within-group genetic effects, potentially to mitigate mate incompatibility and inbreeding. In badgers, cryptic female choice, facilitated by superfecundation, superfoetation and delayed implantation, prevents males from monopolizing within-group females. This resonates with a meta-analysis in group-living mammals, which proposed that higher rates of EGP occur when within-group males cannot monopolize within-group females. In contrast to the positive meta-analytic association, however, we found that EGP associated negatively with the number of within-group assigned mothers and the number of within-group candidate fathers; potentially a strategy to counter within-group males committing infanticide. The relationship between the rate of EGP and socio-ecological or genetic factors can therefore be intricate, and the potential for cryptic female choice must be accounted for in comparative studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Annavi
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Putra MalaysiaSelangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - C Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - H L Dugdale
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Theoretical Biology, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of GroningenGroningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-Organization, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of GroningenGroningen, The Netherlands
| | - C D Buesching
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Y W Sin
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA, USA
| | - T Burke
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of SheffieldSheffield, UK
| | - D W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of OxfordTubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
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49
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Power DJ, Holman L. Polyandrous females found fitter populations. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:1948-55. [PMID: 25039698 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Multiple mating by females (polyandry) requires an evolutionary explanation, because it carries fitness costs in many species. When mated females disperse alone to a new habitat, their offspring may have no option but to mate with their siblings and incur inbreeding depression. However, some of the offspring of polyandrous females may only be half siblings, reducing inbreeding depression when isolated groups of siblings only have each other as mates. We investigated this putative benefit of polyandry over monandry by initiating multiple genetically isolated populations of Callosobruchus maculatus beetles, each founded by a single female, who received a complete ejaculate from either one or two males. The early generations had comparable fitness, but the F4 and F5 descendants of doubly inseminated females were more numerous and had higher egg-to-adult survival than the descendants of singly inseminated females. This fitness benefit was of similar magnitude whether beetles were reared on their standard food plant, or on a less favourable food source. Our results suggest that polyandrous females produce fitter descendants in inbred founder populations and therefore that polyandry may affect movement ecology and invasion biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J Power
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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50
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Thonhauser KE, Raveh S, Penn DJ. Multiple paternity does not depend on male genetic diversity. Anim Behav 2014; 93:135-141. [PMID: 25018559 PMCID: PMC4087292 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Polyandry is common in many species and it has been suggested that females engage in multiple mating to increase the genetic diversity of their offspring (genetic diversity hypothesis). Multiple paternity occurs in 30% of litters in wild populations of house mice, Mus musculus musculus, and multiple-sired litters are genetically more diverse than single-sired ones. Here, we aimed to test whether female house mice produce multiple-sired litters when they have the opportunity to produce genetically diverse litters. We assessed the rates of multiple paternity when females could choose to mate with two males that were genetically dissimilar to each other (i.e. nonsiblings and MHC dissimilar) compared with when females could choose to mate with two males that were genetically similar to each other (i.e. siblings and shared MHC alleles). Multiple mating may depend upon a female's own condition, and, therefore, we also tested whether inbred (from full-sibling matings) females were more likely to produce multiple-sired progeny than outbred controls. Overall we found that 29% of litters had multiple sires, but we found no evidence that females were more likely to produce multiple-sired litters when they had the opportunity to mate with genetically dissimilar males compared with controls, regardless of whether females were inbred or outbred. Thus, our findings do not support the idea that female mice increase multiple paternity when they have the opportunity to increase the genetic diversity of their offspring, as expected from the genetic diversity hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin E. Thonhauser
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Shirley Raveh
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dustin J. Penn
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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