1
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Davies N, Janicke T, Morrow EH. Evidence for stronger sexual selection in males than in females using an adapted method of Bateman's classic study of Drosophila melanogaster. Evolution 2023; 77:2420-2430. [PMID: 37624087 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad151] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Bateman's principles, originally a test of Darwin's theoretical ideas, have since become fundamental to sexual selection theory and vital to contextualizing the role of anisogamy in sex differences of precopulatory sexual selection. Despite this, Bateman's principles have received substantial criticism, and researchers have highlighted both statistical and methodological errors, suggesting that Bateman's original experiment contains too much sampling bias for there to be any evidence of sexual selection. This study uses Bateman's original method as a template, accounting for two fundamental flaws in his original experiments, (a) viability effects and (b) a lack of mating behavior observation. Experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster consisted of wild-type focal individuals and nonfocal individuals established by backcrossing the brown eye (bw-) eye-color marker-thereby avoiding viability effects. Mating assays included direct observation of mating behavior and total number of offspring, to obtain measures of mating success, reproductive success, and standardized variance measures based on Bateman's principles. The results provide observational support for Bateman's principles, particularly that (a) males had significantly more variation in number of mates compared with females and (b) males had significantly more individual variation in total number of offspring. We also find a significantly steeper Bateman gradient for males compared to females, suggesting that sexual selection is operating more intensely in males. However, female remating was limited, providing the opportunity for future study to further explore female reproductive success in correlation with higher levels of remating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Davies
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Janicke
- Applied Zoology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- CEFE, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Edward H Morrow
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex, United Kingdom
- Department for Environmental and Life Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden
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2
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Earl AD, Kimmitt AA, Yorzinski JL. Circulating hormones and dominance status predict female behavior during courtship in a lekking species. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:9-20. [PMID: 35467712 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Female competitive behaviors during courtship can have substantial fitness consequences yet we know little about the physiological and social mechanisms underlying these behaviors - particularly for females of polygynous lek mating species. We explored the hormonal and social drivers of female intersexual and intrasexual behavior during courtship by males in a captive population of Indian peafowl. We investigated whether (1) female non-stress induced circulating estradiol (E2) and corticosterone (CORT) levels or (2) female dominance status in a dyad predict female solicitation behavior. We also tested whether female circulating E2 and CORT predict dominant females' aggressive behaviors toward subordinate females in the courtship context. Our findings demonstrate that females with higher levels of circulating E2 as well as higher levels of circulating CORT solicit more courtships from males. Dominant females also solicit more courtships from males than subordinate females. Female intrasexual aggressive behaviors during courtship, however, were not associated with circulating levels of E2 or CORT. Overall, we conclude that circulating steroid hormones in conjunction with social dominance might play a role in mediating female behaviors associated with competition for mates. Experimental manipulation and measures of hormonal flexibility throughout the breeding season in relation to competitive and sexual behaviors will be necessary to further examine the link between hormonal mechanisms and female behavior in polygynous lekking systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis D Earl
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Abigail A Kimmitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Jessica L Yorzinski
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
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3
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Crowley PH, Tentelier C. Resolving conflict over within-pair mating rate in external fertilizers. J Theor Biol 2022; 532:110926. [PMID: 34627862 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Besides egg fertilization, females of many taxa obtain direct fitness benefits from male mates, such as food, protection or paternal care. But males often increase their own fitness by mating with several females, among which they distribute sperm along with the above-mentioned benefits, reducing the benefits to individual females. These diverging interests lead to a conflict in which each female may try to ensure male fidelity and get exclusive access to male-provided benefits. Here, we use a theoretical model to show how a female of an externally fertilizing species may achieve mate fidelity by soliciting copulations at such a rate that the male has insufficient sperm left to increase his fitness with additional females. We show that three alternative condition-dependent evolutionarily stable mating relationships emerge in this scenario, based on whether one mate's preference for mating rate dominates, or the conflict is resolved by what amounts to negotiation. We demonstrate how these outcomes depend on some features of physiology, ecology, and behavior. In particular, a greater reproductive benefit to a female from exclusive access to a male partner-or the occasional tendency of females to withhold eggs during mating-can increase male fidelity; and continuous sperm regeneration rather than an initially-set stock of sperm allows for multiple within-pair mating across all three mating patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip H Crowley
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA; Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, INRAE, ECOBIOP, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, France.
| | - Cédric Tentelier
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, INRAE, ECOBIOP, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, France.
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4
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Earl AD, Simpson RK, Yorzinski JL. Dominant females have brighter ornamentation in a sexually dimorphic lekking species. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis D. Earl
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station, Texas USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York New York USA
| | - Richard K. Simpson
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Windsor Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Jessica L. Yorzinski
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station, Texas USA
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5
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Reuland C, Culbert BM, Fernlund Isaksson E, Kahrl AF, Devigili A, Fitzpatrick JL. Male-male behavioral interactions drive social-dominance-mediated differences in ejaculate traits. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:168-177. [PMID: 33708008 PMCID: PMC7937186 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher social status is expected to result in fitness benefits as it secures access to potential mates. In promiscuous species, male reproductive success is also determined by an individual’s ability to compete for fertilization after mating by producing high-quality ejaculates. However, the complex relationship between a male’s investment in social status and ejaculates remains unclear. Here, we examine how male social status influences ejaculate quality under a range of social contexts in the pygmy halfbeak Dermogenys collettei, a small, group-living, internally fertilizing freshwater fish. We show that male social status influences ejaculate traits, both in the presence and absence of females. Dominant males produced faster swimming and more viable sperm, two key determinants of ejaculate quality, but only under conditions with frequent male–male behavioral interactions. When male–male interactions were experimentally reduced through the addition of a refuge, differences in ejaculate traits of dominant and subordinate males disappeared. Furthermore, dominant males were in a better condition, growing faster, and possessing larger livers, highlighting a possible condition dependence of competitive traits. Contrary to expectations, female presence or absence did not affect sperm swimming speed or testes mass. Together, these results suggest a positive relationship between social status and ejaculate quality in halfbeaks and highlight that the strength of behavioral interactions between males is a key driver of social-status-dependent differences in ejaculate traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charel Reuland
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brett M Culbert
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | | | - Ariel F Kahrl
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John L Fitzpatrick
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, Stockholm, Sweden
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6
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7
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Finnegan SR, Nitsche L, Mondani M, Camus MF, Fowler K, Pomiankowski A. Does meiotic drive alter male mate preference? Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMale mate preferences have been demonstrated across a range of species, including the Malaysian stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni. This species is subject to sex-ratio (SR), an X-linked male meiotic driver, which causes the dysfunction of Y-sperm and the production of all-female broods. While there has been work considering female avoidance of meiotic drive males, the mating decisions of drive-bearing males have not been considered previously. Drive males may be less able to bear the cost of choice as SR is associated with a low-frequency inversion that causes reduced organismal fitness. Drive males may also experience weaker selection for preference maintenance if they are avoided by females. Using binary choice trials, across two experiments, we confirmed male preference for large (fecund) females but found no evidence that the strength of male preference differs between drive and standard males. We showed that large eyespan males displayed strong preference for large females, whereas small eyespan males showed no preference. Taken together, these results suggest that, even though meiotic drive is associated with lower genetic quality, it does not directly interfere with male mate preference among available females. However, as drive males tend to have smaller eyespan (albeit only ~5% on average), this will to a minor extent weaken their strength of preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Ronan Finnegan
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Leslie Nitsche
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matteo Mondani
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - M Florencia Camus
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin Fowler
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Pomiankowski
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
- CoMPLEX, University College London, London, UK
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8
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Magris M, Tuni C. Enough for all: no mating effort adjustment to varying mate availability in a gift-giving spider. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz102] [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] Open
Abstract
Males of a gift-giving spider do not modify their allocation to reproduction when mating opportunities vary. Due to their costly courtship via provision of food gifts to females, with high female availability males should reduce their reproductive investment per partner to avoid exhausting their energetic budget too early. Our findings suggest instead that males may be able to enlarge their total reproductive budget, possibly drawing resources from their food gifts by partially feeding on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Magris
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Cristina Tuni
- Department of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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9
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Kimmitt AA, Dietz SL, Reichard DG, Ketterson ED. Male courtship preference during seasonal sympatry may maintain population divergence. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11833-11841. [PMID: 30598780 PMCID: PMC6303717 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal migration can lead to a population distribution known as seasonal sympatry, in which closely-related migrant and resident populations of the same species co-occur in sympatry during part of the year, but are otherwise allopatric. During seasonal sympatry in early spring, residents may initiate reproduction before migrants depart, presenting an opportunity for gene flow. Differences in reproductive timing between migrant and resident populations may favor residents that exhibit preferences for potential mates of similar migratory behavior and reproductive timing, thus maintaining population divergence. We studied dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), a songbird that exhibits seasonal sympatry. We conducted simulated courtship interactions in which we presented free-living resident males with either a caged migrant or resident female and quantified courtship behavior prior to the departure of the migrants. We found that resident males preferred to court resident females: they sang more short-range songs and exhibited more visual displays associated with courtship when presented with resident females. We conclude that males distinguish between migrant and resident females during seasonal sympatry when the risk of interacting with non-reproductive, migrant females is high. Male mate choice in seasonal sympatry is likely adaptive for male reproductive success. As a secondary effect, male mating preference could act to maintain or promote divergence between populations that differ in migratory strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Samantha L. Dietz
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina
- Department of Biological ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFlorida
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10
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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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11
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Goubault M, Burlaud R. Do males choose their mates in the lekking moth Achroia grisella? Influence of female body mass and male reproductive status on male mate choice. INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:861-868. [PMID: 28432814 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Lekking males aggregate to attract females and contribute solely to egg fertilization, without any further parental care. Evolutionary theory therefore predicts them to be nonchoosy toward their mates, because any lost mating opportunities would outweigh the benefits associated with such preferences. Nevertheless, due to time costs, the production of energetically costly sexual displays, and potential sperm limitation, the mating effort of lekking males is often considerable. These factors, combined with the fact that many females of varying quality are likely to visit leks, could favor the evolution of male mate preferences. Here, we show that males of the lekking lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella, were indeed more likely to mate with heavier females in choice experiments, even at their virgin mating (i.e., when their reproductive resources have not yet been depleted by previous matings). This differential female mating success could not be attributed to female behavior as heavy and light females showed similar motivation to mate (i.e., latency to approach the males) and time to copulate. Males seem to benefit from mating with heavier females, as fecundity positively correlated with female mass. This new empirical evidence shows that male mate choice may have been underestimated in lekking species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlène Goubault
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261 CNRS-Université François-Rabelais, Tours, France
| | - Rebecca Burlaud
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte, UMR 7261 CNRS-Université François-Rabelais, Tours, France
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12
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Puurtinen M, Fromhage L. Evolution of male and female choice in polyandrous systems. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2174. [PMID: 28330914 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We study the evolution of male and female mating strategies and mate choice for female fecundity and male fertilization ability in a system where both sexes can mate with multiple partners, and where there is variation in individual quality (i.e. in the availability of resources individuals can allocate to matings, mate choice and production of gametes). We find that when the cost of mating differs between sexes, the sex with higher cost of mating is reluctant to accept matings and is often also choosy, while the other sex accepts all matings. With equal mating costs, the evolution of mating strategies depends on the strength of female sperm limitation, so that when sperm limitation is strong, males are often reluctant and choosy, whereas females tend to accept available matings. Male reluctance evolves because a male's benefit per mating diminishes rapidly as he mates too often, hence losing out in the process of sperm competition as he spends much of his resources on mating costs rather than ejaculate production. When sperm limitation is weaker, females become more reluctant and males are more eager to mate. The model thus suggests that reversed sex roles are plausible outcomes of polyandry and limited sperm production. Implications for empirical studies of mate choice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikael Puurtinen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, 40014, Finland .,Centre of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, 40014, Finland
| | - Lutz Fromhage
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, 40014, Finland
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13
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Krieg CA, Getty T. Female house wrens value the nest cavity more than exclusive access to males during conflicts with female intruders. BEHAVIOUR 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-00003481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Individuals should fight hardest when they stand to lose the most. Whereas males frequently compete for fertile females, females more often compete for high quality males, male care, or resources required to breed. We asked whether established, territorial female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) challenged by simulated female intruders fight as if they place more value on retaining (1) their nesting cavity or (2) exclusive access to other benefits offered by males. We randomly assigned house wren pairs to receive one or three nest boxes and then assayed female aggression. The relative costs to losing differed between box treatments. For one-box females, the risk of losing the cavity and territory was higher. For three-box females, the risk of losing the cavity may be lower because intruders may be able to settle as secondary females in the supplemental boxes. In this situation, females would lose exclusive access to males and their territories but would still retain the male’s assistance rearing offspring since male house wrens favour their oldest brood. We found that one-box females were significantly more aggressive. This response may be adaptive, as females that switched territories between broods were significantly more likely to lose their entire nest prior to hatching than females that retained the same territory. We interpret our results to mean that female house wrens value the nest cavity more than other benefits from exclusive access to males and their territories. This work contributes to a body of evidence that females often compete for resources required to breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara A. Krieg
- aMichigan State University, Department of Integrative Biology, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- bW.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA
| | - Thomas Getty
- aMichigan State University, Department of Integrative Biology, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- bW.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA
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14
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Mendelson TC, Gumm JM, Martin MD, Ciccotto PJ. Preference for conspecifics evolves earlier in males than females in a sexually dimorphic radiation of fishes. Evolution 2017; 72:337-347. [PMID: 29265367 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Speciation by sexual selection is generally modeled as the coevolution of female preferences and elaborate male ornaments leading to behavioral (sexual) reproductive isolation. One prediction of these models is that female preference for conspecific males should evolve earlier than male preference for conspecific females in sexually dimorphic species with male ornaments. We tested that prediction in darters, a diverse group of freshwater fishes with sexually dimorphic ornamentation. Focusing on the earliest stages of divergence, we tested preference for conspecific mates in males and females of seven closely related species pairs. Contrary to expectation, male preference for conspecific females was significantly greater than female preference for conspecific males. Males in four of the 14 species significantly preferred conspecific females; whereas, females in no species significantly preferred conspecific males. Relationships between the strength of preference for conspecifics and genetic distance revealed no difference in slope between males and females, but a significant difference in intercept, also suggesting that male preference evolves earlier than females'. Our results are consistent with other recent studies in darters and suggest that the coevolution of female preferences and male ornaments may not best explain the earliest stages of behavioral isolation in this lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamra C Mendelson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland 21250
| | - Jennifer M Gumm
- Department of Biological Sciences, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas 75962
| | - Michael D Martin
- Department of Biology, Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, Georgia 30054
| | - Patrick J Ciccotto
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695
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15
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Höglund J, Wang B, Saether SA, Blom MPK, Fiske P, Halvarsson P, Horsburgh GJ, Burke T, Kålås JA, Ekblom R. Blood transcriptomes and de novo identification of candidate loci for mating success in lekking great snipe (Gallinago media). Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3458-3471. [PMID: 28345264 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14118] [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: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We assembled the great snipe blood transcriptome using data from fourteen lekking males, in order to de novo identify candidate genes related to sexual selection, and determined the expression profiles in relation to mating success. The three most highly transcribed genes were encoding different haemoglobin subunits. All tended to be overexpressed in males with high mating success. We also called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the transcriptome data and found considerable genetic variation for many genes expressed during lekking. Among these, we identified 14 polymorphic candidate SNPs that had a significant genotypic association with mating success (number of females mated with) and/or mating status (mated or not). Four of the candidate SNPs were found in HBAA (encoding the haemoglobin α-chain). Heterozygotes for one of these and one SNP in the gene PABPC1 appeared to enjoy higher mating success compared to males homozygous for either of the alleles. In a larger data set of individuals, we genotyped 38 of the identified SNPs but found low support for consistent selection as only one of the zygosities of previously identified candidate SNPs and none of their genotypes were associated with mating status. However, candidate SNPs generally showed lower levels of spatial genetic structure compared to noncandidate markers. We also scored the prevalence of avian malaria in a subsample of birds. Males infected with avian malaria parasites had lower mating success in the year of sampling than noninfected males. Parasite infection and its interaction with specific genes may thus affect performance on the lek.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Höglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Biao Wang
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Mozes Pil Kyu Blom
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Peder Fiske
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Peter Halvarsson
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gavin J Horsburgh
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - John Atle Kålås
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Robert Ekblom
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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16
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Courtiol A, Etienne L, Feron R, Godelle B, Rousset F. The Evolution of Mutual Mate Choice under Direct Benefits. Am Nat 2016; 188:521-538. [PMID: 27788341 DOI: 10.1086/688658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In nature, the intensity of mate choice (i.e., choosiness) is highly variable within and between sexes. Despite growing empirical evidence of male and/or mutual mate choice, theoretical investigations of the joint evolution of female and male choosiness are few. In addition, previous approaches have often assumed an absence of trade-off between the direct benefits per mating and the lower mating rate that results from being choosy. Here we model the joint evolution of female and male choosiness when it is solely ruled by this fundamental trade-off. We show that this trade-off can generate a diversity of stable combinations of choosiness. Mutual mate choice can evolve only if both females and males exhibit long latency after mating. Furthermore, we show that an increase in choosiness in one sex does not necessarily prevent the evolution of mutual mate choice; the outcome depends on details shaping the trade-off: the life history, the decision rule for mate choice, and how the fecundity of a pair is shaped by the quality of both individuals. Last, we discuss the power of the sensitivity of the relative searching time (i.e., of the proportion of a lifetime spent searching for mates) as a predictor of the joint evolution of choosiness.
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17
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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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Vasilieva N, Tchabovsky A. A shortage of males causes female reproductive failure in yellow ground squirrels. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2015; 1:e1500401. [PMID: 26601284 PMCID: PMC4646798 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1500401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Sexual conflict theory suggests that female breeding success is strongly influenced by individual life history and environmental conditions and is much less affected by mate availability. Female mating failure due to a shortage of males remains poorly studied and understood. We present data on the effects of male availability on female breeding success in a wild colony of yellow ground squirrels (Spermophilus fulvus). A female's probability of breeding increased with the local density of males and was higher with higher male-biased operational sex ratio (OSR) but was independent of local female density, female age, and body condition, which are factors commonly assumed to influence female reproduction. The positive effect of male availability (as measured by OSR) on female breeding success was consistent across the years, and we conclude that male limitation contributes to female mating failure. This pattern, which is not commonly recorded in species with conventional sex roles, can be explained by a combination of sociodemographic and life history traits (sex differences in age of maturation, female-skewed adult sex ratio and seasonally varying OSR, solitary living at low population density, and low mobility of females combined with mate-searching tactics of males) that are not confined to S. fulvus. Our findings indicate that the role of female mating failure (due to a shortage of males) in shaping mammalian life history may be underestimated.
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Tigreros N, Mowery MA, Lewis SM. Male mate choice favors more colorful females in the gift-giving cabbage butterfly. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1764-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Hughes M, Williamson T, Hollowell K, Vickery R. Sex and Weapons: Contrasting Sexual Dimorphisms in Weaponry and Aggression in Snapping Shrimp. Ethology 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Hughes
- Department of Biology; College of Charleston; Charleston SC USA
| | - Tucker Williamson
- Department of Biology; College of Charleston; Charleston SC USA
- Medical University of South Carolina; Charleston SC USA
| | | | - Rachel Vickery
- Department of Biology; College of Charleston; Charleston SC USA
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Engel KC, von Hoermann C, Eggert AK, Müller JK, Steiger S. When males stop having sex: adaptive insect mating tactics during parental care. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Ramm SA, Stockley P. Sequential male mate choice under sperm competition risk. Behav Ecol 2014; 25:660-667. [PMID: 24822023 PMCID: PMC4014308 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 02/10/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
New research shows that male house mice can be coy too. Male eagerness to mate is a central tenet of sexual selection theory, based on the expectation that male reproductive success is limited mainly by access to females. Here, we show that where sperm supplies are limited, males too can display considerable restraint in mating, targeting reproductive effort toward particular females. Male eagerness to mate is a central paradigm of sexual selection theory. However, limited sperm supplies mean that male sexual restraint might sometimes be favored under promiscuous mating. Here, we demonstrate dynamic plasticity in male mating effort when females are encountered sequentially under varying sperm competition risk. Rather than showing consistent eagerness to mate, male house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) instead tailor their mating effort according to likely reproductive payoffs. They are significantly less likely to mate when sperm competition is certain and potential reproductive payoffs low, but dramatically increase investment if they do choose to mate under such circumstances. By contrast, male mice are significantly more likely to mate in situations simulating extra-territorial copulations, where future risk of competition is high but so too are potential reproductive rewards. Differential mating propensity appears to be the primary mechanism by which male house mice allocate sperm adaptively under sperm competition risk because we find no evidence for facultative adjustment of sperm numbers per ejaculate or ejaculation frequency in response to female-related cues. We conclude that sequential male mate choice under sperm competition risk could be a widespread but often unappreciated mechanism of strategic sperm allocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Ramm
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group , Institute of Integrative Biology , University of Liverpool , Leahurst Campus , Chester High Road , Neston CH64 7TE , UK
| | - Paula Stockley
- Mammalian Behaviour and Evolution Group , Institute of Integrative Biology , University of Liverpool , Leahurst Campus , Chester High Road , Neston CH64 7TE , UK
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Osmond MM, Reudink MW, Germain RR, Marra PP, Nocera JJ, Boag PT, Ratcliffe LM. Relationships between carotenoid-based female plumage and age, reproduction, and mate colour in the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Most studies investigating the function and evolution of ornaments have focused on males. Variation in ornaments may also reflect individual quality and convey information in females. We examined correlations between female plumage colour and reproductive variables in the sexually dichromatic songbird, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla (L., 1758)). Female American Redstarts display yellow, carotenoid-based plumage patches on their tails, wings, and flanks. Using reflectance spectrometry, we quantified brightness (feather structure) and “yellowness” (hue and chroma) of tail and flank feathers to examine whether female plumage colour varies with age, reproductive success, parental care, and the plumage colour of mates. Female plumage varied with age, with adult (after-second-year) females having brighter tail feathers than first-year females. We failed to find a relationship between female plumage colour and pairing or first-egg dates. However, adult females with brighter tails visited their nests less frequently and first-year females with brighter tails fledged fewer offspring. Adult females with brighter tails also mated with males who provided less care. In addition, adult females with yellower flanks paired with males with brighter flanks and with males who provided less parental care. We suggest that plumage colouration in female American Redstarts can act as a signal of individual age and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M. Osmond
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Matthew W. Reudink
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Ryan R. Germain
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Joseph J. Nocera
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Peter T. Boag
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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Bierbach D, Makowicz AM, Schlupp I, Geupel H, Streit B, Plath M. Casanovas are liars: behavioral syndromes, sperm competition risk, and the evolution of deceptive male mating behavior in live-bearing fishes. F1000Res 2013; 2:75. [PMID: 24627773 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-75.v2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive biology can by characterized through competition over mates as well as mate choice. Multiple mating and male mate choice copying, especially in internally fertilizing species, set the stage for increased sperm competition, i.e., sperm of two or more males can compete for fertilization of the female's ova. In the internally fertilizing fish Poecilia mexicana, males respond to the presence of rivals with reduced expression of mating preferences (audience effect), thereby lowering the risk of by-standing rivals copying their mate choice. Also, males interact initially more with a non-preferred female when observed by a rival, which has been interpreted in previous studies as a strategy to mislead rivals, again reducing sperm competition risk (SCR). Nevertheless, species might differ consistently in their expression of aggressive and reproductive behaviors, possibly due to varying levels of SCR. In the current study, we present a unique data set comprising ten poeciliid species (in two cases including multiple populations) and ask whether species can be characterized through consistent differences in the expression of aggression, sexual activity and changes in mate choice under increased SCR. We found consistent species-specific differences in aggressive behavior, sexual activity as well as in the level of misleading behavior, while decreased preference expression under increased SCR was a general feature of all but one species examined. Furthermore, mean sexual activity correlated positively with the occurrence of potentially misleading behavior. An alternative explanation for audience effects would be that males attempt to avoid aggressive encounters, which would predict stronger audience effects in more aggressive species. We demonstrate a positive correlation between mean aggressiveness and sexual activity (suggesting a hormonal link as a mechanistic explanation), but did not detect a correlation between aggressiveness and audience effects. Suites of correlated behavioral tendencies are termed behavioral syndromes, and our present study provides correlational evidence for the evolutionary significance of SCR in shaping a behavioral syndrome at the species level across poeciliid taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bierbach
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany ; Current address: Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amber M Makowicz
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Ingo Schlupp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Holger Geupel
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Bruno Streit
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Martin Plath
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
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Bierbach D, Makowicz AM, Schlupp I, Geupel H, Streit B, Plath M. Casanovas are liars: behavioral syndromes, sperm competition risk, and the evolution of deceptive male mating behavior in live-bearing fishes. F1000Res 2013; 2:75. [PMID: 24627773 PMCID: PMC3917653 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-75.v3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Male reproductive biology can by characterized through competition over mates as well as mate choice. Multiple mating and male mate choice copying, especially in internally fertilizing species, set the stage for increased sperm competition, i.e., sperm of two or more males can compete for fertilization of the female’s ova. In the internally fertilizing fish
Poecilia mexicana, males respond to the presence of rivals with reduced expression of mating preferences (audience effect), thereby lowering the risk of by-standing rivals copying their mate choice. Also, males interact initially more with a non-preferred female when observed by a rival, which has been interpreted in previous studies as a strategy to mislead rivals, again reducing sperm competition risk (SCR). Nevertheless, species might differ consistently in their expression of aggressive and reproductive behaviors, possibly due to varying levels of SCR. In the current study, we present a unique data set comprising ten poeciliid species (in two cases including multiple populations) and ask whether species can be characterized through consistent differences in the expression of aggression, sexual activity and changes in mate choice under increased SCR. We found consistent species-specific differences in aggressive behavior, sexual activity as well as in the level of misleading behavior, while decreased preference expression under increased SCR was a general feature of all but one species examined. Furthermore, mean sexual activity correlated positively with the occurrence of potentially misleading behavior. An alternative explanation for audience effects would be that males attempt to avoid aggressive encounters, which would predict stronger audience effects in more aggressive species. We demonstrate a positive correlation between mean aggressiveness and sexual activity (suggesting a hormonal link as a mechanistic explanation), but did not detect a correlation between aggressiveness and audience effects. Suites of correlated behavioral tendencies are termed behavioral syndromes, and our present study provides correlational evidence for the evolutionary significance of SCR in shaping a behavioral syndrome at the species level across poeciliid taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Bierbach
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany ; Current address: Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amber M Makowicz
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Ingo Schlupp
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Holger Geupel
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Bruno Streit
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
| | - Martin Plath
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, D-60438, Germany
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Rodríguez RL, Haen C, Cocroft RB, Fowler-Finn KD. Males adjust signaling effort based on female mate-preference cues. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Tobias JA, Montgomerie R, Lyon BE. The evolution of female ornaments and weaponry: social selection, sexual selection and ecological competition. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2012; 367:2274-93. [PMID: 22777016 PMCID: PMC3391421 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 274] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ornaments, weapons and aggressive behaviours may evolve in female animals by mate choice and intrasexual competition for mating opportunities-the standard forms of sexual selection in males. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that selection tends to operate in different ways in males and females, with female traits more often mediating competition for ecological resources, rather than mate acquisition. Two main solutions have been proposed to accommodate this disparity. One is to expand the concept of sexual selection to include all mechanisms related to fecundity; another is to adopt an alternative conceptual framework-the theory of social selection-in which sexual selection is one component of a more general form of selection resulting from all social interactions. In this study, we summarize the history of the debate about female ornaments and weapons, and discuss potential resolutions. We review the components of fitness driving ornamentation in a wide range of systems, and show that selection often falls outside the limits of traditional sexual selection theory, particularly in females. We conclude that the evolution of these traits in both sexes is best understood within the unifying framework of social selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Tobias
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK.
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Borg ÅA, Åsmul T, Bolstad GH, Viken Å, Berglund A, Rosenqvist G. Interactions Among Female Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) Affect Growth and Reproduction. Ethology 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2012.02065.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Åsa A. Borg
- Department of Biology; Centre for Conservation Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; Norway
| | - Tommy Åsmul
- Department of Biology; Centre for Conservation Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; Norway
| | - Geir H. Bolstad
- Department of Biology; Centre for Conservation Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; Norway
| | - Åslaug Viken
- The Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre; Trondheim; Norway
| | - Anders Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Uppsala University; Uppsala; Sweden
| | - Gunilla Rosenqvist
- Department of Biology; Centre for Conservation Biology; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim; Norway
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Rival presence leads to reversible changes in male mate choice of a desert dwelling ungulate. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Plath M, Bierbach D. Sex and the public: Social eavesdropping, sperm competition risk and male mate choice. Commun Integr Biol 2011; 4:276-80. [PMID: 21980557 DOI: 10.4161/cib.4.3.14916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2011] [Accepted: 01/23/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mate choice can be sensitive to social cues from neighboring individuals, e.g., animals can copy mate choice decisions. Males that are at risk of being copied by others may respond to this with reduced preference expression ("audience effects"). We review the various pathways by which sperm competition risk affects (1) male mate copying behavior and (2) audience effects. For example, a recent study suggests that males gather complex social information on rivals' sexual competitiveness (sexual activity and attractiveness to females) and respond with reduced expression of mating preferences only "when it matters," i.e., when a sexually competitive rival is present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Plath
- Department of Ecology & Evolution; J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt, Germany
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Rosvall KA. Intrasexual competition in females: evidence for sexual selection? Behav Ecol 2011; 22:1131-1140. [PMID: 22479137 PMCID: PMC3199163 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arr106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2010] [Revised: 11/29/2010] [Accepted: 05/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of recent interest in sexual selection in females, debate exists over whether traits that influence female-female competition are sexually selected. This review uses female-female aggressive behavior as a model behavioral trait for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms promoting intrasexual competition, focusing especially on sexual selection. I employ a broad definition of sexual selection, whereby traits that influence competition for mates are sexually selected, whereas those that directly influence fecundity or offspring survival are naturally selected. Drawing examples from across animal taxa, including humans, I examine 4 predictions about female intrasexual competition based on the abundance of resources, the availability of males, and the direct or indirect benefits those males provide. These patterns reveal a key sex difference in sexual selection: Although females may compete for the number of mates, they appear to compete more so for access to high-quality mates that provide direct and indirect (genetic) benefits. As is the case in males, intrasexual selection in females also includes competition for essential resources required for access to mates. If mate quality affects the magnitude of mating success, then restricting sexual selection to competition for quantity of mates may ignore important components of fitness in females and underestimate the role of sexual selection in shaping female phenotype. In the future, understanding sex differences in sexual selection will require further exploration of the extent of mutual intrasexual competition and the incorporation of quality of mating success into the study of sexual selection in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Jordan Hall, Rm 142, 1001 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Bierbach D, Kronmarck C, Hennige-Schulz C, Stadler S, Plath M. Sperm competition risk affects male mate choice copying. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1177-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Schlupp I. Mate choice and the Amazon molly: how sexuality and unisexuality can coexist. J Hered 2010; 101 Suppl 1:S55-61. [PMID: 20421327 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esq015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most complex and important problems in modern evolutionary biology remains to explain the evolution and persistence of sexual reproduction given the costs of sexuality. One way to study the relative strengths and weaknesses of sexuality and asexuality is to study the dynamics of the coexistence of sexual and asexual organisms. An excellent model system for such an approach is the unisexual Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa. This livebearing fish is clonal, but requires sperm to trigger embryogenesis. Amazon mollies need to obtain sperm from males of closely related species. In an effort to understand the apparently paradoxical coexistence of the Amazon molly with its sexual hosts, many theories were tested, but most seem to have little relevance to understanding stability, whereas male mating behavior is potentially very important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Schlupp
- Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA.
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VÄLI ÜLO, DOMBROVSKI VALERY, TREINYS RIMGAUDAS, BERGMANIS UGIS, DARÓCZI SZILÁRDJ, DRAVECKY MIROSLAV, IVANOVSKI VLADIMIR, LONTKOWSKI JAN, MACIOROWSKI GRZEGORZ, MEYBURG BERNDULRICH, MIZERA TADEUSZ, ZEITZ RÓBERT, ELLEGREN HANS. Widespread hybridization between the Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga and the Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina (Aves: Accipitriformes) in Europe. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01455.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Smith C, Pateman-Jones C, Zięba G, Przybylski M, Reichard M. Sperm depletion as a consequence of increased sperm competition risk in the European bitterling, Rhodeus amarus. Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Guevara-Fiore P, Skinner A, Watt P. Do male guppies distinguish virgin females from recently mated ones? Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Ekblom R, Saether SA, Fiske P, Kålås JA, Höglund J. Balancing selection, sexual selection and geographic structure in MHC genes of Great Snipe. Genetica 2008; 138:453-61. [PMID: 19052880 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-008-9335-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2008] [Accepted: 11/17/2008] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ekblom
- Population Biology, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden.
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NIYAZI NURI, SHUKER DAVIDM, WOOD ROGERJ. Male position and calling effort together influence male attractiveness in leks of the medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01077.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Nooker JK, Sandercock BK. Phenotypic correlates and survival consequences of male mating success in lek-mating greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2008. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-008-0566-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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LENGAGNE THIERRY, ARTHAUD FLORENT, CORMIER MICKAËL, JOLY PIERRE. Cost of sexually embracing a large female offset by the number of eggs fertilized for small maleBufo bufoL. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00930.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Bro-Jørgensen J. Reversed Sexual Conflict in a Promiscuous Antelope. Curr Biol 2007; 17:2157-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2007] [Revised: 11/08/2007] [Accepted: 11/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Cornwallis CK, Birkhead TR. Changes in Sperm Quality and Numbers in Response to Experimental Manipulation of Male Social Status and Female Attractiveness. Am Nat 2007; 170:758-70. [PMID: 17926297 DOI: 10.1086/521955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2006] [Accepted: 05/24/2007] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlie K Cornwallis
- Edward Grey Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, United Kingdom.
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