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Macedo-Rego RC, Jennions MD, Santos ESA. Does the potential strength of sexual selection differ between mating systems with and without defensive behaviours? A meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38597347 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The Darwin-Bateman paradigm predicts that females enhance their fitness by being choosy and mating with high-quality males, while males should compete to mate with as many females as possible. In many species, males enhance their fitness by defending females and/or resources used by females. That is, males directly defend access to mating opportunities. However, paternity analyses have repeatedly shown that females in most species mate polyandrously, which contradicts traditional expectations that male defensive behaviours lead to monandry. Here, in an extensive meta-analysis, encompassing 109 species and 1026 effect sizes from across the animal kingdom, we tested if the occurrence of defensive behaviours modulates sexual selection on females and males. If so, we can illuminate the extent to which males really succeed in defending access to mating and fertilisation opportunities. We used four different indices of the opportunity for sexual selection that comprise pre-mating and/or post-mating episodes of selection. We found, for both sexes, that the occurrence of defensive behaviours does not modulate the potential strength of sexual selection. This implies that male defensive behaviours do not predict the true intensity of sexual selection. While the most extreme levels of sexual selection on males are in species with male defensive behaviours, which indicates that males do sometimes succeed in restricting females' re-mating ability (e.g. elephant seals, Mirounga leonina), estimates of the opportunity for sexual selection vary greatly across species, regardless of whether or not defensive behaviours occur. Indeed, widespread polyandry shows that females are usually not restricted by male defensive behaviours. In addition, our results indicate that post-mating episodes of selection, such as cryptic female choice and sperm competition, might be important factors modulating the opportunity for sexual selection. We discuss: (i) why male defensive behaviours fail to lower the opportunity for sexual selection among females or fail to elevate it for males; (ii) how post-mating events might influence sexual selection; and (iii) the role of females as active participants in sexual selection. We also highlight that inadequate data reporting in the literature prevented us from extracting effect sizes from many studies that had presumably collected the relevant data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato C Macedo-Rego
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, no. 321, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
| | - Eduardo S A Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, no. 321, São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
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2
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Crino OL, Head ML, Jennions MD, Noble DWA. Mitochondrial function and sexual selection: can physiology resolve the 'lek paradox'? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245569. [PMID: 38206324 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Across many taxa, males use elaborate ornaments or complex displays to attract potential mates. Such sexually selected traits are thought to signal important aspects of male 'quality'. Female mating preferences based on sexual traits are thought to have evolved because choosy females gain direct benefits that enhance their lifetime reproductive success (e.g. greater access to food) and/or indirect benefits because high-quality males contribute genes that increase offspring fitness. However, it is difficult to explain the persistence of female preferences when males only provide genetic benefits, because female preferences should erode the heritable genetic variation in fitness that sexually selected traits signal. This 'paradox of the lek' has puzzled evolutionary biologists for decades, and inspired many hypotheses to explain how heritable variation in sexually selected traits is maintained. Here, we discuss how factors that affect mitochondrial function can maintain variation in sexually selected traits despite strong female preferences. We discuss how mitochondrial function can influence the expression of sexually selected traits, and we describe empirical studies that link the expression of sexually selected traits to mitochondrial function. We explain how mothers can affect mitochondrial function in their offspring by (a) influencing their developmental environment through maternal effects and (b) choosing a mate to increase the compatibility of mitochondrial and nuclear genes (i.e. the 'mitonuclear compatibility model of sexual selection'). Finally, we discuss how incorporating mitochondrial function into models of sexual selection might help to resolve the paradox of the lek, and we suggest avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondi L Crino
- School of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Centre, 10 Marais Street, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
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3
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Liang F, Lei Y, He C, Zhang S, Wu H, He M, He X. The Effect of Beautification Strategies on Mating Popularity Judged by Men from the People's Republic of China. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:247-261. [PMID: 37612536 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02673-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary women frequently employ beautification strategies. The impact of such strategies, such as plastic surgery, on mating popularity in different mate contexts remains unclear. To investigate this issue, the current study conducted two experiments. In Experiment 1, beautification strategies were manipulated using three images of the same female with different conditions (natural, makeup, and plastic surgery). The results indicated that when the beautification strategies were not informed, surgical-enhanced and makeup targets were perceived as significantly more attractive, loyal, and popular among potential mates than natural targets. However, when participants were informed of the beautification strategies, both natural and makeup targets showed a significant increase in perceived loyalty and mating popularity. In contrast, surgically enhanced targets saw a reduction in these dimensions. Experiment 2 aimed to reduce the confounding effect of facial attractiveness by using vignettes. The results indicated that the mating popularity of natural targets was significantly higher than that of makeup or surgically enhanced targets, with surgically enhanced targets being the least popular. Moreover, the results revealed the mediating role of perceived loyalty in the impact of beautification strategies on long-term mating popularity. This study sheds light on the potential stigmatization and negative bias toward beautification strategies in the mating market. Additionally, it provides guidance for women who intend to enhance their mate popularity through plastic surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuqun Liang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55, West of Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Yatian Lei
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyan He
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55, West of Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyue Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55, West of Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Hairu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55, West of Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingcheng He
- College of Education Science, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianyou He
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, South China Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, No. 55, West of Zhongshan Avenue, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, 510631, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Mahdjoub H, Khelifa R, Roy J, Sbilordo SH, Zeender V, Perdigón Ferreira J, Gourgoulianni N, Lüpold S. Interplay between male quality and male-female compatibility across episodes of sexual selection. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf5559. [PMID: 37774022 PMCID: PMC10541500 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf5559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
The processes underlying mate choice profoundly influence the dynamics of sexual selection and the evolution of male sexual traits. Consistent preference for certain phenotypes may erode genetic variation in populations through directional selection, whereas divergent preferences (e.g., genetically compatible mates) provide one mechanism to maintain such variation. However, the relative contributions of these processes across episodes of selection remain unknown. Using Drosophila melanogaster, we followed the fate of male genotypes, previously scored for their overall reproductive value and their compatibility with different female genotypes, across pre- and postmating episodes of selection. When pairs of competitor males differed in their intrinsic quality and their compatibility with the female, both factors influenced outcomes from mating success to paternity but to a varying degree between stages. These results add further dimensions to our understanding of how the interactions between genotypes and forms of selection shape reproductive outcomes and ultimately reproductive trait evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayat Mahdjoub
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Biology Department, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Rassim Khelifa
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Biology Department, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal QC H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Jeannine Roy
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sonja H. Sbilordo
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Valérian Zeender
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jhoniel Perdigón Ferreira
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Gourgoulianni
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Lüpold
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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Mouginot M, Cheng L, Wilson ML, Feldblum JT, Städele V, Wroblewski EE, Vigilant L, Hahn BH, Li Y, Gilby IC, Pusey AE, Surbeck M. Reproductive inequality among males in the genus Pan. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220301. [PMID: 37381849 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive inequality, or reproductive skew, drives natural selection, but has been difficult to assess, particularly for males in species with promiscuous mating and slow life histories, such as bonobos (Pan paniscus) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Although bonobos are often portrayed as more egalitarian than chimpanzees, genetic studies have found high male reproductive skew in bonobos. Here, we discuss mechanisms likely to affect male reproductive skew in Pan, then re-examine skew patterns using paternity data from published work and new data from the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using the multinomial index (M), we found considerable overlap in skew between the species, but the highest skew occurred among bonobos. Additionally, for two of three bonobo communities, but no chimpanzee communities, the highest ranking male had greater siring success than predicted by priority-of-access. Thus, an expanded dataset covering a broader demographic range confirms that bonobos have high male reproductive skew. Detailed comparison of data from Pan highlights that reproductive skew models should consider male-male dynamics including the effect of between-group competition on incentives for reproductive concessions, but also female grouping patterns and factors related to male-female dynamics including the expression of female choice. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolutionary ecology of inequality'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Mouginot
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Leveda Cheng
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Michael L Wilson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph T Feldblum
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Veronika Städele
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Emily E Wroblewski
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yingying Li
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian C Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Anne E Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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6
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Edelaar P, Otsuka J, Luque VJ. A generalised approach to the study and understanding of adaptive evolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:352-375. [PMID: 36223883 PMCID: PMC10091731 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12910] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary theory has made large impacts on our understanding and management of the world, in part because it has been able to incorporate new data and new insights successfully. Nonetheless, there is currently a tension between certain biological phenomena and mainstream evolutionary theory. For example, how does the inheritance of molecular epigenetic changes fit into mainstream evolutionary theory? Is niche construction an evolutionary process? Is local adaptation via habitat choice also adaptive evolution? These examples suggest there is scope (and perhaps even a need) to broaden our views on evolution. We identify three aspects whose incorporation into a single framework would enable a more generalised approach to the understanding and study of adaptive evolution: (i) a broadened view of extended phenotypes; (ii) that traits can respond to each other; and (iii) that inheritance can be non-genetic. We use causal modelling to integrate these three aspects with established views on the variables and mechanisms that drive and allow for adaptive evolution. Our causal model identifies natural selection and non-genetic inheritance of adaptive parental responses as two complementary yet distinct and independent drivers of adaptive evolution. Both drivers are compatible with the Price equation; specifically, non-genetic inheritance of parental responses is captured by an often-neglected component of the Price equation. Our causal model is general and simplified, but can be adjusted flexibly in terms of variables and causal connections, depending on the research question and/or biological system. By revisiting the three examples given above, we show how to use it as a heuristic tool to clarify conceptual issues and to help design empirical research. In contrast to a gene-centric view defining evolution only in terms of genetic change, our generalised approach allows us to see evolution as a change in the whole causal structure, consisting not just of genetic but also of phenotypic and environmental variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pim Edelaar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Carretera Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain.,Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, Thunbergsvägen 2, SE-75238, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jun Otsuka
- Department of Philosophy, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Hommachi, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.,RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, 1-4-1 Nihonbashi, Tokyo, 103-0027, Japan
| | - Victor J Luque
- Department of Philosophy, University of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 30, 46010, València, Spain
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7
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Dickerson AL, Jones TM, Moore KB, Hall ML. Male‐specific nocturnal song functions similarly to day song in a diurnal bird species. Ethology 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ashton L. Dickerson
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin Germany
| | - Therésa M. Jones
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Kaya B. Moore
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
- Bardee Sunshine North Victoria Australia
| | - Michelle L. Hall
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
- Bush Heritage Australia Melbourne Victoria Australia
- School of Biological Sciences University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia Australia
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8
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Female Java sparrows prefer high exploratory males without assortative mating. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104671. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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9
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Cronin AD, Smit JAH, Muñoz MI, Poirier A, Moran PA, Jerem P, Halfwerk W. A comprehensive overview of the effects of urbanisation on sexual selection and sexual traits. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1325-1345. [PMID: 35262266 PMCID: PMC9541148 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Urbanisation can affect mating opportunities and thereby alter inter- and intra-sexual selection pressures on sexual traits. Biotic and abiotic urban conditions can influence an individual's success in pre- and post-copulatory mating, for example through impacts on mate attraction and mate preference, fertilisation success, resource competition or rival interactions. Divergent sexual selection pressures can lead to differences in behavioural, physiological, morphological or life-history traits between urban and non-urban populations, ultimately driving adaptation and speciation. Most studies on urban sexual selection and mating interactions report differences between urban and non-urban populations or correlations between sexual traits and factors associated with increased urbanisation, such as pollution, food availability and risk of predation and parasitism. Here we review the literature on sexual selection and sexual traits in relation to urbanisation or urban-associated conditions. We provide an extensive list of abiotic and biotic factors that can influence processes involved in mating interactions, such as signal production and transmission, mate choice and mating opportunities. We discuss all relevant data through the lens of two, non-mutually exclusive theories on sexual selection, namely indicator and sensory models. Where possible, we indicate whether these models provide the same or different predictions regarding urban-adapted sexual signals and describe different experimental designs that can be useful for the different models as well as to investigate the drivers of sexual selection. We argue that we lack a good understanding of: (i) the factors driving urban sexual selection; (ii) whether reported changes in traits result in adaptive benefits; and (iii) whether these changes reflect a short-term ecological, or long-term evolutionary response. We highlight that urbanisation provides a unique opportunity to study the process and outcomes of sexual selection, but that this requires a highly integrative approach combining experimental and observational work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Cronin
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Judith A H Smit
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Matías I Muñoz
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Armand Poirier
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Moran
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Jerem
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
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Cargnelutti F, Reyes Ramírez A, Cristancho S, Sandoval‐García IA, Rocha‐Ortega M, Calbacho‐Rosa L, Palacino F, Córdoba‐Aguilar A. Condition-dependent male copulatory courtship and its benefits for females. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9848-9855. [PMID: 34306667 PMCID: PMC8293791 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Postcopulatory sexual selection has shaped the ornaments used during copulatory courtship. However, we know relatively little about whether these courtship ornaments are costly to produce or whether they provide indirect benefits to females. We used the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, to explore this. We challenged males using an entomopathogenic fungus and compared their courtship (frequency of leg and antennal contacts to the female), copulation duration, number of eggs laid, and hatching rate against control males. Infected males copulated for longer yet they reduced their leg and antennal contacts compared to control males. However, there was no obvious relation between infection, copulation duration, and courtship with egg production and hatching success. In general, our results indicate that the ornaments used during postcopulatory courtship are condition-dependent. Moreover, such condition dependence cannot be linked to male fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Cargnelutti
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y EcologíaFacultad de Ciencias ExactasFísicas y NaturalesUniversidad Nacional de CórdobaCórdobaArgentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y EvoluciónConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA)CórdobaArgentina
| | - Alicia Reyes Ramírez
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCoyoacánMéxico
| | - Shara Cristancho
- Grupo de Investigación en Odonatos de Colombia (GINOCO)Grupo de Investigación en Biología (GRIB)Centro de Investigación en AcarologíaDepartamento de BiologíaUniversidad El BosqueBogotáColombia
| | - Iván A. Sandoval‐García
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCoyoacánMéxico
| | - Maya Rocha‐Ortega
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCoyoacánMéxico
| | - Lucía Calbacho‐Rosa
- Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y EcologíaFacultad de Ciencias ExactasFísicas y NaturalesUniversidad Nacional de CórdobaCórdobaArgentina
- Laboratorio de Biología Reproductiva y EvoluciónConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA)CórdobaArgentina
| | - Freddy Palacino
- Grupo de Investigación en Odonatos de Colombia (GINOCO)Grupo de Investigación en Biología (GRIB)Centro de Investigación en AcarologíaDepartamento de BiologíaUniversidad El BosqueBogotáColombia
| | - Alex Córdoba‐Aguilar
- Departamento de Ecología EvolutivaInstituto de EcologíaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCoyoacánMéxico
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11
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Morehouse AT, Loosen AE, Graves TA, Boyce MS. The smell of success: Reproductive success related to rub behavior in brown bears. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247964. [PMID: 33657186 PMCID: PMC7928475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several species of bears are known to rub deliberately against trees and other objects, but little is known about why bears rub. Patterns in rubbing behavior of male and female brown bears (Ursus arctos) suggest that scent marking via rubbing functions to communicate among potential mates or competitors. Using DNA from bear hairs collected from rub objects in southwestern Alberta from 2011–2014 and existing DNA datasets from Montana and southeastern British Columbia, we determined sex and individual identity of each bear detected. Using these data, we completed a parentage analysis. From the parentage analysis and detection data, we determined the number of offspring, mates, unique rub objects where an individual was detected, and sampling occasions during which an individual was detected for each brown bear identified through our sampling methods. Using a Poisson regression, we found a positive relationship between bear rubbing behavior and reproductive success; both male and female bears with a greater number of mates and a greater number of offspring were detected at more rub objects and during more occasions. Our results suggest a fitness component to bear rubbing, indicate that rubbing is adaptive, and provide insight into a poorly understood behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea T. Morehouse
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Winisk Research and Consulting, Bellevue, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne E. Loosen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier, Montana, United States of America
| | - Mark S. Boyce
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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12
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Negro JJ, Blázquez MC, Fernández-Alés R, Martín-Vicente A. Interspecific sexual selection, a new theory for an old practice: the increase of artificial biodiversity through creation of modern, standardized breeds. ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 2021. [DOI: 10.32800/abc.2021.44.0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Darwin set the pillars of organismic evolution when he defined natural and sexual selection in the 19th century. Concurrently, a frenzy of selective breeding programmes, generally supported by the wealthy and aristocratic, gave rise to novel breeds of plants and animals at a rate that was previously unforeseen. Since then, breeds selected over millennia and adapted to local conditions began to disappear or were threatened with extinction, being substituted by these new, standardized breeds. It is of interest to explore how new breeds emerged and what the main criteria of the founders of these breeds were. Darwin seemed to be unaware that his contemporaries were practicing a form of interspecific sexual selection responsible for the fixation of exaggerated traits, often plainly ornamental, in the new breeds they intended to create. Parent animals were chosen by individuals who were following particular goals, often with aesthetic criteria in mind. Here we investigated who were the founders of modern breeds in five domesticated species (dogs, cats, pigs, horses and cattle), as very often a single person is credited with the creation of a breed. We found information on founders of 459 breeds, 270 of which were created after 1800. Interestingly, for these species, breed creation is overwhelmingly attributed to men. In the wild, however, the choice of mate is usually performed by the female of a species and thought to be adaptive. Breeders in the Victorian era, nevertheless, lacked such adaptive skills and had little scientific knowledge. The selection of individuals with an extreme expression of the desired traits were often close relatives, resulting in high inbreeding and a variety of genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. J. Negro
- Estación Biológica de Doñana–CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - M. C. Blázquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste-CIBNOR, La Paz, México
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13
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Fuciarelli TM, Rollo CD. Impacts of ionization radiation on the cuticular hydrocarbon profile and mating success of male house crickets ( Acheta domesticus). Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 97:564-570. [PMID: 33471571 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1876954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ionizing radiation is well known to have drastic impacts on major life history features including survivorship, growth, fertility, and longevity. What is much less appreciated is how radiation stress can cause changes to more subtle traits, such as those associated with sexual signaling, an underappreciated but vital aspect of insect reproduction. In the House Cricket (Acheta domesticus) cuticular hydrocarbons are vital for sex and species recognition, as well as a possible indicator of stress, making them crucial for successful mating and reproduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS Here, we analyze the impacts of ionizing radiation on the cuticular hydrocarbons of male crickets and its subsequent impacts on mating success. We exposed juvenile (14-day, 4th instar) male crickets to a broad range of radiation doses (2 Gy - 2 Gy). RESULTS We detected significant changes in individual cuticular hydrocarbons across a broad range of doses in mature male crickets using gas-liquid chromatography. Specifically, dose was identified as a significant contributing factor to hydrocarbon increases p < .0001. Mating success was significantly reduced in 12 Gy (p < .0001), 10 Gy (0.0001), and 7 Gy (0.0060) groups compared to non-irradiated controls. CONCLUSION Insect chemical communication can be species specific, and functionally specialized. Here, we show that radiation can alter the chemical signals used to attract mates in a large bodied insect and this may be a contributing factor to the described reduction in male mating success. Further research should be conducted to further analyze the various modes of communication employed by male crickets to attract mates i.e. acoustic signaling, and how this may also contribute to the reduction in mating success seen in irradiated males.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C David Rollo
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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14
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Fan Q, E M, Wei Y, Sun W, Wang H. Mate Choice in Double-Breeding Female Great Tits ( Parus Major): Good Males or Compatible Males. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11010140. [PMID: 33440643 PMCID: PMC7826884 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Double breeding is a common reproductive strategy among temperate passerines to increase annual fecundity. To produce two clutches in the same breeding season and to ensure offspring quality, choosing a good mate is important for females. Uncovering the method used in social mate choice for genetic benefits adopted by double-breeding females would provide a better understanding of the life history and rules of female choice. In the present study, we tested the effects of the date of the first egg of the first brood and of female quality on double breeding, and good genes and genetic compatibility hypotheses on mate choice for double breeding female great tits (Parus major) in a population breeding inside nest boxes of Zuojia Natural Reserve in northeast China. The date of the first egg of the first brood did not affect initiation of a second brood, and female individual heterozygosity slightly influenced initiation of a second breeding. Female great tits choose males with both compatible genes and good genes in double-breeding mating. Double-breeding females prefer males with large breast stripes, high heterozygosity, and lower relatedness. The number of offspring of the first clutch did not affect the pairing status of male great tits in double breeding. The genetic quality of offspring from double-breeding pairs was higher than that of those from single-breeding pairs (higher heterozygosity and lower individual F). Abstract Producing two broods within the same season may be a good strategy by which short-lived species can maximize reproductive success. To produce two clutches in the same breeding season and to ensure offspring quality, choosing a good mate is important for females. Previous studies on double breeding focused on the associated influencing factors, and few studies examined how females choose social mates. Good genes and genetic compatibility are the two main hypotheses of the genetic benefit that females obtain from choosing mates. Uncovering the method used in mate choice for genetic benefits adopted by double-breeding females would provide a better understanding of the life history and rules of female choice. The great tit is an optionally double-breeding species in temperate-latitude populations. Here, we used a dataset for a Chinese population monitored between 2014 and 2016 to test two hypotheses on double-breeding female mate choice. A total of 30.1% of the breeding pairs initiated second breeding attempts, always remating with the same mate. The date of the first egg of the first brood did not affect initiation of a second brood, and female individual heterozygosity slightly influenced initiation of a second breeding. Female great tits choose males with both compatible genes and good genes in double-breeding mating. Double-breeding females prefer males with large breast stripes, high heterozygosity, and lower relatedness, while tarsus length, repertoire size, and individual F are not the main factors considered by females when selecting males for double breeding. The number of offspring of the first clutch did not affect the pairing status of male great tits in double breeding. The genetic quality of offspring from double-breeding pairs was higher than that of those from single-breeding pairs (higher heterozygosity and lower individual F). Taken together, our results showed that double breeding female great tits adopt multiple methods for genetic benefits to choose mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianxi Fan
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China; (Q.F.); (M.E); (Y.W.)
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Mingju E
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China; (Q.F.); (M.E); (Y.W.)
- School of Life Sciences, Changchun Normal University, 677 Changjibei Road, Changchun 130032, China
| | - Yusheng Wei
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China; (Q.F.); (M.E); (Y.W.)
| | - Wei Sun
- Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China
- Correspondence: (W.S.); (H.W.)
| | - Haitao Wang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China; (Q.F.); (M.E); (Y.W.)
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Renmin Street 5268, Changchun 130024, China
- Correspondence: (W.S.); (H.W.)
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15
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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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16
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Zhang BY, Hu HY, Song CM, Huang K, Dunn DW, Yang X, Wang XW, Zhao HT, Wang CL, Zhang P, Li BG. MHC-Based Mate Choice in Wild Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys. Front Genet 2020; 11:609414. [PMID: 33408742 PMCID: PMC7779673 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.609414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are an important component of the vertebrate immune system and play a significant role in mate choice in many species. However, it remains unclear whether female mate choice in non-human primates is based on specific functional genes and/or genome-wide genes. The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) lives in a multilevel society, which consists of several polygynous one-male-several-female units. Although adult females tend to mainly socialize with one adult male, females often initiate extra-pair copulations with other males resulting in a high proportion of offspring being fathered by extra-pair males. We investigated the effects of adaptive MHC genes and neutral microsatellites on female mate choice in a wild R. roxellana population. We sequenced 54 parent-offspring triads using two MHC class II loci (Rhro-DQA1 and Rhro-DQB1) and 20 microsatellites from 3 years of data. We found that the paternities of offspring were non-randomly associated with male MHC compositions not microsatellite genotypes. Our study showed that the fathers of all infants had significantly less variance for several estimates of genetic similarity to the mothers compared with random males at both MHC loci. Additionally, the MHC diversity of these fathers was significantly higher than random males. We also found support for choice based on specific alleles; compared with random males, Rhro-DQA1∗ 05 and Rhro-DQB1∗ 08 were more common in both the OMU (one-male unit) males and the genetic fathers of offspring. This study provides new evidence for female mate choice for MHC-intermediate dissimilarity (rather than maximal MHC dissimilarity) and highlights the importance of incorporating multiple MHC loci and social structure into studies of MHC-based mate choice in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Yi Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Han-Yu Hu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chun-Mei Song
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kang Huang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Derek W Dunn
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Hai-Tao Zhao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Cheng-Liang Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bao-Guo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Xi'an Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
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17
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Gallot A, Sauzet S, Desouhant E. Kin recognition: Neurogenomic response to mate choice and sib mating avoidance in a parasitic wasp. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241128. [PMID: 33104752 PMCID: PMC7588116 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Sib mating increases homozygosity, which therefore increases the risk of inbreeding depression. Selective pressures have favoured the evolution of kin recognition and avoidance of sib mating in numerous species, including the parasitoid wasp Venturia canescens. We studied the female neurogenomic response associated with sib mating avoidance after females were exposed to courtship displays by i) unrelated males or ii) related males or iii) no courtship (controls). First, by comparing the transcriptional responses of females exposed to courtship displays to those exposed to controls, we saw a rapid and extensive transcriptional shift consistent with social environment. Second, by comparing the transcriptional responses of females exposed to courtship by related to those exposed to unrelated males, we characterized distinct and repeatable transcriptomic patterns that correlated with the relatedness of the courting male. Network analysis revealed 3 modules of specific ‘sib-responsive’ genes that were distinct from other ‘courtship-responsive’ modules. Therefore, specific neurogenomic states with characteristic brain transcriptomes associated with different behavioural responses affect sib mating avoidance behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurore Gallot
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Sandrine Sauzet
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, CNRS–Université de Montpellier, UMR 9002, Biology of Repetitive Sequences, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Desouhant
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, UMR 5558, Villeurbanne, France
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18
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Male condition and group heterogeneity predict extra-group paternity in a Neotropical bat. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02919-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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19
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20
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Fitzpatrick JL, Willis C, Devigili A, Young A, Carroll M, Hunter HR, Brison DR. Chemical signals from eggs facilitate cryptic female choice in humans. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200805. [PMID: 32517615 PMCID: PMC7341926 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mate choice can continue after mating via chemical communication between the female reproductive system and sperm. While there is a growing appreciation that females can bias sperm use and paternity by exerting cryptic female choice for preferred males, we know surprisingly little about the mechanisms underlying these post-mating choices. In particular, whether chemical signals released from eggs (chemoattractants) allow females to exert cryptic female choice to favour sperm from specific males remains an open question, particularly in species (including humans) where adults exercise pre-mating mate choice. Here, we adapt a classic dichotomous mate choice assay to the microscopic scale to assess gamete-mediated mate choice in humans. We examined how sperm respond to follicular fluid, a source of human sperm chemoattractants, from either their partner or a non-partner female when experiencing a simultaneous or non-simultaneous choice between follicular fluids. We report robust evidence under these two distinct experimental conditions that follicular fluid from different females consistently and differentially attracts sperm from specific males. This chemoattractant-moderated choice of sperm offers eggs an avenue to exercise independent mate preference. Indeed, gamete-mediated mate choice did not reinforce pre-mating human mate choice decisions. Our results demonstrate that chemoattractants facilitate gamete-mediated mate choice in humans, which offers females the opportunity to exert cryptic female choice for sperm from specific males.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Fitzpatrick
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Charlotte Willis
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amy Young
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Michael Carroll
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | - Helen R Hunter
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK
| | - Daniel R Brison
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK.,Department of Reproductive Medicine, Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK
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21
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Piza-Roca C, Schoeman D, Frere C. Fitness benefits of male dominance behaviours depend on the degree of individual inbreeding in a polyandrous lizard. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200097. [PMID: 32429806 PMCID: PMC7287366 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In polyandrous species, sexual selection extends beyond mating competition to selection for egg fertilization. As a result, the degree to which factors influencing mating success impact overall reproductive success becomes variable. Here, we used a longitudinal behavioural and genetic dataset for a population of eastern water dragons (Intellagama lesueurii) to investigate the degree to which male dominance, a pre-mating selection trait, influences overall reproductive success, measured as the number of surviving offspring. Moreover, we examine the interactive effects with a genetic trait, individual inbreeding, known to influence the reproductive success of males in this species. We found fitness benefits of male dominance, measured as body size and frequency of dominance behaviours displayed. However, individuals' propensity to display dominance behaviours had mixed effects, depending on the degree of inbreeding. While inbred males benefited from frequent displays, highly outbred males exhibited better reproductive outputs when displaying to a lesser extent. Given that outbred males have enhanced reproductive success in this species, the costs of displaying dominance behaviours may outweigh the benefits. Overall, our results demonstrate the fitness benefits of dominance in a polyandrous lizard, and suggest that these are modulated by an independent genetic trait. Our results may contribute to explaining the presence of alternative mating tactics in this species, owing to the variability in net fitness benefits of dominance. Our findings also reveal the challenges associated with investigating fitness traits in isolation, which may undermine the validity of results when important interactions are ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Piza-Roca
- Global-Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Schoeman
- Global-Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Celine Frere
- Global-Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
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22
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Sawada A, Ando H, Takagi M. Evaluating the existence and benefit of major histocompatibility complex-based mate choice in an isolated owl population. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:762-772. [PMID: 32281698 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
How mate preferences evolve in the first place has been a major conundrum for sexual selection. Some hypotheses explaining this assume fitness benefit derived from subsequent generations. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-based mate choice is a representative example of the mate choice that is associated with such trans-generational mechanisms. To provide evidences for fitness benefit of MHC-based mate choice, previous studies assessed the association between own MHC genotype and own fitness components. However, the association between MHC-based mate choice in the parental generation and fitness components in the resultant offspring generation has only rarely been measured in wild populations. Focusing on the isolated population of the monogamous Ryukyu Scops Owl (Otus elegans interpositus) on Minami-daito Island, Japan, we found evidence of MHC-based mate choice. However, we found no evidence of MHC-based mate choice increasing own reproductive success or offspring survival. This is a rare case study that directly examines the existence of the trans-generational indirect benefit of MHC-based mate choice for genetic compatibility from trans-generational data in a wild bird population. By investigating the fitness benefits of mate choice, this study serves to facilitate our understanding of the evolution of MHC-based mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Sawada
- Department of Natural History Science, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Haruko Ando
- Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masaoki Takagi
- Department of Natural History Science, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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23
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Offspring sired by subordinate red deer males under controlled conditions: did some females prefer not to mate with the alpha male? Acta Ethol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-020-00336-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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24
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Węgrzyn E, Leniowski K. Middle Spotted Woodpecker territory owners distinguish between stranger and familiar floaters based on their vocal characteristics. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2020.1716088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- E. Węgrzyn
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - K. Leniowski
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
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25
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Nishi A, Alexander M, Fowler JH, Christakis NA. Assortative mating at loci under recent natural selection in humans. Biosystems 2020; 187:104040. [PMID: 31585150 PMCID: PMC7471337 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2019.104040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic correlation between mates at specific loci can greatly alter the evolutionary trajectory of a species. Genetic assortative mating has been documented in humans, but its existence beyond population stratification (shared ancestry) has been a matter of controversy. Here, we develop a method to measure assortative mating across the genome at 1,044,854 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), controlling for population stratification and cohort-specific cryptic relatedness. Using data on 1683 human couples from two data sources, we find evidence for both assortative and disassortative mating at specific, discernible loci throughout the entire genome. Then, using the composite of multiple signals (CMS) score, we also show that the group of SNPs exhibiting the most assortativity has been under stronger recent positive selection. Simulations using realistic inputs confirm that assortative mating might indeed affect changes in allele frequency over time. These results suggest that genetic assortative mating may be speeding up evolution in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiro Nishi
- Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Marcus Alexander
- Yale Institute for Network Science, Yale University, CT 06520, USA.
| | - James H Fowler
- Division of Medical Genetics and Department of Political Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92103, USA.
| | - Nicholas A Christakis
- Yale Institute for Network Science, Yale University, CT 06520, USA; Department of Sociology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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26
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Rekdal SL, Anmarkrud JA, Lifjeld JT, Johnsen A. Extra‐pair mating in a passerine bird with highly duplicated major histocompatibility complex class II: Preference for the golden mean. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:5133-5144. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Arild Johnsen
- Natural History Museum University of Oslo Oslo Norway
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27
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Grogan KE, Harris RL, Boulet M, Drea CM. Genetic variation at MHC class II loci influences both olfactory signals and scent discrimination in ring-tailed lemurs. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:171. [PMID: 31438845 PMCID: PMC6704550 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1486-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diversity at the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is critical to health and fitness, such that MHC genotype may predict an individual's quality or compatibility as a competitor, ally, or mate. Moreover, because MHC products can influence the components of bodily secretions, an individual's body odors may signal its MHC composition and influence partner identification or mate choice. Here, we investigated MHC-based signaling and recipient sensitivity by testing for odor-gene covariance and behavioral discrimination of MHC diversity and pairwise dissimilarity in a strepsirrhine primate, the ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta). METHODS First, we coupled genotyping of the MHC class II gene, DRB, with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of genital gland secretions to investigate if functional genetic diversity is signaled by the chemical diversity of lemur scent secretions. We also assessed if the chemical similarity between individuals correlated with their MHC-DRB similarity. Next, we assessed if lemurs discriminated this chemically encoded, genetic information in opposite-sex conspecifics. RESULTS We found that both sexes signaled overall MHC-DRB diversity and pairwise MHC-DRB similarity via genital secretions, but in a sex- and season-dependent manner. Additionally, the sexes discriminated absolute and relative MHC-DRB diversity in the genital odors of opposite-sex conspecifics, suggesting that lemur genital odors function to advertise genetic quality. CONCLUSIONS In summary, genital odors of ring-tailed lemurs provide honest information about an individual's absolute and relative MHC quality. Complementing evidence in humans and Old World monkeys, we suggest that reliance on scent signals to communicate MHC quality may be important across the primate lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Grogan
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Pennsylvania State University, 516 Carpenter Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
| | - Rachel L Harris
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Marylène Boulet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Christine M Drea
- University Program in Ecology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, USA
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Morse P, Huffard CL. Tactical Tentacles: New Insights on the Processes of Sexual Selection Among the Cephalopoda. Front Physiol 2019; 10:1035. [PMID: 31496951 PMCID: PMC6712556 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) are an exceptional class among the invertebrates, characterised by the advanced development of their conditional learning abilities, long-term memories, capacity for rapid colour change and extremely adaptable hydrostatic skeletons. These traits enable cephalopods to occupy diverse marine ecological niches, become successful predators, employ sophisticated predator avoidance behaviours and have complex intraspecific interactions. Where studied, observations of cephalopod mating systems have revealed detailed insights to the life histories and behavioural ecologies of these animals. The reproductive biology of cephalopods is typified by high levels of both male and female promiscuity, alternative mating tactics, long-term sperm storage prior to spawning, and the capacity for intricate visual displays and/or use of a distinct sensory ecology. This review summarises the current understanding of cephalopod reproductive biology, and where investigated, how both pre-copulatory behaviours and post-copulatory fertilisation patterns can influence the processes of sexual selection. Overall, it is concluded that sperm competition and possibly cryptic female choice are likely to be critical determinants of which individuals' alleles get transferred to subsequent generations in cephalopod mating systems. Additionally, it is emphasised that the optimisation of offspring quality and/or fertilisation bias to genetically compatible males are necessary drivers for the proliferation of polyandry observed among cephalopods, and potential methods for testing these hypotheses are proposed within the conclusion of this review. Further gaps within the current knowledge of how sexual selection operates in this group are also highlighted, in the hopes of prompting new directions for research of the distinctive mating systems in this unique lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Morse
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Crawley, WA, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Christine L Huffard
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, United States.,California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Sun L, Zhou T, Stone GN, Wan QH, Fang SG. Seeing-good-gene-based mate choice: From genes to behavioural preferences. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1708-1719. [PMID: 31332779 PMCID: PMC6899946 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Although vertebrates have been reported to gain higher reproductive outputs by choosing mates, few studies have been conducted on threatened species. However, species recovery should benefit if natural mate choice could improve reproductive output (i.e. pair performance related to offspring number, such as increased clutch size, numbers of fertilized egg and fledglings). We assessed the evidence for major histocompatibility complex (MHC)‐based mate preference in the endangered crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) and quantified the impacts of such choice on reproductive output. We tested the hypothesis that crested ibis advertise “good genes” through external traits, by testing whether nuptial plumage characteristics and body morphology mediate mate choice for underlying genetic MHC variation. We found differences between males and females in preferred MHC genotypes, external traits used in mate choice and contributions to reproductive outputs. Females preferred MHC‐heterozygous males, which had darker [i.e. lower total reflectance and ultraviolet (UV) reflectance] nuptial plumage. Males preferred females lacking the DAB*d allele at the MHC class II DAB locus, which had higher average body mass. DAB*d‐free females yielded heavier eggs and more fledglings, while MHC‐heterozygous males contributed to more fertilized eggs and fledglings. Fledging rate was highest when both parents had the preferred MHC genotypes (i.e. MHC‐heterozygous father and DAB*d‐free mother). Comparisons showed that free‐mating wild and semi‐natural pairs yielded more fertilized eggs and more fledglings, with a higher fledging rate, than captive pairs matched artificially based on pedigree. Conservation programmes seldom apply modern research results to population management, which could hinder recovery of threatened species. Our results show that mate choice can play an important role in improving reproductive output, with an example in which an endangered bird selects mates using UV visual capability. Despite the undoubted importance of pedigree‐based matching of mates in conservation programmes, we show that free mating can be a better alternative strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tong Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | | | - Qiu-Hong Wan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Guo Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Michálková R, Tomášek O, Adámková M, Kreisinger J, Albrecht T. Extra-pair paternity patterns in European barn swallows Hirundo rustica are best explained by male and female age rather than male ornamentation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2725-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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31
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Han QH, Sun RN, Yang HQ, Wang ZW, Wan QH, Fang SG. MHC class I diversity predicts non-random mating in Chinese alligators (Alligator sinensis). Heredity (Edinb) 2019; 122:809-818. [PMID: 30670843 PMCID: PMC6781117 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0177-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has several important roles in kin recognition, pathogen resistance and mate selection. Research in fish, birds and mammals has suggested that individuals optimise MHC diversity, and therefore offspring fitness, when choosing mates. In reptiles, however, it is unclear whether female mate choice is based on genome-wide genetic characteristics such as microsatellite DNA loci, particular functional-trait loci (e.g., MHC) or both, and MHC's effects on mate choice remain relatively understudied. Herein, we used 13 microsatellite loci and two MHC class I loci to investigate female mate choice of Chinese alligators (Alligator sinensis) in the semi-natural condition. We also determined correlations between the MHC genotype of breeding males and male reproductive success. We found that MHC-heterozygous males harbour a greater reproductive success, which probably is the reason that these males are more preferred by the females than MHC-homozygous males. Furthermore, the MHC class I amino-acid distance and functional distance of true mating pairs were higher compared with those of randomly sampled pairs. Analysis of microsatellites revealed that, despite mate choice, females did not completely avoid inbreeding. These findings are the first evidence of MHC-associated mate choice in Chinese alligators, suggesting that females may adopt different mating strategies after assessing the MHC characteristics of potential mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun-Hua Han
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ru-Na Sun
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Hai-Qiong Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhen-Wei Wang
- Changxing Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve, Changxing, 313100, China
| | - Qiu-Hong Wan
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Sheng-Guo Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife of the Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Mating structure of the blue and red shrimp, Aristeus antennatus (Risso, 1816) characterized by relatedness analysis. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7227. [PMID: 31076585 PMCID: PMC6510731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43523-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding life history variation and strategies is crucial for stock assessment and fisheries management due to the direct effects on population dynamics, effective population size, sex-ratios, levels of inbreeding, and relatedness among individuals. Aristeus antennatus (En ─ Blue and red shrimp; Fr ─ Crevette rouge; Sp ─ Gamba rosada) is one of the most exploited demersal resources in the Western Mediterranean Sea. However, information regarding the mating system and mate choice preferences remains largely unknown. Advances in molecular genetic markers and methods of inferring biological relationships among individuals have facilitated new insights into the reproductive dynamics of the species in the wild. Here, we used microsatellite markers to examine the A. antennatus mating system and putative mate choice preferences. Our results provided clear evidence of polyandry and polygyny. Relatedness analyses, together with FST and DAPC values showed females exhibited a mating bias towards unrelated males. Mating males were inferred from spermatophores and suggested males were sympatric with females and were also from other spawning grounds. Our findings provided the first description of the reproductive behavior of blue and red shrimp.
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Avril A, Zahnd S, Djordjevic J, Chapuisat M. No mate preference associated with the supergene controlling social organization in Alpine silver ants. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:742-748. [PMID: 31016785 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Disassortative mating is a powerful mechanism stabilizing polymorphisms at sex chromosomes and other supergenes. The Alpine silver ant, Formica selysi, has two forms of social organization-single-queen and multiple-queen colonies-determined by alternate haplotypes at a large supergene. Here, we explore whether mate preference contributes to the maintenance of the genetic polymorphism at the social supergene. With mate choice experiments, we found that females and males mated randomly with respect to social form. Moreover, queens were able to produce offspring irrespective of whether they had mated with a male from the same or the alternative social form. Yet, females originating from single-queen colonies were more fertile, suggesting that they may be more successful at independent colony founding. We conclude that the pattern of asymmetric assortative mating documented from mature F. selysi colonies in the field is not caused by mate preferences or major genetic incompatibilities between social forms. More generally, we found no evidence that disassortative mate preference contributes to the maintenance of polymorphism at this supergene controlling ant social organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Avril
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sacha Zahnd
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Michel Chapuisat
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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34
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Parrott ML, Nation A, Selwood L. Female mate choice significantly increases captive breeding success, and scents can be frozen to determine choice, in the stripe-faced dunnart. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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35
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O’Brien DM, Keogh JS, Silla AJ, Byrne PG. Female choice for related males in wild red-backed toadlets (Pseudophryne coriacea). Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractMate choice for genetic benefits is assumed to be widespread in nature, yet very few studies have comprehensively examined relationships between female mate choice and male genetic quality in wild populations. Here, we use exhaustive sampling and single nucleotide polymorphisms to provide a partial test of the “good genes as heterozygosity” hypothesis and the “genetic compatibility” hypothesis in an entire population of terrestrial breeding red-backed toadlets, Pseudophryne coriacea. We found that successful males did not display higher heterozygosity, despite a positive relationship between male heterozygosity and offspring heterozygosity. Rather, in the larger of 2 breeding events, we found that successful males were more genetically similar to their mate than expected under random mating, indicating that females can use pre- or post-copulatory mate choice mechanisms to bias paternity toward more related males. These findings provide no support for the good genes as heterozygosity hypothesis but lend support to the genetic compatibility hypothesis. A complete test of this hypothesis will now require evaluating how parental genetic similarity impacts offspring fitness. Terrestrial toadlets show a high degree of site fidelity, high levels of genetic structuring between populations, and frequently hybridize with sister species. As such, female mate choice for related males may be an adaptive strategy to reduce outbreeding depression. Our findings provide the first population-wide evidence for non-random preferential inbreeding in a wild amphibian. We argue that such reproductive patterns may be common in amphibians because extreme genetic differentiation within meta-populations creates an inherently high risk of outbreeding depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M O’Brien
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Lifesciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J Scott Keogh
- Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Aimee J Silla
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Lifesciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Phillip G Byrne
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Lifesciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
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36
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Zhu Y, Wan QH, Zhang HM, Fang SG. Reproductive Strategy Inferred from Major Histocompatibility Complex-Based Inter-Individual, Sperm-Egg, and Mother-Fetus Recognitions in Giant Pandas ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Cells 2019; 8:cells8030257. [PMID: 30893784 PMCID: PMC6468540 DOI: 10.3390/cells8030257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Few major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-based mate choice studies include all MHC genes at the inter-individual, sperm-egg, and mother-fetus recognition levels. We tested three hypotheses of female mate choice in a 17-year study of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) while using ten functional MHC loci (four MHC class I loci: Aime-C, Aime-F, Aime-I, and Aime-L; six MHC class II loci: Aime-DRA, Aime-DRB3, Aime-DQA1, Aime-DQA2, Aime-DQB1, and Aime-DQB2); five super haplotypes (SuHa, SuHaI, SuHaII, DQ, and DR); and, seven microsatellites. We found female choice for heterozygosity at Aime-C, Aime-I, and DQ and for disassortative mate choice at Aime-C, DQ, and DR at the inter-individual recognition level. High mating success occurred in MHC-dissimilar mating pairs. No significant results were found based on any microsatellite parameters, suggesting that MHCs were the mate choice target and there were no signs of inbreeding avoidance. Our results indicate Aime-DQA1- and Aime-DQA2-associated disassortative selection at the sperm-egg recognition level and a possible Aime-C- and Aime-I-associated assortative maternal immune tolerance mechanism. The MHC genes were of differential importance at the different recognition levels, so all of the functional MHC genes should be included when studying MHC-dependent reproductive mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Qiu-Hong Wan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - He-Min Zhang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, No. 98 Tongjiang Road, Dujiangyan 611800, China.
| | - Sheng-Guo Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, State Conservation Centre for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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37
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Swierk L, Langkilde T. Fitness costs of mating with preferred females in a scramble mating system. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Little is known about the operation of male mate choice in systems with perceived high costs to male choosiness. Scramble mating systems are one type of system in which male choice is often considered too costly to be selected. However, in many scramble mating systems, there are also potentially high rewards of male choosiness, as females vary dramatically in reproductive output and males typically mate once per season and/or per lifetime. Using scramble mating wood frogs (Rana sylvatica), we tested whether males gain fitness benefits by mating with preferred females. We conducted choice trials (1 male presented simultaneously with 2 females) and permitted males to mate with their preferred or nonpreferred female. Offspring of preferred and nonpreferred females were reared in the laboratory and field, and we quantified various fitness-relevant parameters, including survivorship and growth rates. Across multiple parameters measured, matings with preferred females produced fewer and lower-quality offspring than did those with nonpreferred females. Our results are inconsistent with the idea that mate choice confers benefits on the choosing sex. We instead propose that, in scramble systems, males will be more likely to amplex females that are easier to capture, which may correlate with lower quality but increases male likelihood of successfully mating. Such male choice may not favor increased fitness when the operational sex ratio is less biased toward males in scramble mating systems but is, instead, a bet-hedging tactic benefitting males when available females are limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Swierk
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Program in Ecology, and Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
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Dorková M, Naďo L, Jarčuška B, Kaňuch P. Size-dependent mating pattern in a nuptial gift-giving insect. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:454-462. [PMID: 30680127 PMCID: PMC6342177 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive interests of females and males often diverge in terms of the number of mating partners, an individual's phenotype, origin, genes, and parental investment. This conflict may lead to a variety of sex-specific adaptations and also affect mate choice in both sexes. We conducted an experiment with the bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), a species in which females receive direct nutritional benefits during mating. Mated individuals could be assigned due to the genotype of male spermatodoses, which are stored in the female's spermatheca. After 3 weeks of possible copulations in established mating groups which were random replications with four females and males we did not find consistent assortative mating preference regarding to body size of mates. However, our results showed that the frequency of within-pair copulations (192 analyzed mating events in 128 possible pairwise combinations) was positively associated with the body size of both mated individuals with significant interaction between sexes (having one mate very large, association between body size and the number of copulations has weaken). Larger individuals also showed a higher degree of polygamy. This suggests that body size of this nuptial gift-giving insect species is an important sexual trait according to which both sexes choose their optimal mating partner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Dorková
- Institute of Forest EcologySlovak Academy of SciencesZvolenSlovakia
- Faculty of Ecology and Environmental SciencesTechnical University in ZvolenZvolenSlovakia
| | - Ladislav Naďo
- Institute of Forest EcologySlovak Academy of SciencesZvolenSlovakia
| | | | - Peter Kaňuch
- Institute of Forest EcologySlovak Academy of SciencesZvolenSlovakia
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39
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York JR, Baird TA. Sexual selection on female collared lizards favours offspring production with multiple males. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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40
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Moss JB, Gerber GP, Schwirian A, Jackson AC, Welch ME. Evidence for dominant males but not choosy females in an insular rock iguana. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette B Moss
- Biological Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Glenn P Gerber
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, Escondido, CA, USA
| | - Aumbriel Schwirian
- Biological Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Anna C Jackson
- Biological Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Mark E Welch
- Biological Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
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41
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Kumaran N, van der Burg CA, Qin Y, Cameron SL, Clarke AR, Prentis PJ. Plant-Mediated Female Transcriptomic Changes Post-Mating in a Tephritid Fruit Fly, Bactrocera tryoni. Genome Biol Evol 2018; 10:94-107. [PMID: 29220418 PMCID: PMC5765559 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evx257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Female post-mating behaviors are regulated by complex factors involving males, females, and the environment. In insects, plant secondary compounds that males actively forage for, may indirectly modify female behaviors by altering male behavior and physiology. In the tephritid fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, females mated with males previously fed on plant-derived phenylpropanoids (=“lures” based on usage in tephritid literature), have longer mating refractoriness, greater fecundity, and reduced longevity than females mated with non-lure fed males. This system thus provides a model for studying transcriptional changes associated with those post-mating behaviors, as the genes regulating the phenotypic changes are likely to be expressed at a greater magnitude than in control females. We performed comparative transcriptome analyses using virgin B. tryoni females, females mated with control males (control-mated), and females mated with lure-fed males (lure-mated). We found 331 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in control-mated females and 80 additional DEGs in lure-mated females. Although DEGs in control-mated females are mostly immune response genes and chorion proteins, as reported in Drosophila species, DEGs in lure-mated females are titin-like muscle proteins, histones, sperm, and testis expressed proteins which have not been previously reported. While transcripts regulating mating (e.g., lingerer) did not show differential expression in either of the mated female classes, the odorant binding protein Obp56a was down-regulated. The exclusively enriched or suppressed genes in lure-mated females, novel transcripts such as titin and histones, and several taxa-specific transcripts reported here can shed more light on post-mating transcriptional changes, and this can help understand factors possibly regulating female post-mating behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagalingam Kumaran
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chloé A van der Burg
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Yujia Qin
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Stephen L Cameron
- Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN47907, USA
| | - Anthony R Clarke
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter J Prentis
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Institute of Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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42
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Macedo RH, Podos J, Graves JA, Manica LT. Breeding clusters in birds: ecological selective contexts, mating systems and the role of extrapair fertilizations. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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43
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Morgado-Santos M, Magalhães MF, Vicente L, Collares-Pereira MJ. Mate choice driven by genome in an allopolyploid fish complex. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M Morgado-Santos
- Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Climáticas (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M F Magalhães
- Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Climáticas (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - L Vicente
- Centro de Filosofia das Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa (CFCUL), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M J Collares-Pereira
- Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Climáticas (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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44
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Berson JD, Simmons LW. Sexual selection across sensory modalities: female choice of male behavioral and gustatory displays. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob D Berson
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Leigh W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Dittrich C, Rodríguez A, Segev O, Drakulić S, Feldhaar H, Vences M, Rödel MO. Temporal migration patterns and mating tactics influence size-assortative mating in Rana temporaria. Behav Ecol 2018; 29:418-428. [PMID: 29622935 PMCID: PMC5873255 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Assortative mating is a common pattern in sexually reproducing species, but the mechanisms leading to assortment remain poorly understood. By using the European common frog (Rana temporaria) as a model, we aim to understand the mechanisms leading to size-assortative mating in amphibians. With data from natural populations collected over several years, we first show a consistent pattern of size-assortative mating across our 2 study populations. We subsequently ask if assortative mating may be explained by mate availability due to temporal segregation of migrating individuals with specific sizes. With additional experiments, we finally assess whether size-assortative mating is adaptive, i.e. influenced by mating competition among males, or by reduced fertilization in size-mismatched pairs. We find that size-assortative mating is in accordance with differences in mate availability during migration, where larger individuals of both sexes reach breeding ponds earlier than smaller individuals. We observe an indiscriminate mate choice behavior of small males and an advantage of larger males pairing with females during scramble competition. The tactic of small males, to be faster and less discriminative than large males, may increase their chances to get access to females. Experimental tests indicate that the fertilization success is not affected by size assortment. However, since female fecundity is highly correlated with body size, males preferring larger females should maximize their number of offspring. Therefore, we conclude that in this frog species mate choice is more complex than formerly believed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Dittrich
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ariel Rodríguez
- TU Braunschweig, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Braunschweig, Germany
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Institute of Zoology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ori Segev
- University of Haifa, Faculty of Science, Institute of Evolution, Community Ecology Lab, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sanja Drakulić
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heike Feldhaar
- University of Bayreuth, Animal Population Ecology, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Miguel Vences
- TU Braunschweig, Zoologisches Institut, Evolutionsbiologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
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Harrison N, Lindholm AK, Dobay A, Halloran O, Manser A, König B. Female nursing partner choice in a population of wild house mice ( Mus musculus domesticus). Front Zool 2018; 15:4. [PMID: 29467798 PMCID: PMC5819181 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0251-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND Communal nursing in house mice is an example of cooperation where females pool litters in the same nest and indiscriminately nurse own and other offspring despite potential exploitation. The direct fitness benefits associated with communal nursing shown in laboratory studies suggest it to be a selected component of female house mice reproductive behaviour. However, past studies on communal nursing in free-living populations have debated whether it is a consequence of sharing the same nest or an active choice. Here using data from a long-term study of free-living, wild house mice we investigated individual nursing decisions and determined what factors influenced a female's decision to nurse communally. RESULTS Females chose to nurse solitarily more often than expected by chance, but the likelihood of nursing solitarily decreased when females had more partners available. While finding no influence of pairwise relatedness on partner choice, we observed that females shared their social environment with genetically similar individuals, suggesting a female's home area consisted of related females, possibly facilitating the evolution of cooperation. Within such a home area females were more likely to nest communally when the general relatedness of her available options was relatively high. Females formed communal nests with females that were familiar through previous associations and had young pups of usually less than 5 days old. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that communal nursing was not a by-product of sharing the same nesting sites, but females choose communal nursing partners from a group of genetically similar females, and ultimately the decision may then depend on the pool of options available. Social partner choice proved to be an integrated part of cooperation among females, and might allow females to reduce the conflict over number of offspring in a communal nest and milk investment towards own and other offspring. We suggest that social partner choice may be a general mechanism to stabilize costly cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Harrison
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna K. Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Akos Dobay
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivia Halloran
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andri Manser
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Edwards HA, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS, Komdeur J, Burke T. Extra-pair parentage and personality in a cooperatively breeding bird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:37. [PMID: 29491549 PMCID: PMC5814466 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2448-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Why so much variation in extra-pair parentage occurs within and among populations remains unclear. Often the fitness costs and benefits of extra-pair parentage are hypothesised to explain its occurrence; therefore, linking extra-pair parentage with traits such as personality (behavioural traits that can be heritable and affect reproductive behaviour) may help our understanding. Here, we investigate whether reproductive outcomes and success are associated with exploratory behaviour in a natural population of cooperatively breeding Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis) on Cousin Island. Exploratory behaviour correlates positively with traits such as risk-taking behaviour and activity in other wild bird species and might promote extra-pair mating by increasing the rate at which potential extra-pair partners are encountered. We therefore predicted that fast-exploring individuals would have more extra-pair offspring. There is also a potential trade-off between pursuing extra-pair parentage and mate guarding in males. We therefore also predicted that fast-exploring males would be more likely to pursue extra-pair parentage and that this would increase the propensity of their mate to gain extra-pair parentage. We found that neither the total number of offspring nor the number of extra-pair offspring were associated with a male's or female's exploratory behaviour. However, there was a small but significant propensity for females to have extra-pair fertilisations in pairs that were behaviourally disassortative. Overall, we conclude that, due to the small effect size, the association between exploratory behaviour and extra-pair paternity is unlikely to be biologically relevant. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT True genetic monogamy is rare, even in socially monogamous systems, and multiple factors, such as behaviour, social structure, morphology and physiology, determined by the biological system can cause variation in extra-pair parentage (EPP). Therefore, investigating the inherent differences in these factors among individuals could be informative. We investigated whether reproductive outcomes/success are associated with differences in the propensity to explore novel environments/objects in a promiscuous, island-dwelling cooperatively breeding bird, the Seychelles warbler. Our results showed that exploratory behaviour was not associated with the number of offspring produced by an individual, and thus the long-term fitness consequences of different exploratory tendencies did not differ. We also found that the propensity to engage in EPP in females was higher in dissimilar behavioural pairs, but due to the small effect size, we hesitate to conclude that there are personality-dependent mating outcomes in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah A Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, The Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT UK
- Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 cc Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ UK
- Nature Seychelles, PO BOX 1310, Mahe, Republic of Seychelles
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Physiological Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 cc Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN UK
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Åslund C, Nilsson KW. Individual biological sensitivity to environmental influences: testing the differential susceptibility properties of the 5HTTLPR polymorphism in relation to depressive symptoms and delinquency in two adolescent general samples. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:977-993. [PMID: 29427067 PMCID: PMC5968061 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1854-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The gene–environment interaction research field in psychiatry has traditionally been dominated by the diathesis–stress framework, where certain genotypes are assumed to confer increased risk for adverse outcomes in a stressful environment. In later years, theories of differential susceptibility, or biological sensitivity, suggest that candidate genes that interact with environmental events do not exclusively confer a risk for behavioural or psychiatric disorders but rather seem to alter the sensitivity to both positive and negative environmental influences. The present study investigates the susceptibility properties of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5HTTLPR) in relation to depressive symptoms and delinquency in two separate adolescent community samples: n = 1457, collected in 2006; and n = 191, collected in 2001. Two-, three-, and four-way interactions between the 5HTTLPR, positive and negative family environment, and sex were found in relation to both depressive symptoms and delinquency. However, the susceptibility properties of the 5HTTLPR were distinctly less pronounced in relation to depressive symptoms. If the assumption that the 5HTTLPR induces differential susceptibility to both positive and negative environmental influences is correct, the previous failures to measure and control for positive environmental factors might be a possible explanation for former inconsistent findings within the research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Åslund
- Centre for Clinical Research Västerås, Västmanland County Hospital Västerås, Uppsala University, 721 89, Västerås, Sweden
| | - Kent W Nilsson
- Centre for Clinical Research Västerås, Västmanland County Hospital Västerås, Uppsala University, 721 89, Västerås, Sweden.
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Hartnett CM, Parrott ML, Mulder RA, Coulson G, Magrath MJ. Opportunity for female mate choice improves reproductive outcomes in the conservation breeding program of the eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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50
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Kopp M, Servedio MR, Mendelson TC, Safran RJ, Rodríguez RL, Hauber ME, Scordato EC, Symes LB, Balakrishnan CN, Zonana DM, van Doorn GS. Mechanisms of Assortative Mating in Speciation with Gene Flow: Connecting Theory and Empirical Research. Am Nat 2018; 191:1-20. [DOI: 10.1086/694889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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