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Lymbery RA, Alvaro BJ, Evans JP. Does diet influence ejaculate expenditure under experimentally altered risk of sperm competition in guppies? Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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2
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Soulsbury CD, Humphries S. Biophysical Determinants and Constraints on Sperm Swimming Velocity. Cells 2022; 11:3360. [PMID: 36359756 PMCID: PMC9656961 DOI: 10.3390/cells11213360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last 50 years, sperm competition has become increasingly recognised as a potent evolutionary force shaping male ejaculate traits. One such trait is sperm swimming speed, with faster sperm associated with increased fertilisation success in some species. Consequently, sperm are often thought to have evolved to be longer in order to facilitate faster movement. However, despite the intrinsic appeal of this argument, sperm operate in a different biophysical environment than we are used to, and instead increasing length may not necessarily be associated with higher velocity. Here, we test four predictive models (ConstantPower Density, Constant Speed, Constant Power Transfer, Constant Force) of the relationship between sperm length and speed. We collated published data on sperm morphology and velocity from 141 animal species, tested for structural clustering of sperm morphology and then compared the model predictions across all morphologically similar sperm clusters. Within four of five morphological clusters of sperm, we did not find a significant positive relationship between total sperm length and velocity. Instead, in four morphological sperm clusters we found evidence for the Constant Speed model, which predicts that power output is determined by the flagellum and so is proportional to flagellum length. Our results show the relationship between sperm morphology (size, width) and swimming speed is complex and that traditional models do not capture the biophysical interactions involved. Future work therefore needs to incorporate not only a better understanding of how sperm operate in the microfluid environment, but also the importance of fertilising environment, i.e., internal and external fertilisers. The microenvironment in which sperm operate is of critical importance in shaping the relationship between sperm length and form and sperm swimming speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl D. Soulsbury
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Green Lane, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
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3
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Glavaschi A, Cattelan S, Devigili A, Pilastro A. Immediate predation risk alters the relationship between potential and realised selection on male traits in the Trinidad guppy Poecilia reticulata. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220641. [PMID: 36069009 PMCID: PMC9449472 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Imminent predation risk affects mating behaviours in prey individuals in a multitude of ways that can theoretically impact the strength of sexual selection, as well as its operation on traits. However, empirical studies of the effects of imminent predation risk on sexual selection dynamics are still scarce. Here we explore how perceived predation affects: (1) the relationship between the opportunity for selection and the actual strength of selection on male traits; and (2) which traits contribute to male fitness and the shape of selection on these traits. We simulate two consecutive reproductive episodes, under control conditions and perceived predation risk using experimental populations of Trinidad guppies. The opportunity for selection is higher under predation risk compared to the control condition, but realised selection on traits remains unaffected. Pre- and postcopulatory traits follow complex patterns of nonlinear selection in both conditions. Differences in selection gradients deviate from predictions based on evolutionary and non-lethal effects of predation, the most notable being strong disruptive selection on courtship rate under predation risk. Our results demonstrate that sexual selection is sensitive to imminent predation risk perception and reinforce the notion that both trait-based and variance-based metrics should be employed for an informative quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Glavaschi
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Cattelan
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstraße 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Andrea Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
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4
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Chechi TS, Narasimhan A, Biswas B, Prasad NG. Male mating success evolves in response to increased levels of male-male competition. Evolution 2022; 76:1638-1651. [PMID: 35598115 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Male-biased operational sex ratios can increase male-male competition and can potentially select for both increased pre- and postcopulatory male success. In the present study, using populations of Drosophila melanogaster evolved under male-biased (M) or female-biased (F) sex ratios, we asked whether (a) male mating success can evolve, (b) males are better at mating females that they have coevolved with, (c) males mating success is affected by female mating status, and (d) male mating success is correlated with their courtship effort. We directly competed M and F males for mating with (a) virgin ancestral (common) females, (b) virgin females from the M and F populations, and (c) singly mated females from the M and F populations. We also assessed the courtship frequency of the males when paired with mated M or F females. Our results show that M males, evolving under an increased level of male-male competition, have higher mating success than F males irrespective of the female evolutionary history. However, the difference in mating success is more pronounced if the females had mated before. M males also have a higher courtship frequency than F males, but we did not find any correlation between mating success and courtship frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejinder Singh Chechi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, 140306, India
| | - Aaditya Narasimhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, 140306, India
| | - Broti Biswas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, 140306, India
| | - Nagaraj Guru Prasad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Mohali, 140306, India
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5
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Abstract
Abstract
Complex sexual signals spanning multiple sensory modalities may be common in nature, yet few studies have explored how combinations of phenotypic traits influence male attractiveness and mating success. Here, we investigate whether combinations of multiple male phenotypic traits (both within and across sensory modalities) predict male mating and fertilization success in the critically endangered southern corroboree frog, Pseudophryne corroboree. We conducted breeding trials in a standardized captive environment where females were given the opportunity to choose between multiple males over the duration of the breeding season. For each male, we measured multiple call traits, aspects of coloration, body size, and age. We found that complex interactions between multiple traits best predicted male mating and fertilization success. In general, males with lower call frequency, lower call rate, and shorter call duration had the highest mating and fertilization success. Fertilization success was additionally linked to male body size and age. These findings suggest that female P. corroboree select mates based on a suite of acoustic traits, adding to a growing body of evidence that females use multiple traits to assess male quality. Our results also suggest that females may combine information from multiple signals non-additively. Moreover, our results imply that females gain direct fertility benefits from their mate choice decisions. We argue that understanding female mate choice based on various signals across multiple sensory modalities has important implications for the integration of mate choice into conservation breeding programs and needs to be considered when developing behavior-based captive breeding strategies.
Significance statement
Sexual signals are often highly complex, yet we know little about how multiple signal components both within and across various sensory modalities predict male mating success. We investigated whether combinations of multiple phenotypic traits (within and across sensory modalities) predicted male breeding success in threatened corroboree frogs. We conducted captive breeding trials in a homogeneous environment, where females could choose between multiple males over the duration of a single breeding season. We found that interactions between multiple male traits predicted mating and fertilization success. Males with lower call frequency, call rate, and duration had higher mating success. Fertilization success was also linked to acoustic signals, body size, and age. Understanding mate choice for multiple traits further elucidates the complexity of female mate choice. This study is one of the first to consider the conservation implications of multimodal signaling in mate choice.
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6
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Male coloration affects female gestation period and timing of fertilization in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261004. [PMID: 34855912 PMCID: PMC8639057 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The trade-up hypothesis is a female behavioral strategy related to mating with multiple males. In this hypothesis, females can produce high-quality offspring while avoiding the risk of losing reproductive opportunities by non-selective mating with males at first mating and then re-mating with more attractive males. As an internal mechanism to realize this behavioral strategy, we predicted that females would immediately fertilize their eggs when they mated with attractive males, whereas females would delay fertilization when they mated with unattractive males to trade-up sires of offspring. The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is an ovoviviparous fish with internal fertilization, and females show a clear mate preference based on the area of orange coloration on the bodies of males. In addition, it is known that females show a re-mating strategy consistent with the trade-up hypothesis. We tested whether the attractiveness of mated males affected the gestation period and the timing of fertilization. Females were paired with either colorful males or drab males, and the gestation periods (the number of days from mating to parturition) were compared. In addition, we dissected the abdomens of the females at intervals of several days after mating and observed whether the eggs were fertilized. The gestation period in females that were paired with attractive colorful males was significantly shorter than that in females that were paired with drab males. We found that females that mated with colorful males also had their eggs fertilized earlier than those that mated with drab males. Our findings show that differences in the timing of fertilization according to attractiveness of the mate increase the opportunity for cryptic female choice and trading up.
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7
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Genetic basis of orange spot formation in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:211. [PMID: 34823475 PMCID: PMC8613973 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01942-2] [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: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To understand the evolutionary significance of female mate choice for colorful male ornamentation, the underlying regulatory mechanisms of such ornamentation must be understood for examining how the ornaments are associated with “male qualities” that increase the fitness or sexual attractiveness of offspring. In the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), an established model system for research on sexual selection, females prefer males possessing larger and more highly saturated orange spots as potential mates. Although previous studies have identified some chromosome regions and genes associated with orange spot formation, the regulation and involvement of these genetic elements in orange spot formation have not been elucidated. In this study, the expression patterns of genes specific to orange spots and certain color developmental stages were investigated using RNA-seq to reveal the genetic basis of orange spot formation. Results Comparing the gene expression levels of male guppy skin with orange spots (orange skin) with those without any color spots (dull skin) from the same individuals identified 1102 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 630 upregulated genes and 472 downregulated genes in the orange skin. Additionally, the gene expression levels of the whole trunk skin were compared among the three developmental stages and 2247 genes were identified as DEGs according to color development. These analyses indicated that secondary differentiation of xanthophores may affect orange spot formation. Conclusions The results suggested that orange spots might be formed by secondary differentiation, rather than de novo generation, of xanthophores, which is induced by Csf1 and thyroid hormone signaling pathways. Furthermore, we suggested candidate genes associated with the areas and saturation levels of orange spots, which are both believed to be important for female mate choice and independently regulated. This study provides insights into the genetic and cellular regulatory mechanisms underlying orange spot formation, which would help to elucidate how these processes are evolutionarily maintained as ornamental traits relevant to sexual selection. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-021-01942-2.
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Tan H, Bertram MG, Martin JM, Ecker TE, Hannington SL, Saaristo M, O'Bryan MK, Wong BBM. The endocrine disruptor 17β-trenbolone alters the relationship between pre- and post-copulatory sexual traits in male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 790:148028. [PMID: 34087738 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
It is now well-established that reproduction in wildlife can be disrupted by anthropogenic environmental changes, such as chemical pollution. However, very little is known about how these pollutants might affect the interplay between pre- and post-copulatory mechanisms of sexual selection. Here, we investigated the impacts of 21-day exposure of male eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) to a field-realistic level (average measured concentration: 11 ng/L) of the endocrine-disrupting chemical 17β-trenbolone (17β-TB) on pre- and post-copulatory reproductive traits. We examined male reproductive behaviour by testing the time spent near a female behind a partition, as well as the number of copulation attempts made, and the time spent chasing a female in a free-swimming context. Sperm traits were also assayed for all males. We found that exposure of male fish to 17β-TB altered the relationship between key pre- and post-copulatory reproductive traits. Furthermore, 17β-TB-exposed males had, on average, a higher percentage of motile sperm, and performed fewer copulation attempts than unexposed males. However, there was no overall effect of 17β-TB exposure on either the time males spent associating with or chasing females. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the potential for chemical pollutants to affect both pre- and post-copulatory sexual traits, and the interplay between these mechanisms of sexual selection in contaminated wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Tan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jake M Martin
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tiarne E Ecker
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; EPA Victoria, Water Sciences, Victoria, Australia
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Reznick DN, Travis J, Pollux BJA, Furness AI. Reproductive Mode and Conflict Shape the Evolution of Male Attributes and Rate of Speciation in the Fish Family Poeciliidae. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.639751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual conflict is caused by differences between the sexes in how fitness is maximized. These differences are shaped by the discrepancy in the investment in gametes, how mates are chosen and how embryos and young are provided for. Fish in the family Poeciliidae vary from completely provisioning eggs before they are fertilized to providing virtually all resources after fertilization via the functional equivalent of a mammalian placenta. This shift in when females provision their young relative to when an egg is fertilized is predicted to cause a fundamental change in when and how sexual conflict is manifested. If eggs are provisioned before fertilization, there should be strong selection for females to choose with whom they mate. Maternal provisioning after fertilization should promote a shift to post-copulatory mate choice. The evolution of maternal provisioning may in turn have cascading effects on the evolution of diverse features of the biology of these fish because of this shift in when mates are chosen. Here we summarize what these consequences are and show that the evolution of maternal provisioning is indeed associated with and appears to govern the evolution of male traits associated with sexual selection. The evolution of placentas and associated conflict does not cause accelerated speciation, contrary to predictions. Accelerated speciation rate is instead correlated with the evolution of male traits associated with sexual selection, which implies a more prominent role of pre-copulatory reproductive isolation in causing speciation in this family.
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10
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Cardozo G, Devigili A, Antonelli P, Pilastro A. Female sperm storage mediates post-copulatory costs and benefits of ejaculate anticipatory plasticity in the guppy. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1294-1305. [PMID: 32614995 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Males of many species evolved the capability of adjusting their ejaculate phenotype in response to social cues to match the expected mating conditions. When females store sperm for a prolonged time, the expected fitness return of plastic adjustments of ejaculate phenotype may depend on the interval between mating and fertilization. Although prolonged female sperm storage (FSS) increases the opportunity for sperm competition, as a consequence of the longer temporal overlap of ejaculates from several males, it may also create variable selective forces on ejaculate phenotype, for example by exposing trade-offs between sperm velocity and sperm survival. We evaluated the relationship between the plasticity of ejaculate quality and FSS in the guppy, Poecilia reticulata, a polyandrous live-bearing fish in which females store sperm for several months and where stored sperm contribute significantly to a male's lifelong reproductive success. In this species, males respond to the perception of future mating opportunities by increasing the quantity (number) and quality (swimming velocity) of ready-to-use sperm (an anticipatory response called 'sperm priming'). Here we investigated (a) the effect of sperm priming on in vitro sperm viability at stripping and its temporal decline (as an estimate of sperm survival), and (b) the in vivo competitive fertilization success in relation to female sperm storage using artificial insemination. As expected, sperm-primed males produced more numerous and faster sperm, but with a reduced in vitro sperm viability at stripping and after 4 hr, compared with their counterparts. Artificial insemination revealed that the small (nonsignificant) advantage of primed sperm when fertilization immediately follows insemination is reversed when eggs are fertilized by female-stored sperm, weeks after insemination. By suggesting a plastic trade-off between sperm velocity and viability, these results demonstrate that prolonged female sperm storage generates divergent selection pressures on ejaculate phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Cardozo
- Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET-UNC and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Relative sexual attractiveness does not influence mate-choice copying in male Trinidadian guppies, Poecilia reticulata. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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12
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Chung MHJ, Jennions MD, Fox RJ. Novel ablation technique shows no sperm priming response by male eastern mosquitofish to cues of female availability. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2779-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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13
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Meniri M, Gohon F, Gning O, Glauser G, Vallat A, Fasel NJ, Helfenstein F. Experimental manipulation of reproductive tactics in Seba's short-tailed bats: consequences on sperm quality and oxidative status. Curr Zool 2019; 65:609-616. [PMID: 31857807 PMCID: PMC6911846 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To reproduce, males have to fertilize the female's eggs, sometimes in competition with ejaculates of other males. In species where males display alternative reproductive tactics, whereby territorial males secure mating and non-territorial males have to sneak copulations, the latter might be expected to invest relatively more resources towards sperm quality compared with the territorial males. Sperm cells are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress, which reduces male fertility. Therefore, antioxidant resources are expected to modulate sperm quality, and might be allocated differently between reproductive tactics. To test the link between reproductive tactics, redox profile and sperm quality, we experimentally induced changes in the reproductive tactics of 39 captive males Seba's short-tailed bats Carollia perspicillata. We monitored the blood and ejaculate oxidative balance, and the sperm quality before, 7 days and 21 days after the manipulation of reproductive tactic. Although ejaculates' oxidative damage was negatively related to sperm velocity, males exhibited similar blood and ejaculates redox profiles and similar sperm quality, regardless of their reproductive tactic. Possibly, these results arise as a consequence of some constraints having been lifted during the experiment. Our results also suggest that, in Seba's short-tailed bats, the expression of alternative reproductive tactics is not subjected to strong oxidative constraints. Furthermore, our results could reflect an absence of trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits in harem males, as they could be selected to invest both in female attraction and sperm quality, as a consequence of their inability to fully monopolize females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Meniri
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Florence Gohon
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ophélie Gning
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Armelle Vallat
- Neuchatel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Fabrice Helfenstein
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecophysiology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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Herdegen-Radwan M. Bolder guppies do not have more mating partners, yet sire more offspring. BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:211. [PMID: 31726971 PMCID: PMC6857137 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1539-4] [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: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intra-individual stable but inter-individually variable behaviours, i.e. personalities, are commonly reported across diverse animal groups, yet the reasons for their maintenance remain controversial. Therefore, studying fitness consequences of personality traits is necessary to discriminate between alternative explanations. RESULTS Here, I measured boldness, a highly repeatable personality trait, and reproductive success in male guppies, Poecilia reticulata. I found that bolder males had higher reproductive success than their shyer conspecifics and they sired offspring with females who had larger clutches. CONCLUSIONS This result provides direct evidence for fitness consequences of boldness in the guppy. It suggests that the effect may be driven by bolder males mating with more fecund females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Herdegen-Radwan
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Faculty of Biology of Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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15
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Effects of condition and sperm competition risk on sperm allocation and storage in neriid flies. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractEjaculate traits can be sexually selected and often exhibit heightened condition-dependence. However, the influence of sperm competition risk in tandem with condition-dependent ejaculate allocation strategies is relatively unstudied. Because ejaculates are costly to produce, high-condition males may be expected to invest more in ejaculates when sperm competition risk is greater. We examined the condition-dependence of ejaculate size by manipulating nutrient concentration in the juvenile (larval) diet of the neriid fly Telostylinus angusticollis. Using a fully factorial design we also examined the effects of perceived sperm competition risk (manipulated by allowing males to mate first or second) on the quantity of ejaculate transferred and stored in the three spermathecae of the female reproductive tract. To differentiate male ejaculates, we fed males nontoxic rhodamine fluorophores (which bind to proteins in the body) prior to mating, labeling their sperm red or green. We found that high-condition males initiated mating more quickly and, when mating second, transferred more ejaculate to both of the female’s posterior spermathecae. This suggests that males allocate ejaculates strategically, with high-condition males elevating their ejaculate investment only when facing sperm competition. More broadly, our findings suggest that ejaculate allocation strategies can incorporate variation in both condition and perceived risk of sperm competition.
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16
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Liu Y, Cheng H, Tiersch TR. The role of alkalinization-induced Ca2+ influx in sperm motility activation of a viviparous fish Redtail Splitfin (Xenotoca eiseni). Biol Reprod 2019; 99:1159-1170. [PMID: 29982498 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms regulating sperm motility activation are generally known in oviparous fishes, but are poorly understood in viviparous species. The mechanism of osmotic-shock induced signaling for oviparous fishes is not suitable for viviparous fishes which activate sperm motility within an isotonic environment. In addition, the presence of sperm bundles in viviparous fishes further complicates study of sperm activation mechanisms. The goal of this study was to establish methodologies to detect intracellular Ca2+ signals from sperm cells within bundles, and to investigate the signaling mechanism of sperm activation of viviparous fish using Redtail Splitfin (Xenotoca eiseni) as a model. Motility was assessed by classification of bundle dissociation and computer-assisted sperm analysis, and intracellular Ca2+ was assessed using the fluorescent probe Fura-2 AM. Bundle dissociation and sperm motility increased with extracellular Ca2+ and pH levels. Intracellular Ca2+ signals were detected from sperm within bundles, and increased significantly with extracellular Ca2+ and pH levels. Major channel blockers known to inhibit Ca2+ influx (NiCl2, ruthenium red, GdCl3, SKF-96365, nimodipine, verapamil, methoxyverapamil, mibefradil, NNC 55-0396, ω-Conotoxin MVIIC, bepridil, and 2-APB) failed to inhibit Ca2+ influx, except for CdCl2, which partially inhibited the influx. We propose a novel mechanism for motility regulation of fish sperm: an alkaline environment in the female reproductive tract opens Ca2+ channels in the sperm plasma membrane without osmotic shock, and the Ca2+ influx functions as a second messenger to activate motor proteins controlling flagella movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Henrique Cheng
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Terrence R Tiersch
- Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center, School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
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17
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Rivas-Torres A, Lorenzo-Carballa MO, Sánchez-Guillén RA, Cordero-Rivera A. Variation in intraspecific sperm translocation behaviour in a damselfly and its consequences for sperm viability. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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18
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Devigili A, Evans JP, Fitzpatrick JL. Predation shapes sperm performance surfaces in guppies. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190869. [PMID: 31238844 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm velocity is a key determinant of competitive fertilization success in many species. Selection is therefore expected to favour the evolution of faster sperm when the level of sperm competition is high. However, several aspects can determine the direction and strength of selection acting on this key performance trait, including ecological factors that influence both sperm competition and the strength of selection acting on correlated traits that may constrain evolutionary responses in sperm velocity. Here, we determine how a key ecological variable, the level of predation, shapes sperm swimming speed across 18 Trinidadian populations of guppies ( Poecilia reticulata). We use performance analysis, a statistical tool akin to the familiar methods of multivariate selection analyses, to determine how the level of predation influences sperm velocity (modelled as a performance trait) when accounting for correlated pre- and postcopulatory traits that are also impacted by predation. We show that predation affects the combination of pre- and postcopulatory traits that ultimately predict sperm performance. Overall, we report evidence for disruptive relationships between sperm performance and combinations of ornaments and sperm morphology, but the specific combinations of traits that predict sperm velocity depended on the level of predation. These analyses underscore the complex nonlinear interrelationships among pre- and postcopulatory traits and the importance of considering ecological factors that may ultimately change the way in which multiple traits interact to determine a trait's performance value. As such, our results are likely to be broadly applicable across systems where selection is influenced by ecological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Devigili
- 1 Department of Zoology, Stockholm University , Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Jonathan P Evans
- 2 Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia , Crawley 6009, Western Australia , Australia
| | - John L Fitzpatrick
- 1 Department of Zoology, Stockholm University , Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm , Sweden
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19
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Macartney EL, Crean AJ, Nakagawa S, Bonduriansky R. Effects of nutrient limitation on sperm and seminal fluid: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1722-1739. [PMID: 31215758 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Theory predicts that costly sexual traits should be reduced when individuals are in poor condition (i.e. traits should exhibit condition-dependent expression). It is therefore widely expected that male ejaculate traits, such as sperm and seminal fluid, will exhibit reduced quantity and quality when dietary nutrients are limited. However, reported patterns of ejaculate condition dependence are highly variable, and there has been no comprehensive synthesis of underlying sources of such variation in condition-dependent responses. In particular, it remains unclear whether all ejaculate traits are equally sensitive to nutrient intake, and whether such traits are particularly sensitive to certain dietary nutrients, respond more strongly to nutrients during specific life stages, or respond more strongly in some taxonomic groups. We systematically reviewed these potential sources of variation through a meta-analysis across 50 species of arthropods and vertebrates (from 71 papers and 348 effect sizes). We found that overall, ejaculate traits are moderately reduced when dietary nutrients are limited, but we also detected substantial variation in responses. Seminal fluid quantity was strongly and consistently condition dependent, while sperm quantity was moderately condition dependent. By contrast, aspects of sperm quality (particularly sperm viability and morphology) were less consistently reduced under nutrient limitation. Ejaculate traits tended to respond in a condition-dependent manner to a wide range of dietary manipulations, especially to caloric and protein restriction. Finally, while all major taxa for which sufficient data exist (i.e. arthropods, mammals, fish) showed condition dependence of ejaculate traits, we detected some taxonomic differences in the life stage that is most sensitive to nutrient limitation, and in the degree of condition dependence of specific ejaculate traits. Together, these biologically relevant factors accounted for nearly 20% of the total variance in ejaculate responses to nutrient limitation. Interestingly, body size showed considerably stronger condition-dependent responses compared to ejaculate traits, suggesting that ejaculate trait expression may be strongly canalised to protect important reproductive functions, or that the cost of producing an ejaculate is relatively low. Taken together, our findings show that condition-dependence of ejaculate traits is taxonomically widespread, but there are also many interesting, biologically relevant sources of variation that require further investigation. In particular, further research is needed to understand the differences in selective pressures that result in differential patterns of ejaculate condition dependence across taxa and ejaculate traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Macartney
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela J Crean
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Russell Bonduriansky
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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20
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Friesen CR, de Graaf SP, Olsson M. The relationship of body condition, superoxide dismutase, and superoxide with sperm performance. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Sperm competition theory predicts a negative correlation between somatic investment and traits that aid in pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection. Sperm performance is critical for postcopulatory success but sperm are susceptible to damage by free radicals such as superoxide radicals generated during mitochondrial respiration (mtSOx). Males can ameliorate damage to spermatozoa by investing in the production of antioxidants, like superoxide dismutase (SOD), which may act as a mechanistic link to pre- and postcopulatory trade-offs. Some male Australian, color-polymorphic painted dragon lizards (Ctenophorus pictus) possess a yellow throat patch (bib) that females prefer over nonbibbed males and are also more likely to win male–male contests indicating that males with bibs may be better at monopolizing females. We tested whether the sperm performance in nonbibbed males was superior to that of bibbed males. We show that overall sperm performance was not different between the bib-morphs, however, higher mtSOx levels were negatively correlated with sperm performance in bibbed males, but not of nonbibbed males. Blood cell mtSOx levels are negatively correlated with SOD activity in the plasma in all males early in the breeding season but SOD was lower in bibbed males. Nonbibbed males maintain a positive correlation between body condition and SOD activity over time while bibbed males do not. Together, these data suggest physiological associations between body condition, SOD activity, and sperm performance are linked to the expression of a yellow gular patch, which may be related to intrinsic differences in the metabolism of bibbed versus nonbibbed males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Friesen
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Ross St. Camperdown, NSW Australia, Australia
| | - Simon P de Graaf
- Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Ross St. Camperdown, NSW Australia, Australia
| | - Mats Olsson
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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21
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Kemp DJ, Batistic FK, Reznick DN. Predictable adaptive trajectories of sexual coloration in the wild: Evidence from replicate experimental guppy populations. Evolution 2018; 72:2462-2477. [PMID: 30055021 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The question of whether populations evolve predictably and consistently under similar selective regimes is fundamental to understanding how adaptation proceeds in the wild. We address this question with a replicated evolution experiment focused upon male sexual coloration in guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Fish were transplanted from a single high predation population in the Guanapo River to four replicate, guppy-free low predation headwater streams. Two streams had their canopies thinned to adjust the setting under which male coloration is displayed and perceived. We assessed evolutionary divergence using second-generation lab-bred offspring of fish sampled four to six years following translocation. A prior experiment of the same design, performed in an adjacent drainage, resulted in the evolution of more extensive orange, black, and iridescent markings. We however found evidence for expansion only in structural coloration (iridescent blue/green), no change in orange, and a reduction in black. This response amplifies earlier findings for Guanapo fish, revealing that trajectories of color elaboration differ among drainages. We also found that color phenotypes evolved more greatly at the thinned-canopy sites. Our findings support the predictability of sexual trait evolution in the wild, and underscore the importance of signaling conditions and ornamental starting points in shaping adaptive trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrell J Kemp
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | | | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California, 92521
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22
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Tomkins P, Saaristo M, Bertram MG, Michelangeli M, Tomkins RB, Wong BBM. An endocrine-disrupting agricultural contaminant impacts sequential female mate choice in fish. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 237:103-110. [PMID: 29477864 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The environmental impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)-compounds that interfere with endocrine system function at minute concentrations-is now well established. In recent years, concern has been mounting over a group of endocrine disruptors known as hormonal growth promotants (HGPs), which are natural and synthetic chemicals used to promote growth in livestock by targeting the endocrine system. One of the most potent compounds to enter the environment as a result of HGP use is 17β-trenbolone, which has repeatedly been detected in aquatic habitats. Although recent research has revealed that 17β-trenbolone can interfere with mechanisms of sexual selection, its potential to impact sequential female mate choice remains unknown, as is true for all EDCs. To address this, we exposed female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to 17β-trenbolone at an environmentally relevant level (average measured concentration: 2 ng/L) for 21 days using a flow-through system. We then compared the response of unexposed and exposed females to sequentially presented stimulus (i.e., unexposed) males that varied in their relative body area of orange pigmentation, as female guppies have a known preference for orange colouration in males. We found that, regardless of male orange pigmentation, both unexposed and exposed females associated with males indiscriminately during their first male encounter. However, during the second male presentation, unexposed females significantly reduced the amount of time they spent associating with low-orange males if they had previously encountered a high-orange male. Conversely, 17β-trenbolone-exposed females associated with males indiscriminately (i.e., regardless of orange colouration) during both their first and second male encounter, and, overall, associated with males significantly less than did unexposed females during both presentations. This is the first study to demonstrate altered sequential female mate choice resulting from exposure to an endocrine disruptor, highlighting the need for a greater understanding of how EDCs may impact complex mechanisms of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Tomkins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biosciences, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Michael G Bertram
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Raymond B Tomkins
- Centre for AgriBioscience, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), Victoria, Australia
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
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23
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Gonçalves BB, Nascimento NF, Santos MP, Bertolini RM, Yasui GS, Giaquinto PC. Low concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide cause complete loss of sperm motility of yellowtail tetra fish Astyanax lacustris. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2018; 92:1218-1224. [PMID: 29488225 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Environmental relevant concentrations of glyphosate-based herbicide as 50 µg l-1 , 300 µg l-1 and 1800 µg l-1 can affect sperm quality of yellowtail tetra fish Astyanax lacustris. Viability of sperm cells was impaired at 300 µg l-1 , a concentration that is within legal limits in U.S.A. waterbodies, while motility was impaired at 50 µg l-1 , which is the more stringent limit set in Brazilian law. Therefore, environment protection agencies must review regulations of glyphosate-based herbicides on water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- B B Gonçalves
- Physiology Department, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP, Campus de Botucatu, Rua Professor Dr. Antonio Celso Wagner Zanin, S/N°. CEP 18618-689, Brazil
| | - N F Nascimento
- National Center of Research and Conservation of Continental Fishes - CEPTA/ICMBIO, Rodovia SP-201 (Pref. Euberto Nemésio Pereira de Godoy), km 65, Caixa Postal 64 CEP 13630970, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - M P Santos
- National Center of Research and Conservation of Continental Fishes - CEPTA/ICMBIO, Rodovia SP-201 (Pref. Euberto Nemésio Pereira de Godoy), km 65, Caixa Postal 64 CEP 13630970, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - R M Bertolini
- National Center of Research and Conservation of Continental Fishes - CEPTA/ICMBIO, Rodovia SP-201 (Pref. Euberto Nemésio Pereira de Godoy), km 65, Caixa Postal 64 CEP 13630970, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - G S Yasui
- National Center of Research and Conservation of Continental Fishes - CEPTA/ICMBIO, Rodovia SP-201 (Pref. Euberto Nemésio Pereira de Godoy), km 65, Caixa Postal 64 CEP 13630970, Pirassununga, Brazil
| | - P C Giaquinto
- Physiology Department, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP, Campus de Botucatu, Rua Professor Dr. Antonio Celso Wagner Zanin, S/N°. CEP 18618-689, Brazil
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24
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Scarponi V, Godin JGJ. Female assessment of male functional fertility during mate choice in a promiscuous fish. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Scarponi
- Department of Biology; Carleton University; Ottawa ON Canada
- Department of Life Sciences; University of Sussex; Brighton UK
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25
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Activation of free sperm and dissociation of sperm bundles (spermatozeugmata) of an endangered viviparous fish, Xenotoca eiseni. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2018; 218:35-45. [PMID: 29371117 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge of sperm motility activation for viviparous fishes has been limited to study of several species in Poeciliidae, and the dissociation of sperm bundles is even less understood. The goal of this study was to use the endangered Redtail Splitfin (Xenotoca eiseni) as a model to investigate the activation of sperm from viviparous fishes by study of free sperm and spermatozeugmata (unencapsulated sperm bundles). The specific objectives were to evaluate the effects of: (1) osmotic pressure and refrigerated storage (4 °C) on activation of free sperm, (2) osmotic pressure, ions, and pH on dissociation of spermatozeugmata, and (3) CaCl2 concentration and pH on sperm membrane integrity. Free sperm were activated in Ca2+-free Hanks' balanced salt solution at 81-516 mOsmol/kg. The highest motility (19 ± 6%) was at 305 mOsmol/kg and swim remained for 84 h. Glucose (300-700 mOsmol/kg), NaCl (50-600 mOsmol/kg), and KCl, MgCl2, and MnCl2 at 5-160 mM activated sperm within spermatozeugmata, but did not dissociate spermatozeugmata. CaCl2 at 5-160 mM dissociated spermatozeugmata within 10 min. Solutions of NaCl-NaOH at pH 11.6 to 12.4 dissociated spermatozeugmata within 1 min. The percentage of viable cells had no significant differences (P = 0.2033) among different concentrations of CaCl2, but it was lower (P < 0.0001) at pH 12.5 than at pH between 7.0 and 12.0. Overall, this study provided a foundation for quality evaluation of sperm and spermatozeugmata from livebearing fishes, and for development of germplasm repositories for imperiled goodeids.
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26
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27
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(Ginny) Greenway E, Balfour VL, Shuker DM. Can females choose to avoid mating failure in the seed bug Lygaeus simulans? Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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28
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Sommer-Trembo C, Plath M, Gismann J, Helfrich C, Bierbach D. Context-dependent female mate choice maintains variation in male sexual activity. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170303. [PMID: 28791157 PMCID: PMC5541552 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The existence of individual variation in males' motivation to mate remains a conundrum as directional selection should favour high mating frequencies. Balancing selection resulting from (context-dependent) female mate choice could contribute to the maintenance of this behavioural polymorphism. In dichotomous choice tests, mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) females preferred virtual males showing intermediate mating frequencies, reflecting females' tendencies to avoid harassment by highly sexually active males. When tested in the presence of a female shoal-which protects females from male harassment-focal females showed significantly stronger preferences for high sexual activity. A trade-off between (indirect) benefits and (direct) costs of mating with sexually active males probably explains context-dependent female mate choice, as costs depend on the social environment in which females choose their mates. No preference was observed when we tested virgin females, suggesting that the behavioural pattern described here is part of the learned behavioural repertoire of G. holbrooki females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Sommer-Trembo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, People's Republic of China
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Jakob Gismann
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Claudia Helfrich
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, J. W. Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - David Bierbach
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
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29
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McDiarmid CS, Friesen CR, Ballen C, Olsson M. Sexual coloration and sperm performance in the Australian painted dragon lizard,
Ctenophorus pictus. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1303-1312. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. S. McDiarmid
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - C. R. Friesen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - C. Ballen
- College of Biological Sciences University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | - M. Olsson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Göteborg University Göteborg Sweden
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30
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Bernáth G, Ittzés I, Szabó Z, Horváth Á, Krejszeff S, Lujić J, Várkonyi L, Urbányi B, Bokor Z. Chilled and post-thaw storage of sperm in different goldfish types. Reprod Domest Anim 2017; 52:680-686. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.12951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G Bernáth
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
| | - I Ittzés
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
- Goldfish farm; Nagykarácsony Hungary
| | - Z Szabó
- Goldfish farm; Nagykarácsony Hungary
| | - Á Horváth
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
| | - S Krejszeff
- Department of Lake and River Fisheries; University of Warmia and Mazury; Olsztyn Poland
| | - J Lujić
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
| | - L Várkonyi
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
| | - B Urbányi
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
| | - Z Bokor
- Department of Aquaculture; Szent István University; Gödöllő Hungary
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31
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Monteiro NM, Carneiro D, Antunes A, Queiroz N, Vieira MN, Jones AG. The lek mating system of the worm pipefish (Nerophis lumbriciformis): a molecular maternity analysis and test of the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis. Mol Ecol 2016; 26:1371-1385. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- N. M. Monteiro
- CIBIO/InBIO; Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; rua Padre Armando Quintas 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
- CEBIMED; Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde; Universidade Fernando Pessoa; rua Carlos da Maia 296 4200-150 Porto Portugal
| | - D. Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO; Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; rua Padre Armando Quintas 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
| | - A. Antunes
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto; rua do Campo Alegre 4169-007 Porto Portugal
- CIIMAR/CIMAR; Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental; Universidade do Porto; Rua dos Bragas, 289 4050-123 Porto Portugal
| | - N. Queiroz
- CIBIO/InBIO; Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; rua Padre Armando Quintas 4485-661 Vairão Portugal
| | - M. N. Vieira
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto; rua do Campo Alegre 4169-007 Porto Portugal
- CIIMAR/CIMAR; Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental; Universidade do Porto; Rua dos Bragas, 289 4050-123 Porto Portugal
| | - A. G. Jones
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; 3258 TAMU College Station TX 77843 USA
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32
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Auld HL, Ramnarine IW, Godin JGJ. Male mate choice in the Trinidadian guppy is influenced by the phenotype of audience sexual rivals. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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33
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Alternative reproductive tactics, sperm mobility and oxidative stress in Carollia perspicillata (Seba’s short-tailed bat). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2251-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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34
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Lehnert SJ, Heath DD, Devlin RH, Pitcher TE. Post-spawning sexual selection in red and white Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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35
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Evans JP, Garcia-Gonzalez F. The total opportunity for sexual selection and the integration of pre- and post-mating episodes of sexual selection in a complex world. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:2338-2361. [PMID: 27520979 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that sexual selection can target reproductive traits during successive pre- and post-mating episodes of selection. A key focus of recent studies has been to understand and quantify how these episodes of sexual selection interact to determine overall variance in reproductive success. In this article, we review empirical developments in this field but also highlight the considerable variability in patterns of pre- and post-mating sexual selection, attributable to variation in patterns of resource acquisition and allocation, ecological and social factors, genotype-by-environment interaction and possible methodological factors that might obscure such patterns. Our aim is to highlight how (co)variances in pre- and post-mating sexually selected traits can be sensitive to changes in a range of ecological and environmental variables. We argue that failure to capture this variation when quantifying the opportunity for sexual selection may lead to erroneous conclusions about the strength, direction or form of sexual selection operating on pre- and post-mating traits. Overall, we advocate for approaches that combine measures of pre- and post-mating selection across contrasting environmental or ecological gradients to better understand the dynamics of sexual selection in polyandrous species. We also discuss some directions for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - F Garcia-Gonzalez
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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36
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Devigili A, Di Nisio A, Grapputo A, Pilastro A. Directional postcopulatory sexual selection is associated with female sperm storage in Trinidadian guppies. Evolution 2016; 70:1829-43. [PMID: 27345870 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2015] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Female sperm storage (FSS) is taxonomically widespread and often associated with intense sperm competition, yet its consequences on postcopulatory sexual selection (PCSS) are poorly known. Theory predicts that FSS will reduce the strength of PCSS, because sperm characteristics favored before and after FSS may be traded-off, and opportunities for nondirectional PCSS should increase. We explored these questions in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), by allowing females to mate multiply and by comparing the paternity pattern in two successive broods. Contrary to predictions, the variance in male fertilization success increased after FSS, driven by a change in male paternity share across broods. This change was positively associated with sperm velocity (measured before FSS) but not with the duration of FSS, indirectly suggesting that faster sperm were better in entering female storage organs, rather than in persisting within them. Other male traits, such as male size and orange color, heterozygosity, and relatedness to the female, did not influence paternity after FSS. These results indicate that processes associated with FSS tend to reinforce the strength of PCSS in guppies, rather than weaken it. Further work is necessary to test whether this pattern changes in case of more prolonged FSS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Di Nisio
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, I-35131, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
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Auge AC, Auld HL, Sherratt TN, Godin JGJ. Do Males Form Social Associations Based on Sexual Attractiveness in a Fission-Fusion Fish Society? PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151243. [PMID: 26986565 PMCID: PMC4795762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent theory predicts that males should choose social environments that maximize their relative attractiveness to females by preferentially associating with less attractive rivals, so as to enhance their mating success. Using the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), a highly social species, we tested for non-random social associations among males in mixed-sex groups based on two phenotypic traits (body length and coloration) that predict relative sexual attractiveness to females and sexual (sperm) competitiveness. Based on a well-replicated laboratory dichotomous-choice test of social group preference, we could not reject the null hypothesis that focal males chose randomly between a mixed-sex group that comprised a female and a rival male that was less sexually attractive than themselves and another mixed-sex group containing a sexually more attractive male. The same conclusion was reached when females were absent from the two groups. As might be expected from these laboratory findings, free-ranging males in the field were not assorted by either body length or colour in mixed-sex shoals. The apparent lack of an evolved and expressed preference in wild male guppies from our study population to form social associations with other males based on their relative sexual attractiveness and competitiveness might be due to the fission-fusion dynamics of guppy shoals in nature. Such social dynamics likely places constraints on the formation of stable phenotype-based social associations among males. This possibility is supported by a simulation model which assumes group departure rules based on relative body size and coloration in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Christine Auge
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Heather L. Auld
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Jean-Guy J. Godin
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Řežucha R, Reichard M. The Association Between Personality Traits, Morphological Traits and Alternative Mating Behaviour in Male Endler's Guppies,Poecilia wingei. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radomil Řežucha
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic; Brno Czech Republic
| | - Martin Reichard
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic; Brno Czech Republic
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Devigili A, Belluomo V, Locatello L, Rasotto MB, Pilastro A. Postcopulatory cost of immune system activation in Poecilia reticulata. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2016.1152305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincenzo Belluomo
- Department of Life Science, Second University of Naples, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Lisa Locatello
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy
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40
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Martínez C, Chavarría C, Sharpe DMT, De León LF. Low Predictability of Colour Polymorphism in Introduced Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) Populations in Panama. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148040. [PMID: 26863538 PMCID: PMC4749237 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Colour polymorphism is a recurrent feature of natural populations, and its maintenance has been studied in a range of taxa in their native ranges. However, less is known about whether (and how) colour polymorphism is maintained when populations are removed from their native environments, as in the case of introduced species. We here address this issue by analyzing variation in colour patterns in recently-discovered introduced populations of the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) in Panama. Specifically, we use classic colour analysis to estimate variation in the number and the relative area of different colour spots across low predation sites in the introduced Panamanian range of the species. We then compare this variation to that found in the native range of the species under low- and high predation regimes. We found aspects of the colour pattern that were both consistent and inconsistent with the classical paradigm of colour evolution in guppies. On one hand, the same colours that dominated in native populations (orange, iridescent and black) were also the most dominant in the introduced populations in Panama. On the other, there were no clear differences between either introduced-low and native low- and high predation populations. Our results are therefore only partially consistent with the traditional role of female preference in the absence of predators, and suggest that additional factors could influence colour patterns when populations are removed from their native environments. Future research on the interaction between female preference and environmental variability (e.g. multifarious selection), could help understand adaptive variation in this widely-introduced species, and the contexts under which variation in adaptive traits parallels (or not) variation in the native range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celestino Martínez
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Carmen Chavarría
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
| | | | - Luis Fernando De León
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Panamá, República de Panamá
- * E-mail:
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41
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Ala-Honkola O, Manier MK. Multiple mechanisms of cryptic female choice act on intraspecific male variation in Drosophila simulans. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2069-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Jeffery AJ, Pham MN, Shackelford TK, Fink B. Does human ejaculate quality relate to phenotypic traits? Am J Hum Biol 2015; 28:318-29. [PMID: 26626022 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A given man's phenotype embodies cues of his ancestral ability to effectively defend himself and his kin from harm, to survive adverse conditions, and to acquire status and mating opportunities. In this review, we explore the hypothesis that a man's phenotype also embodies cues to fertility or the probability that an ejaculate will fertilize ova. Female mate choice depends on the ability to discern the quality of a male reproductive partner through his phenotype, and male fertility may be among the traits that females have evolved to detect. A female who selects as mates males that deliver higher quality ejaculates will, on average, be more fecund than her competitors. Data on several non-human species demonstrate correlations between ejaculate quality and secondary sexual characteristics that inform female mate choice, suggesting that females may select mates in part on the basis of fertility. While the non-human literature on this topic has advanced, the human literature remains limited in scope and there is no clear consensus on appropriate methodologies or theoretical positions. We provide a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of this literature, and conclude by proposing solutions to the many issues that impede progress in the field. In the process, we hope to encourage interest and insight from investigators in other areas of human mating and reproductive biology. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:318-329, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael N Pham
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, 48307
| | - Todd K Shackelford
- Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, 48307
| | - Bernhard Fink
- Institute of Psychology and Courant Research Center Evolution of Social Behavior, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Scarponi V, Chowdhury D, Godin JGJ. Male Mating History Influences Female Mate Choice in the Trinidadian Guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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44
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Devigili A, Evans JP, Di Nisio A, Pilastro A. Multivariate selection drives concordant patterns of pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection in a livebearing fish. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8291. [PMID: 26369735 PMCID: PMC4579849 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In many species, females mate with multiple partners, meaning that sexual selection on male traits operates across a spectrum that encompasses the competition for mates (that is, before mating) and fertilizations (after mating). Despite being inextricably linked, pre- and postcopulatory sexual selection are typically studied independently, and we know almost nothing about how sexual selection operates across this divide. Here we bridge this knowledge gap using the livebearing fish Poecilia reticulata. We show that both selective episodes, as well as their covariance, explain a significant component of variance in male reproductive fitness. Moreover, linear and nonlinear selection simultaneously act on pre- and postcopulatory traits, and interact to generate multiple phenotypes with similar fitness. In species in which females mate with multiple partners, sexual selection acts on male traits involved in mating and fertilization. Here, the authors show that selection acting before and after mating explains a significant component of variance in male reproductive fitness in a livebearing fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Jonathan P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Western Australia, 6009 Crawley, Australia
| | - Andrea Di Nisio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padua, Italy
| | - Andrea Pilastro
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padua, Italy
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45
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Jones SD, Wallman JF, Byrne PG. Do male secondary sexual characters correlate with testis size and sperm length in the small hairy maggot blowfly? ZOOLOGY 2015; 118:439-45. [PMID: 26297128 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 06/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis proposes that secondary sexual characters (SSCs) advertise a male's fertility to prospective mates. However, findings from empirical studies attempting to test this hypothesis are often ambivalent or even contradictory, and few studies have simultaneously evaluated how both morphological and behavioural SSCs relate to ejaculate characteristics. Males of the small hairy maggot blowfly, Chrysomya varipes, possess conspicuous foreleg ornaments and display highly stereotyped courtship behaviour. These traits are favoured by females during pre-copulatory mate choice, but it remains unknown whether they correlate with post-copulatory traits expected to influence male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate whether male courtship and ornamentation correlate with testis size and sperm length in C. varipes. We found that males investing more in courtship had bigger testes, and males with more extensive foreleg ornamentation released sperm with longer tails. Based on the assumption that larger testes enable males to produce more sperm, and that sperm with longer tails have greater propulsive force, our findings suggest that more vigorous and more ornamented males may be more fertile. These findings lend support to the phenotype-linked fertility hypothesis. However, a complete test of this hypothesis will require evaluating whether testis size and sperm length influence male fertilisation ability, as well as female fecundity and/or fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie D Jones
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.
| | - James F Wallman
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Phillip G Byrne
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
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46
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Dines JP, Mesnick SL, Ralls K, May-Collado L, Agnarsson I, Dean MD. A trade-off between precopulatory and postcopulatory trait investment in male cetaceans. Evolution 2015; 69:1560-1572. [PMID: 25929734 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mating with multiple partners is common across species, and understanding how individual males secure fertilization in the face of competition remains a fundamental goal of evolutionary biology. Game theory stipulates that males have a fixed budget for reproduction that can lead to a trade-off between investment in precopulatory traits such as body size, armaments, and ornaments, and postcopulatory traits such as testis size and spermatogenic efficiency. Recent theoretical and empirical studies have shown that if males can monopolize access to multiple females, they will invest disproportionately in precopulatory traits and less in postcopulatory traits. Using phylogenetically controlled comparative methods, we demonstrate that across 58 cetacean species with the most prominent sexual dimorphism in size, shape, teeth, tusks, and singing invest significantly less in relative testes mass. In support of theoretical predictions, these species tend to show evidence of male contests, suggesting there is opportunity for winners to monopolize access to multiple females. Our approach provides a robust dataset with which to make predictions about male mating strategies for the many cetacean species for which adequate behavioral observations do not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Dines
- Mammalogy, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, 90007.,Integrative and Evolutionary Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 90089
| | - Sarah L Mesnick
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Katherine Ralls
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20008
| | - Laura May-Collado
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, 109 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, Vermont, 05405
| | - Ingi Agnarsson
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, 109 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, Vermont, 05405
| | - Matthew D Dean
- Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, 90089
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47
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Devigili A, Doldán-Martelli V, Pilastro A. Exploring simultaneous allocation to mating effort, sperm production, and body growth in male guppies. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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48
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Do male Trinidadian guppies adjust their alternative mating tactics in the presence of a rival male audience? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-1933-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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49
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Evans JP, Rahman MM, Gasparini C. Genotype-by-environment interactions underlie the expression of pre- and post-copulatory sexually selected traits in guppies. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:959-72. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. P. Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Animal Biology (M092); Crawley WA Australia
| | - M. M. Rahman
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Animal Biology (M092); Crawley WA Australia
| | - C. Gasparini
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Animal Biology (M092); Crawley WA Australia
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50
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Cole GL, Endler JA. Variable environmental effects on a multicomponent sexually selected trait. Am Nat 2015; 185:452-68. [PMID: 25811082 DOI: 10.1086/680022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Multicomponent signals are made up of interacting elements that generate a functional signaling unit. The interactions between signal components and their effects on individual fitness are not well understood, and the effect of environment is even less so. It is usually assumed that color patterns appear the same in all light environments and that the effects of each color are additive. Using guppies, Poecilia reticulata, we investigated the effect of water color on the interactions between components of sexually selected male coloration. Through behavioral mate choice trials in four different water colors, we estimated the attractiveness of male color patterns, using multivariate fitness estimates and overall signal contrast. Our results show that females exhibit preferences that favor groups of colors rather than individual colors independently and that each environment favors different color combinations. We found that these effects are consistent with female guppies selecting entire color patterns on the basis of overall visual contrast. This suggests that both individuals and populations inhabiting different light environments will be subject to divergent, multivariate selection. Although the appearance of color patterns changes with light environment, achromatic components change little, suggesting that these could function in species recognition or other aspects of communication that must work across environments. Consequently, we predict different phylogenetic patterns between chromatic and achromatic signals within the same clades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma L Cole
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds 3216, Victoria, Australia
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