Sexual selection, phenotypic plasticity and female reproductive output

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 374(1768), P. 20180184 - 20180184

Published: Jan. 28, 2019

In a rapidly changing environment, does sexual selection on males elevate population's reproductive output? If so, phenotypic plasticity enhance or diminish any such effect? We outline two routes by which can influence the output of population: genetic correlation between male competitiveness and female lifetime success; direct effects females' breeding success. then discuss how sexually selected traits and/or responses (e.g. in mate choice), as environment changes, might affects output. Two key points emerge. First, condition-dependent expression makes it likely that increases fitness if reproductively successful disproportionately transfer genes are under natural both sexes, for foraging efficiency. Condition-dependence is form some variation net resource acquisition assimilation attributable to rather than solely origin. Second, optimal allocation resources into different depends their marginal gains. As condition improves, this therefore increase or, though rarely highlighted, actually decrease traits. It crucial understand determines vary immediate ornaments versus coercive behaviour). addition, changes distribution among shifts could reduce variance certain traits, thereby reducing strength imposed females. Studies adaptive evolution rapid environmental change should consider possibility even elevates fitness, have negative effect output, increasing risk population extinction. This article part theme issue ‘The role adaptation change’.

Language: Английский

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Males that drop a sexually selected weapon grow larger testes

Evolution, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 72(1), P. 113 - 122

Published: Nov. 20, 2017

Costly sexually selected weapons are predicted to trade off with postcopulatory traits, such as testes. Although can be important for achieving access females, individuals of some species permanently drop (i.e. autotomize) their weapons, without regeneration, escape danger. We capitalized on this natural behavior experimentally address whether the loss a weapon leads increased testes investment in leaf-footed cactus bug, Narnia femorata Stål (Hemiptera: Coreidae). In second experiment, we measured offspring production males that lost during development. As predicted, dropped hind limb development grew significantly larger than control treatments. Hind-limb autotomy did not result enlargement other nearby traits. Our results first demonstrate compensate by investing more experiment found females paired had 40% lower egg hatching success intact males, perhaps because mating receptivity limb. Importantly, those cases where viable were produced, missing produced 42% limbs. These suggest hind-limb can, cases, lead greater fertilization success.

Language: Английский

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A general model of biological signals, from cues to handicaps

Evolution Letters, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 2(3), P. 201 - 209

Published: May 25, 2018

Organisms sometimes appear to use extravagant traits, or "handicaps", signal their quality an interested receiver. Before they were used as signals, many of these traits might have been selected increase with individual for reasons apart from conveying information, allowing receivers the "cues" quality. However, current theory does not explain when and why cues become exaggerated into costly handicaps. We address this here, using a game-theoretic model adaptive signalling. Our predicts that: (1) signals will honestly reflect signaler whenever there is positive relationship between signalling trait's naturally selected, non-informational optimum; (2) slope determine amount exaggeration, more exaggeration favored shallow. A shallow means that lower male would pay only small fitness cost same trait value higher male, drives high-quality signalers are distinguish themselves. reveals simple potentially widespread mechanism ensuring honesty natural continuum strategies, cost-free

Language: Английский

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Female status, food security, and stature sexual dimorphism: Testing mate choice as a mechanism in human self‐domestication

American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 167(3), P. 458 - 469

Published: Aug. 29, 2018

Humans exhibit multiple anatomical and behavioral signatures of domestication syndrome, leading evolutionary-minded scholars to suggest Homo sapiens is a "self-domesticated" species. We examined one three mechanisms proposed explain human self-domestication-that is, intersexual selection against reactive aggression. hypothesized that this process has been, at least in part, caused by context-dependent female preferences for less-aggressive males. predicted societies where women have higher social status will show relatively elevated signs self-domestication-as indicated lower stature sexual dimorphism (SSD)-and relationship should be mediated food security.To test our prediction, we used male data 28 from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. applied multivariate regression examine hypothesis while controlling theoretically important confounders.We found convincing support prediction between SSD security. As predicted, was associated with less effect stronger when resources are secure.Context-dependent mate choices significantly contribute SSD, suggesting choice likely played an influential role self-domestication. Future research on theme benefit including more expected symptoms self-domestication examining other potential drivers process.

Language: Английский

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Why the long face? Static allometry in the sexually dimorphic phenotypes of Neotropical electric fishes

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 186(3), P. 633 - 649

Published: Nov. 16, 2018

Abstract The evolution of sexually dimorphic traits is thought to have marked effects on underlying patterns static allometry. These can negatively affect organismal survivability by creating trade-offs between trait size and performance. Here we use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics study the allometry two species electric fishes (Apteronotus rostratus Compsaraia samueli) in which mature males grow elongate jaws used agonistic male–male interactions. We also estimate jaw-closing performance sexes both track changes kinematic transmission associated with development sexual weaponry. find significantly different species, exhibiting more positive allometric slopes relative females. a negative relationship skull shape mandibular C. samueli, suggesting trade-off where longer faces exhibit lower mechanical advantages, weaker jaw leverage. In contrast, females A. no difference advantage facial elongation.

Language: Английский

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Muscle mass drives cost in sexually selected arthropod weapons

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 286(1905), P. 20191063 - 20191063

Published: June 26, 2019

Sexually selected weapons often function as honest signals of fighting ability. If poor-quality individuals produce high-quality weapons, then receivers should focus on other, more reliable signals. Cost is one way to maintain signal integrity. The costs tend increase with relative weapon size, and thereby restrict large who can them. Weapon cost, however, appears be unpredictably variable both within across taxa, the mechanisms underlying this variation remain unclear. We suggest in cost may result from composition—specifically, differences amount muscle mass directly associated weapon. test idea by measuring metabolic sexually seven arthropod species relating these measures mass. show that relatively muscles have disproportionately high resting rates provide evidence trend driven Overall, our results partially explained morphology integrity maintained increased

Language: Английский

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Multivariate Intra-Sexual Selection on Men’s Perceptions of Male Facial Morphology

Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 6(2), P. 143 - 169

Published: March 17, 2020

Language: Английский

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Positive allometry of sexually selected traits: Do metabolic maintenance costs play an important role?

BioEssays, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 43(6)

Published: May 5, 2021

Abstract Sexual selection drives the evolution of some most exaggerated traits in nature. Studies on sexual often focus size these relative to body size, but few energetic maintenance costs tissues that compose them, and ways which vary with size. The relationships between energy use have consequences may allow large individuals invest disproportionally more sexually selected structures, or lead reduced per‐gram cost enlarged structures. Although can incur costs, are not universally high; they dependent mass metabolic activity associated them. Energetic play a pervasive yet little‐explored role shaping scaling across diverse taxa. Also see video abstract here: https://youtu.be/JyuoQIeA33Q

Language: Английский

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Variation in allometry along the weapon-signal continuum

Evolutionary Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 36(4), P. 591 - 604

Published: Feb. 24, 2022

Language: Английский

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Chronobiology as compensation: can biological rhythms compensate for sexual signals?

Frontiers in Ethology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 3

Published: Jan. 7, 2025

Conspicuous sexual signals come with costs and benefits. Such increase reproductive success but may also reduce survival or viability. It has recently been suggested that non-signal traits alleviate some of those (termed “compensatory traits”). In this perspective piece, we argue biological rhythms should be considered in the milieu compensatory traits, as they can natural selection burden signaling. This particularly true for many are ephemeral (i.e., only periodically present like a courtship dance). Biological (e.g., circadian circannual rhythms) ubiquitous nature help organisms perform right activity at time—this includes timing traits. Timing itself may, fact, such signals. Here, review governed by discuss how signal modality type (ornament, weapon, dominance trait) account differences chronobiology act trait. We then consider biologists might examine untested role trait set forth compelling questions future work.

Language: Английский

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