Sexual selection and its evolutionary consequences in female animals

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 94(3), P. 929 - 956

Published: Nov. 28, 2018

ABSTRACT For sexual selection to act on a given sex, there must exist variation in the reproductive success of that sex as result differential access mates or fertilisations. The mechanisms and consequences acting male animals are well documented, but research females has only recently received attention. Controversy still exists over whether acts traditional sense, modify existing definition (to include resource competition) invoke alternative (usually social selection) explain connection with reproduction. However, substantial evidence bearing characters exhibiting behaviours analogous those attributed males. Here we summarise literature provide female intrasexual competition for mates, intersexual signalling potential postcopulatory such between eggs sperm cryptic allocation. Our review makes clear males similar ways sometimes differing extents: ceiling elaboration costly traits may be lower than We predict current future will increasing support parsimony utility selection.

Language: Английский

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Sperm form and function: what do we know about the role of sexual selection?

Reproduction, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 155(5), P. R229 - R243

Published: Feb. 20, 2018

Sperm morphological variation has attracted considerable interest and generated a wealth of predominantly descriptive studies over the past three centuries. Yet, apart from biophysical linking sperm morphology to swimming velocity, surprisingly little is known about adaptive significance form selective processes underlying its tremendous diversification throughout animal kingdom. Here, we first discuss challenges examining in an evolutionary context why our understanding it far complete. Then, review empirical evidence for how sexual selection theory applies evolution function, including putative secondary traits borne by sperm.

Language: Английский

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Ovarian fluid allows directional cryptic female choice despite external fertilization

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: Aug. 16, 2016

Abstract In species with internal fertilization, females can favour certain males over others, not only before mating but also within the female’s reproductive tract after mating. Here, we ask whether such directional post-mating (that is, cryptic) female mate choice occur in external fertilization. Using an vitro sperm competition experiment, demonstrate that ovarian fluid (ovarian fluid) changes outcome of by decreasing importance number thereby increasing relative velocity. We further show does differentially affect from alternative male phenotypes, generally enhances velocity, motility, straightness and chemoattraction. Under natural conditions, likely increases paternity preferred parental phenotype, as these release fewer faster sperm. These results imply have greater control fertilization potential to exert selection on than previously thought possible.

Language: Английский

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Sexual Conflict, Facultative Asexuality, and the True Paradox of Sex

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 32(9), P. 646 - 652

Published: June 23, 2017

Language: Английский

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Gamete-mediated mate choice: towards a more inclusive view of sexual selection

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 285(1883), P. 20180836 - 20180836

Published: July 18, 2018

‘Sperm competition’—where ejaculates from two or more males compete for fertilization—and ‘cryptic female choice’—where females bias this contest to suit their reproductive interests—are now part of the everyday lexicon sexual selection. Yet physiological processes that underlie these post-ejaculatory episodes selection remain largely enigmatic. In review, we focus on a range cellular- and molecular-level processes, known be fundamental fertilization across most (if not all) sexually reproducing species, point putative role in facilitating at level cells gametes, called ‘gamete-mediated mate choice’ (GMMC). way, collate accumulated evidence GMMC different mating systems, emphasize evolutionary significance such non-random interactions among gametes. Our overall aim review is build inclusive view by showing choice often acts nuanced ways than has traditionally been assumed. We also bridge conceptual divide between proximal mechanisms reproduction, adaptive explanations patterns sperm–egg are emerging an increasingly diverse array taxa.

Language: Английский

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Conceptual developments in sperm competition: a very brief synopsis

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 375(1813), P. 20200061 - 20200061

Published: Oct. 18, 2020

The past half century has seen the development of field post-ejaculatory sexual selection, sequel to selection for mate-acquisition (pre-ejaculatory) described by Darwin. In richness and diversity adaptations, rivals that pre-ejaculatory selection. Anisogamy—and hence two sexes—likely arose primeval gamete competition, sperm competition remains a major force maintaining high numbers. equivalent male–male matings, was an intense ancestral form typically weakening as mobility internal fertilization developed in many taxa, when some expenditure became diverted into competition. Sperm theory been relatively successful explaining variation relative testes size numbers per ejaculate is becoming more phenotype. generated other male adaptations such seminal fluid proteins variously modify female reproduction towards interests, copulatory plugs, prolonged copulations guarding behaviour reduce remating probability, which result conflict. This short survey conceptual developments intended broad overview, mainly primer new researchers. article part theme issue ‘Fifty years competition'.

Language: Английский

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Chemically moderated gamete preferences predict offspring fitness in a broadcast spawning invertebrate

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 281(1784), P. 20140148 - 20140148

Published: April 16, 2014

Sperm chemoattraction, where sperm locate unfertilized eggs by following a concentration gradient of egg-derived chemoattractants, has been widely documented across numerous taxa. While marine invertebrates are favoured models for understanding the underlying mechanisms evolutionary forces underpinning process remain enigmatic. Here, we show that in mussels ( Mytilus galloprovincialis ), chemically moderated gamete preferences promote assortative fertilizations between genetically compatible gametes. When offered choice egg clutches from two females, exhibited consistent but differential ‘preferences’ chemical cues secreted conspecific eggs. Critically, our data reveal shown during egg-choice trials highly predictive early embryonic viability when and same individuals mixed standard (no-choice) fertilization assays. Moreover, demonstrate experimentally separating chemoattractants eggs, swimming behaviour is differentially regulated these changes with observed patterns preferences, larval survival. Together, this integrated series experiments reveals fine-tuned to respond signals emitted different choices have measurable fitness benefits.

Language: Английский

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Ovarian fluid and its impacts on spermatozoa performance in fish: A review

Theriogenology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 132, P. 144 - 152

Published: April 4, 2019

Language: Английский

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Post‐ejaculatory modifications to sperm (PEMS)

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 95(2), P. 365 - 392

Published: Nov. 18, 2019

ABSTRACT Mammalian sperm must spend a minimum period of time within female reproductive tract to achieve the capacity fertilize oocytes. This phenomenon, termed ‘capacitation’, was discovered nearly seven decades ago and opened window into complexities sperm–female interaction. Capacitation is most commonly used refer specific combination processes that are believed be widespread in mammals includes modifications plasma membrane, elevation intracellular cyclic AMP levels, induction protein tyrosine phosphorylation, increased Ca 2+ hyperactivation motility, and, eventually, acrosome reaction. only one example post‐ejaculatory (PEMS) throughout animal kingdom. Although PEMS less well studied non‐mammalian taxa, they likely represent rule rather than exception species with internal fertilization. These diverse form collectively outcome selection fashioning complex maturational trajectories include multiple, sequential phenotypes specialized for stage‐specific functionality female. In many cases, critical migrate successfully through tract, survive protracted storage, reach site fertilization and/or eggs. We predict will exhibit phenotypic plasticity mediated by interactions. The successful execution thus has important implications variation fitness operation post‐copulatory sexual selection. Furthermore, it may provide mechanism isolation maintenance boundaries. Despite their possible ubiquity importance, investigation been largely descriptive, lacking any phylogenetic consideration regard divergence, there have no theoretical or empirical investigations evolutionary significance. Here, we ( i ) clarify PEMS‐related nomenclature; ii address origin, divergence context life history complex, selective environment tract; iii describe taxonomically types PEMS: activation, chemotaxis dissociation conjugates; iv review occurence kingdom; v consider alternative hypotheses adaptive value PEMS; vi speculate on genomic architecture, selection, isolation; vii suggest fruitful directions future functional analyses PEMS.

Language: Английский

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The role of female reproductive fluid in sperm competition

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 375(1813), P. 20200077 - 20200077

Published: Oct. 18, 2020

The role of non-gametic components the ejaculate (seminal fluid) in fertility and sperm competitiveness is now well established. Surprisingly, however, we know far less about female reproductive fluid (FRF) context sexual selection, insights into male–FRF interactions competition have only recently emerged. Despite this limited knowledge, evidence from taxonomically diverse species has revealed effects FRF on traits that previously been implicated studies competition. Specifically, through differential a range traits, including chemoattraction alterations velocity, shown to exert positive phenotypic males are preferred as mating partners, or those most compatible genetically males. these tantalizing putative sexually selected functions FRF, largely lack mechanistic understanding processes. Taken together, presented here highlights likely ubiquity FRF-regulated biases fertilization success across taxa, thus potentially elevating importance other so studied This article part theme issue ‘Fifty years competition'.

Language: Английский

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