Genetic Variation in Male Mate Choice for Large Females in Drosophila melanogaster

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Males in many species show courtship and mating preferences for certain females over others when given the choice. One of most common targets male mate choice insects is female body size, with males preferring to court larger, higher‐fecundity investing more resources matings those females. Although this preference well‐documented at level, less known about how varies within whether there standing genetic variation populations. We used hemiclonal analysis fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , test heritable pre‐ postcopulatory components large found additive both forms choice: from different hemiclone lines varied strength their degree which they extended stronger were likely females, was no correlation between choice, suggesting that are under independent control. Genetic may be widespread, potentially impacting fitness sexes adaptive evolution

Language: Английский

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Sexual conflict over mating duration in Drosophila melanogaster

Animal Behaviour, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 123169 - 123169

Published: April 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Cryptic male mate choice for high-quality females reduces male postcopulatory success in future matings

Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 77(6), P. 1396 - 1407

Published: April 19, 2023

Cryptic male mate choice occurs when males differentially allocate resources to females during or after copulation. When are limited, may benefit by strategically allocating more toward higher-quality females. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, for longer and transfer sperm seminal proteins they with larger compared smaller It is unclear, however, whether this increased investment in large has any impact on males' later matings. We mated D. melanogaster sequentially of small body size all possible combinations test cryptic costly subsequent Second matings were shorter their first matings, but there no differences fecundity between second a male. Interestingly, success at defensive competition declined his only mating had been female. This suggests that higher initial reduced postcopulatory carry underappreciated costs could limit reproductive potential.

Language: Английский

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Male size does not affect the strength of male mate choice for high-quality females in Drosophila melanogaster

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 36(9), P. 1255 - 1265

Published: Aug. 3, 2023

Theory predicts that the strength of male mate choice should vary depending on quality when higher-quality males receive greater fitness benefits from being choosy. This pattern extends to differences in body size, with larger often having stronger pre- and post-copulatory preferences than smaller males. We sought determine whether large small differ (or direction) their preference for large, high-fecundity females using fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. measured courtship mating duration show size had no impact choice; all males, regardless equally strong females. To understand selective pressures shaping different sizes, we also associated preferring both Male did not affect received: were successful at females, received same direct showed similar competitive fertilization success These findings provide insight into why was affected by this system. Our study highlights importance evaluating costs across multiple predict occur.

Language: Английский

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Long-sperm precedence and other cryptic female choices inDrosophila melanogaster

Published: April 26, 2024

Females that mate multiply make postmating choices about which sperm fertilize their eggs (cryptic female choice); however, the male characteristics they use to such remain unclear. In this study, we sought understand patterns by evaluating whether Drosophila melanogaster females adjust (second paternity) in response four main factors: genotype, courtship effort, pheromone alteration, and reproductive morphology. Our experiment was replicated across different D. lines, a full factorial design, including manipulation second males were perfumed resemble heterospecific ( yakuba ) males. We found prefer longer sperm—regardless of mating order—in almost all contexts; observed pattern 'long-sperm precedence' is consistent with postcopulatory choice high-fitness traits. Nonetheless, also general preference can be plastically altered effects perfuming treatment; differential between otherwise identical males, therefore solely female-mediated. Furthermore, our finding exercise using diverse criteria suggests possible mechanism for maintenance variation sexually selected

Language: Английский

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Female alternative reproductive tactics: diversity and drivers

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 39(10), P. 937 - 946

Published: July 1, 2024

It is often argued that anisogamy causes alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) to be more common in males than females. We challenge this view by pointing out logical flaws the argument. then review recent work on diversity of female ARTs, listing several understudied types such as solitary versus communal breeding and facultative parthenogenesis. highlight an important difference between male ARTs caused overlooked: tend focus successful fertilization, whereas occur at many stages reproduction form complex networks decision points. propose study correlated a whole better understand their drivers eco-evolutionary dynamics.

Language: Английский

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Genetic variation in male mate choice for large females inDrosophila melanogaster

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 6, 2024

ABSTRACT Males in many species show courtship and mating preferences for certain females over others when given the choice. One of most common targets male mate choice insects is female body size, with males preferring to court larger, higher-fecundity investing more resources matings those females. Although this preference well-documented at level, less known about how varies within whether there standing genetic variation populations. We used hemiclonal analysis fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster , test heritable pre- post-copulatory components large found additive both forms choice: from different hemiclone lines varied strength their degree which they extended stronger were likely females, was no correlation between choice, suggesting that are under independent control. Genetic may be widespread, potentially impacting fitness sexes adaptive evolution

Language: Английский

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On the expression of reproductive plasticity inDrosophila melanogasterfemales in spatial and socially varying environments!

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Dec. 19, 2023

Abstract Individuals often adjust their behaviour based on perception and experiences with the social and/or physical environment. In this study, we examined extent of reproductive plasticity expressed in mating rates, latencies, durations, offspring production female fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster , that encountered different numbers males sized chambers. We found latency length decreased more courting smaller environments matings durations were longer larger chambers presence two males. These results illustrate sensitivity these behavioural phenotypes to changes local environmental conditions.

Language: Английский

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