Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion DOI Creative Commons
Yuki Kondo, Masanori Kohda, Satoshi Awata

et al.

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

In animals where males engage in multiple matings, sperm depletion can substantially reduce the reproductive success of both sexes. However, little is known about how successive matings affect depletion, fertilization rates and mating behaviour. Here, we investigated this phenomenon under laboratory conditions. Medaka ( Oryzias latipes ), an externally fertilizing fish, ideal model to test predictions because there are established methods observe its count sperm. mated with females (19 per day, on average; range, 4–27), experiencing significant release declining markedly after first few reaching only 0.5–6.3% by last day. Fertilization decreased, particularly approximately 10 consecutive although was some recovery next-day’s matings. The decline courtship effort duration probably resulted from becoming increasingly fatigued. Despite reduced availability, did not adjust their clutch size as a counterstrategy. These results suggest substantial costs for potential sexual conflict owing limited availability. For species frequent mating, these findings highlight need reconsider strategies impact selection.

Language: Английский

Male medaka continue to mate with females despite sperm depletion DOI Creative Commons
Yuki Kondo, Masanori Kohda, Satoshi Awata

et al.

Royal Society Open Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

In animals where males engage in multiple matings, sperm depletion can substantially reduce the reproductive success of both sexes. However, little is known about how successive matings affect depletion, fertilization rates and mating behaviour. Here, we investigated this phenomenon under laboratory conditions. Medaka ( Oryzias latipes ), an externally fertilizing fish, ideal model to test predictions because there are established methods observe its count sperm. mated with females (19 per day, on average; range, 4–27), experiencing significant release declining markedly after first few reaching only 0.5–6.3% by last day. Fertilization decreased, particularly approximately 10 consecutive although was some recovery next-day’s matings. The decline courtship effort duration probably resulted from becoming increasingly fatigued. Despite reduced availability, did not adjust their clutch size as a counterstrategy. These results suggest substantial costs for potential sexual conflict owing limited availability. For species frequent mating, these findings highlight need reconsider strategies impact selection.

Language: Английский

Citations

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