Sexual selection and the ascent of women: Mate choice research since Darwin

Science, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 375(6578)

Опубликована: Янв. 20, 2022

Darwin's theory of sexual selection fundamentally changed how we think about sex and evolution. The struggle over mating fertilization is a powerful driver diversification within among species. Contemporaries dismissed conjecture "taste for the beautiful" as favoring particular mates others, but there now overwhelming evidence primary role both male female mate choice in selection. misogyny precluded much analysis "taste"; an increasing focus on mechanisms before, during, after reveals that these often evolve response to pressures have little do with chosen traits. Where traits preferences coevolve, they can so whether fitness effects choosers are positive, neutral, or negative. spectrum preferences, respond social effects, determine influence broader-scale processes like reproductive isolation population responses environmental change.

Язык: Английский

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Chemical communication and its role in sexual selection across Animalia

Communications Biology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 6(1)

Опубликована: Ноя. 20, 2023

Abstract Sexual selection has been studied as a major evolutionary driver of animal diversity for roughly 50 years. Much evidence indicates that competition mates favors elaborate signaling traits. However, this comes primarily from few taxa, leaving sexual salient force across Animalia largely untested. Here, we reviewed the on communication all phyla, classes, and orders with emphasis chemoreception, only sense shared lifeforms. An exhaustive literature review documented chemosensory traits in 10 34 phyla indications an additional 13 phyla. Potential targets include structures processes involved production, delivery, detection chemical signals. Our suggests plays widespread role evolution highlights need research better reflects diversity.

Язык: Английский

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A single gene integrates sex and hormone regulators into sexual attractiveness

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 6(8), С. 1180 - 1190

Опубликована: Июль 4, 2022

Язык: Английский

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The evolution of mating preferences for genetic attractiveness and quality in the presence of sensory bias

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 119(33)

Опубликована: Авг. 8, 2022

The aesthetic preferences of potential mates have driven the evolution a baffling diversity elaborate ornaments. Which fitness benefit—if any—choosers gain from expressing such is controversial, however. Here, we simulate for multiple ornament types (e.g., “Fisherian,” “handicap,” and “indicator” ornaments) that differ in their associations with genes attractiveness other components fitness. We model costs preference expression biologically plausible way, which decouples costly mate search cost-free preferences. Ornaments all evolved our model, but occurrence was far random. Females typically preferred ornaments carried information about male’s quality, defined here as his ability to acquire metabolize resources. Highly salient ornaments, key into preexisting perceptual biases, were also more likely evolve. When males expressed quality-dependent females invested readily locate males. In contrast, genetic benefits associated purely arbitrary insufficient sustain highly search. Arbitrary could nonetheless “piggyback” on mate-search effort favored by other, further show produce attractive male offspring (“sexy sons”) can be important producing high general quality (“good genes”) shaping female preferences, even when are dependent. Our highlights importance driver coevolution.

Язык: Английский

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When less is more: coy display behaviours and the temporal dynamics of animal courtship

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 290(2008)

Опубликована: Окт. 3, 2023

Sexual selection research has been dominated by the notion that mate choice selects for most vigorous displays best reflect quality of courter. However, courtship are often temporally structured, containing different elements with varying degrees intensity and conspicuousness. For example, highly intense movements coupled more subtle components such as static postures or hiding displays. Here, we refer to display traits ‘coy’, they involve withholding information about maximal capabilities. We examine role variation within dynamic displays, discuss three hypotheses evolution coy behaviours. first review threat reduction hypothesis, which points sexual coercion autonomy important facets selection. then suggest in magnitude exploits pre-existing perceptual biases temporal contrast. Lastly, propose may leverage receivers' predispositions filling gaps information—the ‘curiosity bias’. Overall, our goal is draw attention magnitude, advocate possible scenarios regularly occur below performance maxima. Throughout, highlight novel directions empirical theoretical investigations.

Язык: Английский

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X-factors in human disease: impact of gene content and dosage regulation

Human Molecular Genetics, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 30(R2), С. R285 - R295

Опубликована: Авг. 6, 2021

Abstract The gene content of the X and Y chromosomes has dramatically diverged during evolution. ensuing dosage imbalance within genome males females led to unique chromosome-wide regulatory mechanisms with significant sex-specific impacts on X-linked expression. inactivation or silencing most genes one chromosome chosen at random in profoundly affects manifestation diseases, as inherit a single maternal allele, while express paternal alleles mosaic manner. An additional complication is existence that escape thus are ubiquitously expressed from both females. nature expression potential for can vary between individuals, tissues, cell types stages life. Our understanding specialized multilayer epigenetic regulation influence their throughout organism been helped by molecular studies conducted tissue-specific single-cell-specific approaches. In turn, definition events control develop new approaches treatment some disorders. This review focuses peculiarities genetic shaping congenital acquired disorders

Язык: Английский

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Sexual size dimorphism in mammals is associated with changes in the size of gene families related to brain development

Nature Communications, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 15(1)

Опубликована: Июль 24, 2024

In mammals, sexual size dimorphism often reflects the intensity of selection, yet its connection to genomic evolution remains unexplored. Gene family can reflect shifts in relative importance different molecular functions. Here, we investigate associate between brain development gene repertoire using 124 mammalian species. We reveal significant changes associations with dimorphism. High levels correlate an expansion families enriched olfactory sensory perception and a contraction associated functions, many which exhibited particularly high expression human adult brain. These findings suggest relationship intense selection alterations size. insights illustrate complex interplay dimorphism, evolution, their roles function, offering valuable understanding genome evolution.

Язык: Английский

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Song Preference in Female and Juvenile Songbirds: Proximate and Ultimate Questions

Frontiers in Physiology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 13

Опубликована: Апрель 14, 2022

Birdsong has long been a subject of extensive research in the fields ethology as well neuroscience. Neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying song acquisition production male songbirds are particularly studied, mainly because birdsong shares some important features with human speech such critical dependence on vocal learning. However, birdsong, like speech, primarily functions communication signals. The perception recognition should also be investigated to attain deeper understanding nature complex Although relatively less attention paid receivers compared signalers, recent studies female have begun reveal neural basis preference. Moreover, there other preference juvenile birds which suggest possible social context including sensory phase Understanding formation, maintenance, expression, alteration will potentially give insight into humans. To pursue this line research, however, it is necessary understand current methodological challenges defining measuring In addition, consideration ultimate questions can for laboratory researchers designing experiments interpreting results. Here we summarize Tinbergen’s four questions, incorporating results ranging from ethological field latest neuroscience findings. We discuss problems remaining solutions future directions.

Язык: Английский

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Convergent and divergent neural circuit architectures that support acoustic communication

Frontiers in Neural Circuits, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 16

Опубликована: Ноя. 17, 2022

Vocal communication is used across extant vertebrates, evolutionarily ancient, and been maintained, in many lineages. Here I review the neural circuit architectures that support intraspecific acoustic signaling representative anuran, mammalian avian species as well two invertebrates, fruit flies Hawaiian crickets. focus on hindbrain motor control motifs their ties to respiratory circuits, expression of receptors for gonadal steroids motor, sensory, limbic neurons divergent modalities evoke vocal responses. Hindbrain participants are highly conserved, while forebrain have diverged between anurans mammals, songbirds rodents. discuss roles natural sexual selection driving speciation, exaptation elements with ancestral respiration, producing sounds rhythmic features. Recent technical advances whole brain fMRI will enable real time imaging partners, tying auditory perception production.

Язык: Английский

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Diet-derived male sex pheromone compounds affect female choice in a noctuid moth

Scientific Reports, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 13(1)

Опубликована: Ноя. 13, 2023

Sexual signals often function in species recognition and may also guide mate choice within a species. In noctuid moths, both males females exercise choice. Females of the tobacco budworm Chloridea virescens prefer to with larger males, but signal(s) underlying female remain unknown. Male hairpencil volatiles are emitted during close range courtship displays. However, previously identified male volatiles, namely acetate esters, aldehydes, alcohols, fatty acids, not associated Recently, two new compounds were that elicit strong electrophysiological responses antennae: methyl salicylate (MeSA) δ-decalactone. this study, we investigated effect larval diet adult feeding on MeSA δ-decalactone content hairpencils determined whether these involved We found affected hairpencils, Conversely, level δ-decalactone, MeSA: sugar-water increased compared plain water. two-choice assays, mated more had higher amounts less MeSA.

Язык: Английский

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