The role of scent marks in female choice of territories and refuges in a lizard (Podarcis hispanica).

2011 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pau Carazo ◽  
Enrique Font ◽  
Ester Desfilis
Keyword(s):  
Female Choice ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
Podarcis Hispanica

scholarly journals Differences in Chemical Sexual Signals May Promote Reproductive Isolation and Cryptic Speciation between Iberian Wall Lizard Populations

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Gabirot ◽  
Pilar López ◽  
José Martín
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Tongue Flick ◽  
Cryptic Speciation ◽  
Sexual Signals ◽  
Central Spain ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Podarcis Hispanica ◽  
Femoral Gland Secretions

Interpopulational variation in sexual signals may lead to premating reproductive isolation and speciation. Genetic and morphological studies suggest that the Iberian wall lizard, Podarcis hispanica, forms part of a “species complex” with several cryptic species. We explored the role of chemical sexual signals in interpopulational recognition between five distinct populations of Iberian wall lizards in Central Spain. Results showed that these populations differed in morphology and in composition and proportion of chemical compounds in femoral gland secretions of males. Tongue-flick experiments indicated that male and female lizards discriminated and were more interested in scents of lizards from their own area (i.e., Northern versus Southern populations), but did not discriminate between all populations. Moreover, only males from the populations that are geographically located more far away preferred scent of females from their own population. These data suggest that, at least between some populations, there may be reproductive isolation mediated by chemical signals and cryptic speciation.

scholarly journals The Role of Visual Ornamentation in Female Choice of a Multimodal Male Courtship Display

Ethology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1062-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen A. Hebets ◽  
K. Cuasay ◽  
P. K. Rivlin
Keyword(s):  
Female Choice ◽  
Male Courtship ◽  
Courtship Display

scholarly journals Effects of ovarian fluid on sperm traits and its implications for cryptic female choice in zebrafish

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1298-1305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Poli ◽  
Simone Immler ◽  
Clelia Gasparini
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Female Choice ◽  
Swimming Performance ◽  
Fertilization Success ◽  
Cryptic Female Choice ◽  
Ovarian Fluid ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Substantial Control

AbstractIn polyandrous mating systems, females maintain the opportunity to bias male fertilization success after mating in a process known as cryptic female choice. Mechanisms of cryptic female choice have been described both in internal and external fertilizers, and may affect fertilization processes at different stages before, during, and after fertilization. In internal fertilizers, females have substantial control over sperm storage and fertilization, whereas in external fertilizers, female control is limited. A key factor proposed to mediate cryptic female choice is the fluid surrounding the eggs, the ovarian fluid, as it may directly affect sperm performance. Here, we studied the role of ovarian fluid in post-mating sexual selection using the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Firstly, we assessed how ovarian fluid affects sperm swimming performance compared with freshwater. We focused on sperm motility, velocity, swimming trajectory, and longevity, all traits associated with competitive fertilization success in externally fertilizing fish. In a second step, we used a North Carolina II design to explore female, male, and female x male effects by testing sperm motility of 2 males in the ovarian fluid of 2 females in a total of 11 blocks. Our results indicate that the ovarian fluid affects sperm performance differently from freshwater. Specifically, sperm velocity, motility, and longevity were higher in the ovarian fluid than in freshwater, whereas sperm linearity and beat cross frequency showed the opposite pattern. Moreover, these effects varied according to male, female, and male x female identities, supporting the potential for cryptic female choice mediated by ovarian fluid in this species.

scholarly journals Sperm competition when transfer is dangerous

2020 ◽  
Vol 375 (1813) ◽  
pp. 20200073
Author(s):  
Cristina Tuni ◽  
Jutta Schneider ◽  
Gabriele Uhl ◽  
Marie E. Herberstein
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Female Choice ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Theme Issue ◽  
Sperm Activation ◽  
Proximate Mechanisms ◽  
Mating Order ◽  
Seminal Fluids ◽  
Sperm Depletion

Aggressive and cannibalistic female spiders can impose strong selection on male mating and fertilization strategies. Furthermore, the distinctive reproductive morphology of spiders is predicted to influence the outcome of sperm competition. Polyandry is common in spiders, leading to defensive male strategies that include guarding, plugging and self-sacrifice. Paternity patterns are highly variable and unlikely to be determined solely by mating order, but rather by relative copulation duration, deployment of plugs and cryptic female choice. The ability to strategically allocate sperm is limited, either by the need to refill pedipalps periodically or owing to permanent sperm depletion after mating. Further insights now rely on unravelling several proximate mechanisms such as the process of sperm activation and the role of seminal fluids. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fifty years of sperm competition’.

Beyond ‘nasty neighbours’ and ‘dear enemies’? Individual recognition by scent marks in a lizard (Podarcis hispanica)

2008 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 1953-1963 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Carazo ◽  
E. Font ◽  
E. Desfilis
Keyword(s):  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
Podarcis Hispanica

Role of Male-Male Interactions and Female Choice in the Mating System of the Desert Tortoise, Gopherus agassizii

1994 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hope A. Niblick ◽  
David C. Rostal ◽  
Thomas Classen
Keyword(s):  
Mating System ◽  
Female Choice ◽  
Gopherus Agassizii ◽  
Desert Tortoise

Movement patterns of male common voles (Microtus arvalis) in a network of Y junctions: role of distant visual cues and scent marks

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 2228-2238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Dobly
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Spatial Representations ◽  
Microtus Arvalis ◽  
Scent Marks ◽  
General Direction ◽  
Common Voles ◽  
Initial Exploration

Common voles (Microtus arvalis) use networks of runways around their burrows, which are dug in meadows. Their orientation among such networks could be based on rigid "egocentred" routes (possibly through the use of olfactory "trails") or on more general, "allocentred" spatial representations (with distant visual cues). In this 5-day study, male voles should reach food in the centre of a maze of three-way (Y) junctions offering similar local views but surrounded by distant visual cues. I tested whether the animals navigated using olfactory trails, implying one main direct foraging route, or allocentered representations, allowing flexibility among equivalent routes. Males quickly marked their environment, preferentially at the periphery, where they moved the most. However, during most direct trips between the nest and the food, they used one of the central shortest routes, which included the least scent-marked zones. Moreover, the voles preferred different shortest routes to go to the food and return from it, showing a bias in favour of the side where the distant goal (food or nest) was situated. This suggests that male common voles base their choices on the general direction of their goal rather than on trails. Finally, there was no major difference in initial exploration between a clean and a scent-marked maze.

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