scholarly journals The role of male age, sperm age and mating history on fecundity and fertilization success in the hide beetle

2004 ◽  
Vol 271 (1545) ◽  
pp. 1311-1318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therésa M. Jones ◽  
Mark A. Elgar
Keyword(s):  
Fertilization Success ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Mating History

scholarly journals Paternal effects correlate with female reproductive stimulation in the polyandrous ladybirdCheilomenes sexmaculata

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Mirhosseini ◽  
J.P. Michaud ◽  
M.A. Jalali ◽  
M. Ziaaddini
Keyword(s):  
Female Reproduction ◽  
Paternal Effects ◽  
Female Fecundity ◽  
Adult Weight ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Mating History ◽  
Epigenetic Effects ◽  
Seminal Fluids ◽  
Egg Fertility ◽  
Male Factors

AbstractComponents of male seminal fluids are known to stimulate fecundity and fertility in females of numerous insect species and paternal effects on offspring phenotype are also known, but no studies have yet demonstrated links between male effects on female reproduction and those on progeny phenotype. In separate laboratory experiments employing 10-day-old virgin females ofCheilomenes sexmaculata(F.), we varied male age and mating history to manipulate levels of male allomones and found that the magnitude of paternal effects on progeny phenotype was correlated with stimulation of female reproduction. Older virgin males remained in copula longer than younger ones, induced higher levels of female fecundity, and sired progeny that developed faster to yield heavier adults. When male age was held constant (13 days), egg fertility declined as a function of previous male copulations, progeny developmental times increased, and the adult weight of daughters declined. These results suggest that male epigenetic effects on progeny phenotype act in concert with female reproductive stimulation; both categories of effects increased as a consequence of male celibacy (factor accumulation), and diminished as a function of previous matings (factor depletion). Male factors that influence female reproduction are implicated in sexual conflict and parental effects may extend this conflict to offspring phenotype. Whereas mothers control the timing of oviposition events and can use maternal effects to tailor progeny phenotypes to prevailing or anticipated conditions, fathers cannot. Since females remate and dilute paternity in polyandrous systems, paternal fitness will be increased by linking paternal effects to female fecundity stimulation, so that more benefits accrue to the male's own progeny.

scholarly journals The effects of male age, sperm age and mating history on ejaculate senescence

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1267-1279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Vega‐Trejo ◽  
Rebecca J. Fox ◽  
Maider Iglesias‐Carrasco ◽  
Megan L. Head ◽  
Michael D. Jennions
Keyword(s):  
Male Age ◽  
Mating History

Influence of density and major histocompatibility genotype on sexual selection in a salmonid alternative mating strategy

2012 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 670-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. Weir ◽  
Jeffrey A. Hutchings ◽  
Daniel D. Heath
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Salmo Salar ◽  
Fertilization Success ◽  
Mating Strategy ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Salmonid Fishes ◽  
Major Histocompatibility ◽  
Main Determinant ◽  
Alternative Mating Strategy

Various mechanisms of sexual selection can occur at both the whole organism and gamete levels. Fertilization success in salmonid fishes is largely determined by behavioural competition within and between “fighter” and “sneaker” male strategies, but is also influenced by interactions among gametes. We investigated the influence of density, fighter male presence, and major histocompatibility (MH) genotype on patterns of fertilization success in sneaker Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ). At low density and in the absence of fighter males, monopolization by single sneaker males occurred, suggesting that male–male competition was the main determinant of fertilization success. By contrast, at high density and (or) in the presence of fighter males, several sneakers succeeded in fertilizing eggs. Our study, the first to investigate the role of MH-mediated fertilization for a genetically based alternative male mating strategy, suggests that a larger proportion of eggs were fertilized by sneakers whose MH genotypes were more similar to those of the female than expected by chance. These findings highlight the importance of examining sexual selection under different competitive conditions.

scholarly journals Effects of age and feeding history on structure-based UV ornaments of a jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae)

2006 ◽  
Vol 274 (1609) ◽  
pp. 569-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew L.M Lim ◽  
Daiqin Li
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Food Deprivation ◽  
Spectral Intensity ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Jumping Spider ◽  
Structural Coloration ◽  
Spectral Reflection ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Uv Coloration

Recent studies have shown for birds that females sometimes choose mates on the basis of condition-dependent variation in ultraviolet (UV, less than 400 nm) ornamentation, but there have been few comparable studies on invertebrates. Yet many invertebrates have UV structural coloration. Here, we investigate Cosmophasis umbratica , a jumping spider (Araneae: Salticidae) that has sexually dimorphic UV-iridescent ornamentation, and we provide evidence that male UV coloration is condition dependent in this species. Spectral-reflection patterns change with male age and prior feeding history. The position of the UV band (i.e. UV hue) of the carapaces of younger (field-collected as subadults and matured as adults in laboratory) males shifted, relative to older (field-collected as adults) males, significantly towards longer wavelengths. Food deprivation significantly decreased the spectral intensity of the abdomen, but not the carapace. Questions concerning the mechanisms by which UV ornaments change are highlighted, as are hypotheses concerning the role of condition-dependent UV variation in male–male competition and as a criterion used by females when making mate-choice decisions.

scholarly journals Fertilization ecology of egg coats: physicalversuschemical contributions to fertilization success of free-spawned eggs

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (11) ◽  
pp. 1657-1668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Podolsky
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Hypothesis ◽  
Chemical Constituents ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Fertilization Success ◽  
Target Size ◽  
Jelly Coat ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Sperm Swimming Speed ◽  
Dendraster Excentricus

SUMMARYFree-spawned eggs are typically enclosed within accessory structures that are shed early in development. Most research on the role of these structures in fertilization has focused on chemical constituents and their influence on sperm—egg interaction. Here I test an alternative hypothesis that accessory structures play an important physical role in fertilization by increasing the size and buoyancy of the egg, making it a better target for sperm. In the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus, the jelly coat increases egg target size sixfold. At nonsaturating sperm concentrations,fertilization declined consistently following jelly coat removal by two independent methods. Regression analysis using a standard fertilization kinetics model found that 54-73% of this decline on average was predicted by changes in the rate of sperm—egg collision, resulting from changes in egg target size and density. Sperm swimming speed, a key parameter in the model, did not vary as a function of sperm concentration or exposure to egg-water. The organic cost of jelly is a fraction of that of the ovum,providing an efficient means of extending target size beyond the ovum size that is optimal for larval or juvenile development. These results support the hypothesis that physical attributes of jelly coats can account for a significant portion of their contribution to fertilization, and may help to explain why coats and other accessory structures are often substantially larger than expected from the nature of chemical interactions between egg and sperm.

scholarly journals Separating the effects of male age and past mating effort on paternity success under sperm competition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Upama Aich ◽  
Megan Head ◽  
Rebecca Fox ◽  
Michael D Jennions
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
General Pattern ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Mating Effort ◽  
Reproductive Senescence ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Mating History ◽  
Paternity Success ◽  
Older Males

Older males often perform poorly under post-copulatory sexual selection. It is unclear, however, whether reproductive senescence is due to male age itself or the accumulated costs of the higher lifetime mating effort that is usually associated with male age. To date, very few studies have accounted for male mating history when testing for the effect of male age on sperm traits, and none test how age and past mating history influence paternity success under sperm competition. Here, we experimentally manipulate male mating history to tease apart its effects from that of age on ejaculate traits and paternity in the mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki. We found that old, naive males had more sperm than old, experienced males, while the reverse was true for young males. In contrast, neither male age nor mating history affected sperm velocity. Finally, using artificial insemination to experimentally control the number of sperm per male, we found that old males sired significantly more offspring than young males independent of their mating history. Our results highlight that the general pattern of male reproductive senescence described in many taxa may often be affected by two naturally confounding factors, male mating history and sperm age, rather than male age itself.

Male ageing is negatively associated with the chance of live birth in IVF/ICSI cycles for idiopathic infertility

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 2523-2532 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Horta ◽  
B Vollenhoven ◽  
M Healey ◽  
L Busija ◽  
S Catt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Live Birth ◽  
Oocyte Quality ◽  
Clinical Pregnancy ◽  
Female Age ◽  
Male Age ◽  
Idiopathic Infertility ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Male Ageing

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Is male age associated with the clinical outcomes of IVF/ICSI cycles for idiopathic infertility after adjustment for female age? SUMMARY ANSWER Male ageing is negatively associated with clinical IVF/ICSI outcomes in couples with idiopathic infertility independent of female age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The effect of male age on the outcomes of infertility treatments is controversial and poorly explored. In contrast, fertility is known to decline significantly with female age beyond the mid-30s, and reduced oocyte quality plays an important role. The negative effect of male age on sperm quality is largely associated with an increasing susceptibility to sperm DNA damage. Although increasing maternal age has been linked with poorer oocyte quality, studies on the effect of male age have disregarded the need to control for female age making it difficult to define clearly the role of male age in infertile couples. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This retrospective cohort study analysed 2425 cycles of couples with idiopathic infertility selected from a total of 24 411 IVF/ICSI cycles performed at Monash IVF in Australia between 1992 and 2017. The primary outcome was live birth and secondary outcomes were clinical pregnancy and miscarriage. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Couples with primary/secondary infertility who underwent IVF/ICSI cycles with male partners classified as normozoospermic were selected (inclusion criteria). Couples in which the female partner had endometriosis, tubal factors, polycystic ovarian syndrome, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, poor responders (≤3 mature oocytes retrieved) and couples with more than 15 cumulus oocyte complexes retrieved or who used cryopreserved gametes were excluded. Binary logistic multilevel modelling was used to identify the effect of male age and female age on clinical outcomes after controlling for confounding factors. Male age and female age were examined as continuous and categorical (male age: <40, 40–44, 45–49, 50–54, ≥55; female age:<30, 30–34, 35–39, ≥40) predictors. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE There was a negative effect of male age and female age on live birth as odds ratios (OR) with 95% CI for each additional year of age (OR-male age: 0.96 [0.94–0.98]; OR-female age: 0.90 [0.88–0.93] P < 0.001). Potential interactions with male age such as type of treatment (IVF/ICSI), embryo transfer day (Day 3/Day 5) and female age did not have significant associations with outcomes (P > 0.05). Secondary outcomes showed a significant reduction in the odds of clinical pregnancy (OR-male age: 0.97 [0.96–0.99]; OR-female age: 0.92 [0.89–0.94] P < 0.001) and an increase in the odds of miscarriage with older age: male age (OR: 1.05 [1.01–1.08]; P = 0.002); female age (OR: 1.11 [1.05–1.18]; P < 0.001). Worse outcomes were associated with more cycles (clinical pregnancy-OR: 0.96 [0.93–0.99] P = 0.03; live birth-OR: 0.96 [0.92–0.99] P = 0.023) while more inseminated oocytes were associated with better outcomes (clinical pregnancy-OR: 1.06 [1.03–1.06] P < 0.001; live birth-OR: 1.07 [1.04–1.11] P < 0.001). Analyses for age categories showed a gradual worsening of clinical outcomes with increasing male age, with a significantly worse live birth and clinical pregnancy outcomes in males aged older than 50 years compared to males younger than 40 years (P < 0.05). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This study is limited to the information on confounding factors included. The study may also be limited in its generalizability to a wider population due the strict selection criteria. Age as a category could potentially result in residual confounding due to categorizing a continuous variable. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This study provides information for counselling of couples with idiopathic infertility. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Funded by the Education Program in Reproduction and Development, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University. None of the authors has any conflict of interest to report. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

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