Multiple mating by females is not dependent on body size in the salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus

1996 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara Shillington ◽  
Paul Verrell
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Mating Frequency ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Multiple Partners ◽  
Plethodontid Salamander ◽  
The Face ◽  
Desmognathus Ochrophaeus

AbstractMale mate choice for particular "classes" of females may be devalued if chosen females are more likely to mate with multiple partners (thus precipitating sperm competition). Larger females carry greater numbers of eggs available for fertilization in the plethodontid salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus, and are chosen by males in simultaneous mate-choice tests. We found no difference in mating frequency between 12 large females and 12 smaller females across 576 male-female encounters. Given limited published data on patterns of sperm utilization in this salamander, we conclude that male choice of more fecund partners may be advantageous even in the face of multiple mating by females and resultant sperm competition. Studies of natural populations of salamanders are required to confirm this conclusion.

scholarly journals Comparing the performance of analytical techniques for genetic parentage of half-sib progeny arrays

2009 ◽  
Vol 91 (5) ◽  
pp. 313-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
DEAN A. CROSHAW ◽  
MAUREEN B. PETERS ◽  
TRAVIS C. GLENN
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Probability Model ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Multiple Paternity ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Bayesian Probability ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Analytical Approaches

SummaryThe prevalence of female multiple mating in natural populations is important for many questions in mating system evolution. Several statistical techniques use genetic data to estimate the number of fathers that contribute gametes to broods, but they have not been widely compared to assess the magnitude of differences in their performance. With a combination of new data and reanalysis of previously published data, we compared five analytical approaches: (1) allele-counting, (2) parental reconstruction in GERUD, (3) a Bayesian probability model to estimate the frequency of multiple mating (FMM), (4) computer simulations based on population allele frequencies in HAPLOTYPES and (5) Bayesian parental reconstruction in PARENTAGE. The results show that choice of analysis technique can significantly affect estimates of sire number. Estimates from GERUD conformed exactly to results obtained from strict exclusion of potential sires in an experimental context. However, estimates yielded by HAPLOTYPES and PARENTAGE sometimes exceeded the numbers from GERUD by as much as 120 and 55%, respectively. We recommend GERUD over these other approaches for most purposes because of its accuracy and consistency in this analysis. Our novel genetic data set allowed us to investigate the extent and frequency of multiple paternity in a marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) population in South Carolina, USA. A. opacum contrasted with other salamander species by having relatively low levels of multiple paternity (only 31–54% compared with 71–96%). Although A. opacum had the lowest level of multiple paternity under all analytical approaches used here, the magnitude of differences among species varied.

BIOSYSTEMATICS OF THE GENUS EUXOA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE): X. INCIDENCE AND LEVEL OF MULTIPLE MATING IN NATURAL AND LABORATORY POPULATIONS

1978 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Byers
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Species Differences ◽  
Multiple Mating ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Mating Frequency ◽  
Frequency Data ◽  
Laboratory Rearing ◽  
Laboratory Populations ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Lepidoptera Noctuidae

AbstractIn most species of Euxoa a high proportion of the females mate more than once. The mean number of matings per mated female in natural populations of 13 species ranged from 1.65 to 10.86. Mating frequency data for laboratory populations of three of these species indicate that laboratory rearing and confinement does not significantly alter the incidence and level of multiple mating. The propensity for multiple mating is species characteristic although the observed level in samples from the field can vary significantly depending on the age structure of the populations sampled and probably also on other parameters of populations or environmental factors. Since species differences in the tendency for multiple mating are probably manifestations of different reproductive strategies some of the possible advantages of this behavior are discussed.

Sex (Similarities and) Differences in Friendship Jealousy

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaimie Krems ◽  
Keelah Williams ◽  
Laureon Allison Watson ◽  
Douglas Kenrick ◽  
Athena Aktipis
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Architecture ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Best Friends ◽  
Adaptive Challenges ◽  
The Face ◽  
Initial Support ◽  
Fitness Benefits ◽  
Material Benefits

Friendships provide material benefits, bolster health, and may help solve adaptive challenges. However, a recurrent obstacle to sustaining those friendships—and thus enjoying many friendship-mediated fitness benefits—is interference from other people. Friendship jealousy may be well-designed for helping both men and women meet the recurrent, adaptive challenge of retaining friends in the face of such third-party interference. Although we thus expect several sex similarities in the general cognitive architecture of friendship jealousy (e.g., it is attuned to friend value), there are also sex differences in friendship structures and historical functions, which might influence the inputs of friendship jealousy (e.g., the value of any one friendship). If so, we should also expect some sex differences in friendship jealousy. Findings from a reanalysis of previously-published data and a new experiment, including both U.S. student and adult community participants (N = 993), provide initial support for three predicted sex differences: women (versus men) report greater friendship jealousy at the prospective loss of best friends to others, men (versus women) report greater friendship jealousy at the prospective loss of acquaintances to others, and men’s (but not women’s) friendship jealousy is enhanced in the context of intergroup contests.

Update on the Boundaries of the Curly Birch Range

2020 ◽  
pp. 9-21
Author(s):  
L.V. Vetchinnikova ◽  
◽  
A.F. Titov ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Population Approach ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
History Of ◽  
Individual Trees ◽  
Karelian Birch

The article reports on the application of the best known principles for mapping natural populations of curly (Karelian) birch Betula pendula Roth var. carelica (Mercklin) Hämet-Ahti – one of the most appealing representatives of the forest tree flora. Relying on the synthesis and analysis of the published data amassed over nearly 100 years and the data from own full-scale studies done in the past few decades almost throughout the area where curly birch has grown naturally, it is concluded that its range outlined in the middle of the 20th century and since then hardly revised is outdated. The key factors and reasons necessitating its revision are specified. Herewith it is suggested that the range is delineated using the population approach, and the key element will be the critical population size below which the population is no longer viable in the long term. This approach implies that the boundaries of the taxon range depend on the boundaries of local populations (rather than the locations of individual trees or small clumps of trees), the size of which should not be lower than the critical value, which is supposed to be around 100–500 trees for curly birch. A schematic map of the curly birch range delineated using this approach is provided. We specially address the problem of determining the minimum population size to secure genetic diversity maintenance. The advantages of the population approach to delineating the distribution range of curly birch with regard to its biological features are highlighted. The authors argue that it enables a more accurate delineation of the range; shows the natural evolutionary history of the taxon (although it is not yet officially recognized as a species) and its range; can be relatively easily updated (e.g. depending on the scope of reintroduction); should be taken into account when working on the strategy of conservation and other actions designed to maintain and regenerate this unique representative of the forest tree flora.

scholarly journals Gamete-mediated mate choice: towards a more inclusive view of sexual selection

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1883) ◽  
pp. 20180836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jukka Kekäläinen ◽  
Jonathan P. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Mate Choice ◽  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Female Choice ◽  
Mating Systems ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Random Interactions ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
The Everyday

‘Sperm competition’—where ejaculates from two or more males compete for fertilization—and ‘cryptic female choice’—where females bias this contest to suit their reproductive interests—are now part of the everyday lexicon of sexual selection. Yet the physiological processes that underlie these post-ejaculatory episodes of sexual selection remain largely enigmatic. In this review, we focus on a range of post-ejaculatory cellular- and molecular-level processes, known to be fundamental for fertilization across most (if not all) sexually reproducing species, and point to their putative role in facilitating sexual selection at the level of the cells and gametes, called ‘gamete-mediated mate choice’ (GMMC). In this way, we collate accumulated evidence for GMMC across different mating systems, and emphasize the evolutionary significance of such non-random interactions among gametes. Our overall aim in this review is to build a more inclusive view of sexual selection by showing that mate choice often acts in more nuanced ways than has traditionally been assumed. We also aim to bridge the conceptual divide between proximal mechanisms of reproduction, and adaptive explanations for patterns of non-random sperm–egg interactions that are emerging across an increasingly diverse array of taxa.

Relative testis size and mating systems in anurans: large testis in multiple-male mating in foam-nesting frogs

2011 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen Bo Liao ◽  
Zhi Ping Mi ◽  
Cai Quan Zhou ◽  
Ling Jin ◽  
Xian Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Competition ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Testis Size ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Large Testis ◽  
Testes Size ◽  
Testis Mass

AbstractComparative studies of the relative testes size in animals show that promiscuous species have relatively larger testes than monogamous species. Sperm competition favours the evolution of larger ejaculates in many animals – they give bigger testes. In the view, we presented data on relative testis mass for 17 Chinese species including 3 polyandrous species. We analyzed relative testis mass within the Chinese data set and combining those data with published data sets on Japanese and African frogs. We found that polyandrous foam nesting species have relatively large testes, suggesting that sperm competition was an important factor affecting the evolution of relative testes size. For 4 polyandrous species testes mass is positively correlated with intensity (males/mating) but not with risk (frequency of polyandrous matings) of sperm competition.

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