scholarly journals Hierarchical Selection Theory and Sex Ratios. II. On Applying the Theory, and a Test with Fig Wasps

Evolution ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Frank
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Hierarchical Selection

Factors Influencing Realized Sex Ratios in Fig Wasps: Double Oviposition and Larval Mortalities

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salah Ghana ◽  
Nazia Suleman ◽  
Stephen G. Compton
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Factors Influencing

Evolutionary stable sex ratios with non‐facultative male‐eggs first sex allocation in fig wasps

Oikos ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 128 (6) ◽  
pp. 859-868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nico Chung ◽  
Jason Pienaar ◽  
Jaco M. Greeff
Keyword(s):  
Sex Allocation ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
First Sex

scholarly journals Pollinating fig wasps’ simple solutions to complex sex ratio problems: a review

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaco M. Greeff ◽  
Finn Kjellberg
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Conditional Response ◽  
Wasp Species ◽  
Simple Strategy ◽  
Passive Response ◽  
Single Foundress ◽  
Mating Opportunities ◽  
Female Bias

AbstractLocal mate competition (LMC) favours female biased clutch sex ratios because it reduces competition between brothers and provides extra mating opportunities for sons. Fig wasps seem to fit LMC model assumptions and lay female-biased sex ratios as predicted. These female biased sex ratios increase fitness greatly. In line with predictions, their sex ratios become less female-biased as the number of mothers laying in the same fig increases. However, this variation results in comparatively small fitness benefits compared to just biased ratios and data suggest substantial mismatches with LMC theory. The mismatches are due to several factors. (1) Multiple foundresses typically lay too many daughters. (2) Single foundress sex ratios are explained by sequential oviposition and ladies-last models. (3) Mortality that typically exceeds 10% may decouple the link between primary sex ratios, the focus of model predictions, and secondary sex ratios of adult wasps that are counted by researchers. (4) Model assumptions are frequently violated: (a) clutch sizes are unequal, (b) oviposition may not be simultaneous (c) cryptic/multiple wasp species inhabit the same host, (d) foundress numbers are systematically undercounted, (e) inbreeding coefficient calculations are inaccurate, and (f) male wasps sometimes disperse. These data and calculations suggest that alternative explanations must be considered seriously. Substantial data show that wasps typically lay most of their male eggs first followed by mostly female eggs require a new approach. These “slope” strategies result in more accurate sex ratios that are automatically adjusted to foundress number, own and relative clutch sizes and to sequential clutches. This effect will alter sex ratios in all species once the egg capacity of a fig is crossed or when interference reduces clutch sizes. In addition to this passive response, the females of about half the studied species have a conditional response that reduces female bias under higher foundress numbers by laying more sons. Therefore, wasps seem to use a very simple strategy that increases their fitness. Natural selection could have optimized parameters of the slope strategy and possibly the existence of the slope strategy itself. Variation in the slope strategy that is the result of natural selection is adaptive. Research should therefore focus on quantifying variables of this slope strategy. Currently, it is unclear how much of the variation is adaptive as opposed to being coincidental by-products. Graphical Abstract

Sequential oviposition and optimal sex ratios in pollinating fig wasps

1996 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
JACO M. GREEFF ◽  
STEPHEN G. COMPTON
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps

scholarly journals Conditional Manipulation of Sex Ratios by Ant Workers: A Test of Kin Selection Theory

Science ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 274 (5289) ◽  
pp. 993-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liselotte Sundström ◽  
Michel Chapuisat ◽  
Laurent Keller
Keyword(s):  
Kin Selection ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Selection Theory

scholarly journals Effect of local mate competition on fig wasp sex ratios

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (2b) ◽  
pp. 603-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. S. Pereira ◽  
A. P. Prado
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Local Mate Competition ◽  
Mate Competition ◽  
Fig Wasp ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Brood Sex Ratio ◽  
Local Mate ◽  
Female Bias ◽  
The Relationship

In fig wasps, mating takes place among the offspring of one or a few foundress mothers inside the fig from which mated females disperse to found new broods. Under these conditions, related males will compete with each other for mating and several studies have shown female bias in brood sex ratios as a response to Local Mate Competition (LMC). Studying Pegoscapus tonduzi which pollinates Ficus citrifolia in Brazil, we analysed the effect of LMC (number of foundresses) on the sex ratio of the offspring of pollinating wasps. The relationship between the foundress number and brood sex ratio qualitatively followed the theory, however the empirical sex ratio was more female biased than expected from theoretical values. The model for an optimal sex ratio considers that each foundress wasp contributes the same number of eggs to be bred and that the violation of this assumption may explain the lack of adjustment in relation to the theory.

scholarly journals Non-quantitative adjustment of offspring sex ratios in pollinating fig wasps

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui-Wu Wang ◽  
Bao-Fa Sun ◽  
Jun-Zhou He ◽  
Derek W. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Offspring Sex

Fig wasps from the centre of figs have more chances to mate, more offspring and more female-biased offspring sex ratios

2014 ◽  
Vol 98 ◽  
pp. 19-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Qiong Peng ◽  
Yuan Zhang ◽  
Stephen G. Compton ◽  
Da-Rong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Fig Wasps ◽  
Offspring Sex
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