Sexual Conflict Theory: Concepts and Empirical Tests

The study of sexually antagonistic (SA) traits remains largely limited to dioecious (separate sex), mobile animals. However, the occurrence of sexual conflict is restricted neither by breeding system (the mode of sexual reproduction, e.g. dioecy or hermaphroditism) nor by sessility. Here, we synthesize how variation in breeding system can affect the evolution and expression of intra- and inter-locus sexual conflicts in plants and animals. We predict that, in hermaphrodites, SA traits will (i) display lower levels of polymorphism; (ii) respond more quickly to selection; and (iii) involve unique forms of interlocus conflict over sex allocation, mating roles and selfing rates. Explicit modelling and empirical tests in a broader range of breeding systems are necessary to obtain a general understanding of the evolution of SA traits.

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Sexual Conflict Theory

The International Encyclopedia of Anthropology ◽

10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1886 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Patricia Adair Gowaty

Keyword(s):

Sexual Conflict ◽

Conflict Theory

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Male genes with nowhere to hide; sexual conflict in haplodiploids

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075509x12499949744225 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 59 (4) ◽

pp. 403-415 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Ken Kraaijeveld

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Genomic Imprinting ◽

Sexual Conflict ◽

Empirical Data ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Conflict Theory ◽

Male And Female ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

Dominance Interactions

AbstractConflicts of interest between male and females over reproduction and gene expression are thought to be widespread among animals. However, most research on sexual conflict focuses on diploid, bisexual organisms. It is not obvious that the role of sexual conflict is the same in diploids as in organisms with different reprodutive systems. Here, I consider the potential for evolutionary change through sexual conflict in haplodiploids. As very little sexual conflict theory has been developed specifically for haplodiploids, I rely on the analogy between haplodiploid reproduction and X-chromosomal inheritance. The main conclusions are that the opportunity for between-locus sexual conflict should be the same for haplodiploids as for diploids, provided that the sexually antagonistic alleles involved are sex-limited from when they first appear. Empirical data testing this hypothesis are almost non-existent. The dynamics of within-locus sexual conflict are likely to differ strongly between haplodiploid and autosomal diploid genes depending on the dominance interactions between male and female alleles. In general, it is expected that this type of conflict will often be resolved in favour of females in haplodiploids. A number of factors, such as genomic imprinting and lack of recombination between male and female genomes may prevent this outcome.

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A role for sexual conflict in the evolution of reproductive traits in Nasonia wasps?

Animal Biology ◽

10.1163/157075509x12499949744261 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 59 (4) ◽

pp. 417-434 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Leo Beukeboom ◽

Bart Pannebakker ◽

Sylvia Gerritsma ◽

Elzemiek Geuverink

Keyword(s):

Sexual Conflict ◽

Sex Allocation ◽

Species Differences ◽

Reproductive Traits ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Conflict Theory ◽

Mating Frequency ◽

Mating Rate ◽

Heterospecific Male ◽

Female Lifespan

AbstractSexual conflict theory predicts that female and male reproductive traits coevolve resulting in disruption of reproductive behaviour upon mating of individuals from diverged populations. We used interfertile species of haplodiploid Nasonia wasps to compare re-mating frequency, longevity, oviposition rate and sperm use of conspecifically and heterospecifically mated females. Females that first mated with a heterospecific male re-mated more often a second time, indicating that conspecific males reduce female receptivity more. Mating did not affect female lifespan. Lifetime production of sons and daughters was significantly reduced in heterospecifically mated females. Dissection of females confirmed that heterospecific sperm survives equally well as conspecific sperm during storage in the spermatheca. Differences in daily fecundity and age at which females become sperm depleted could in part be explained by species differences in ovariole numbers. We conclude that sexual conflict may play a role in the evolution of female mating rate, fecundity and sex allocation in Nasonia.

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