Primary and Secondary Sexual Traits Part1

“The sight of a feather in a peacock's tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!” Sexual selection Types of selection Natural: fecundity, survival guppies Sexual: number of mates Gametic investment Sex differences in gamete investment, production Bateman‟s principle pike cichlid Sexual selection depends on the success of certain individuals over others of the same sex, in relation to the propagation of the species; while natural selection depends on the success of both sexes, at all ages, in relation to the general conditions of life. -- Charles Darwin Generalities from Bateman’s principle Angus Bateman Consequences of Bateman’s principle Males compete for access to females Females choose among males Higher variance in mating success in males satin bowerbird 1 Sexually selected traits Sexually selected traits Gamete production (primary) + gamete delivery (secondary) Primary sexual traits = necessary for reproduction Secondary sexual traits = increase the probability of mating or the number of mates obtained Sceloporus undulatus Sexually selected traits black grouse Expression of secondary sexual traits often mediated by androgens Mechanisms of sexual selection Intrasexual selection („male-male competition‟) Mechanisms of sexual selection Intrasexual selection („male-male competition‟) Selects for traits that aid in combat, territory defense Intersexual selection („female mate choice‟) Intersexual selection („female mate choice‟) Selects for traits that increase attractiveness 2 Mechanisms of sexual selection Consequences of sexual selection Intrasexual selection („male-male competition‟) More likely concordant with natural selection Marine iguanas on the Galápagos Intersexual selection („female mate choice‟) More likely to oppose natural selection Intrasexual selection: precopulatory Males larger than optimal range Intrasexual selection: precopulatory Contest competition = direct interaction Scramble competition = indirect interaction sage grouse Hercules beetle Intrasexual selection: precopulatory Intrasexual selection: precopulatory Males guard females when most receptive Seychelles warbler Seychelles warbler 3 Alternative mating strategies • Males may adopt alternative strategies Alternative mating strategies Three tactics in marine isopods – Satellite or sneaker behavior – Female mimicry • Strategies usually conditional, occasionally genetic One locus, three alleles horseshoe crabs Alternative mating strategies Alternative mating strategies “Resident” (85%) and “satellite” (15%) morphs in ruffs Reproductive success If genetically controlled, what would we predict about the fitness of each genotype? Depends on density of females alpha males Pedigree analysis suggests one gene, two alleles gamma males alpha beta gamma Recently discovered “faeder” morph has enlarged testes Intrasexual competition: postcopulatory Intrasexual competition: postcopulatory Copulatory plugs: (i) sperm storage, (ii) chastity enforcement or (iii) prevention of sperm loss? Male garter snakes avoid mating with females for 48 h – based on plug odor? Thamnophis radix palm civet no sperm in plugs Females often mated 2x per night, 2nd male dislodged plug left by first Suggests sperm loss function Observed Mating Status and Courting Activities of Female Garter Snake Number Courted Number Not Courted T. sirtalis without plug 21 6 T. sirtalis with plug 0 19 4 Sperm competition Sex role reversals Modified penis can remove >90% of previous males‟ sperm black damselfy female male dunnock Fertility window results in sex role reversal in topi Birds lack morphological sophistication of insects Sex-role reversals in birds Wilson’s phalarope black coucal Sex-role reversals and sexual selection Even in clade with apparently reversed sex roles, does sexual selection act more strongly on females? • Males rarely sing • Males provide all care for young • Females larger Frequency Parameter Length Mass Color index Unmated females 33.80 mm 0.29 g 3.3 Gulf pipefish males females 0 Intensity of sexual selection Mated females 38.10 mm 0.4 g 5 1 2 3 Number of mates 4 Intensity of sexual selection Mating success = number of matings Reproductive success = number of offspring What did Bateman predict about the relationship between mating success and reproductive success for males and females? Drosophila melanogaster Reproductive success broad nosed pipefish Sexual selection or “Bateman‟s” gradient Mating success 5