University:
Amherst College
Course:
BIOL 281 | Animal Behavior with Lab
Academic year:

2023
Views:

257

Pages:

23
Author:

Brennen Smith

Mate choice Mate choice sage grouse Males less so Boa spp. Rana spp. Females generally more discriminating sockeye salmon On what basis are mates chosen? Direct benefits Indirect benefits Direct benefits: protection rattlebox moth Rattlebox moth feeding off rattlebox plant, obtaining alkaloids Newly protected female moth being rejected by spider Male moth transfers alkaloids to female Direct benefits: food hanging-fly Increase duration of courtship Female dance flies trick males into giving up nuptial gifts Direct benefits: food Chimpanzees sometimes hunt for meat “Meat for sex” hypothesis Direct benefits: spermatophores Mormon cricket tiger salamander Some attached to females scorpion Some deposited on substrate Direct benefits: spermatophores spermatophylax sperm Direct benefits: sexual cannibalism praying mantis redback spider Why do they do this? Mycoplasma conjunctivitis Hamilton and Zuk: females should mate with males with traits that predict parasite/pathogen resistance Marlene Zuk Bill Hamilton Plumage redness is inversely related Mycoplasma bacterial infection in house finches Direct and indirect benefits: parasites avoidance Satin bowerbird coloration is honest indicator of parasite load Direct and indirect benefits: parasites avoidance 9 8 7 Nest area (ln) • Males sometimes responsible for nest construction, parental care • Female choice based on benefits to offspring 10 6 5 4 Betta splendens 3 2 1 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 Duration of male displays toward female sedge warbler 300 350 Females prefer caring males Sand goby 16 of 22 females chose “low oxygen” male peacocks Experimental Control widowbirds Elongated Control Shortened Number of matings Change in number of matings Preference for extreme traits Preference for extreme traits Preference exists even if trait is novel black-throated and zebra finches Preference for symmetrical traits Fluctuating asymmetry = chance differences in paired structures scissor-tailed flycatcher stalk-eyed fly Preference for symmetrical traits S-S S-L S-S S-L A-L A-L A-S A-S A-L S-S A-S Female preference S-L three-spined stickleback Conclusion? Symmetry more important than size length symmetry Indirect benefits: good genes Why choose extreme or symmetrical traits? Good genes hypothesis Indirect benefits: Fisherian (“runaway”) selection ♂ ♀ Trait unrelated to male quality Trait passed to sons, preference for daughters R.A. Fisher Related idea: “sexy son” hypothesis Good genes vs. Fisherian selection Hypotheses not mutually exclusive Good genes (and Fisherian selection?) in population of peacocks Good genes vs. Fisherian selection aa Aa AA If preferred trait is genetic, runs quickly to fixation How do you explain natural variation in trait? Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis Females prefer males resistant to parasite A Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis Population vulnerable to invasion by parasite B Females now prefer males resistant to B

Bio 281 2011 Lecture 15 - Mate choice

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