Abstract
Exclusive paternal care is probably the rarest form of post-zygotic parental investment in nature. In arthropods, this behavior has independently evolved in 15 lineages, including approximately 1500 species. Here, we review the theoretical background for the evolution of parental investment and sex roles, contrasting classical views with the most recent mathematical models. Then, we introduce cases of exclusive paternal care in arthropods and explore empirical information, focusing on the costs and benefits of male egg guarding and the possible role of paternal care in male attractiveness and sex role reversal. Finally, we analyze the possible effects of temperature and rainfall on several ecological aspects that are likely to influence the evolution and maintenance of paternal care, and also derive specific macroecological predictions to be tested in future studies.
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