Abstract
Mate choice is an important process in sexual selection and usually prevents inbreeding depression in populations. In the terrestrial isopod Armadillidium vulgare, the close physical proximity between individuals may increase the risk of reproducing with siblings. Moreover, individuals of this species can be infected with the feminizing bacteria of Wolbachia, which influence male mate choice. However, little is known about the kinship or familiarity assessment of the selected partner that occurs when a male can choose between females with or without Wolbachia. To investigate the potential mechanisms leading to mate choice and the potential impact of the parasite, we performed behavioral choice tests on males where they could choose between sibling vs. nonsibling females, familiar vs. unfamiliar females, and sibling familiar vs. unfamiliar nonsibling females. To investigate the costs of inbreeding, we compared the reproductive success of both sibling and nonsibling mates. Our results revealed that male copulation attempts were higher for familiar females and for nonsibling females when both females were Wolbachia-infected, but the duration was longer when both females were Wolbachia-free. When males mated with a sibling female, their fecundity was severely decreased, consistent with inbreeding depression. Overall, we observed copulations with all types of females and demonstrated discrimination capacities and potential preferences. We highlight the complexity of the tradeoff between kinship, familiarity and parasite transmission assessment for mate choice.
Highlights
Mate choice is defined as an individual preference for members of the opposite sex, and according to evolutionary theory, such choice evolves by sexual selection [1]
To obtain females infected by a feminizing Wolbachia strain, part of the collected females were infected by Wolbachia in the laboratory [42], and bacteria were naturally maternally transmitted to the generation
Our results revealed that males were attracted to all females and showed preferences in only a few cases
Summary
Mate choice is defined as an individual preference for members of the opposite sex, and according to evolutionary theory, such choice evolves by sexual selection [1]. Mate choice is an important process as the genetic compatibility between sexual partners affects offspring viability and the maintenance of the population through evolution. Many studies have shown that reproduction involving individuals with similar genotypes leads to an increase in homozygous deleterious mutations, which in turn induces a lower adaptability to changing environments and a decline in individual fitness. This effect is generally referred to as “inbreeding depression” [2, 3].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
