Abstract
BackgroundInferring of parentage in natural populations is important in understanding the mating systems of a species, which have great effects on its genetic structure and evolution. Muricidae, a large group (approximately 1,600 species) of marine gastropods, are poorly investigated in patterns of multiple paternity and sperm competition based on molecular techniques. The veined Rapa whelk, Rapana venosa, a commercially important muricid species with internal fertilization, is an ideal species to study the occurrence and frequency of multiple paternity and to facilitate understanding of their reproductive strategies.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe developed five highly polymorphic microsatellites in R. venosa and applied them to identify multiple paternity in 19 broods (1381 embryos) collected from Dandong, China. Multiple paternity was detected in 17 (89.5%) of 19 broods. The number of sires per brood ranged from 1 to 7 (4.3 on average). Of the 17 multiply sired broods, 16 (94.1%) were significantly skewed from equal paternal contributions, and had a dominant sire which was also dominant in each assayed capsule.ConclusionsOur results indicate that a high level of multiple paternity occurs in the wild population of R. venosa. Similar patterns of multiple paternity in the 2–6 assayed capsules from each brood imply that fertilization events within the body of a female occur mostly (but not entirely) as random draws from a “well-but-not-perfectly blended sperm pool” of her several mates. Strongly skewed distributions of fertilization success among sires also suggest that sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice might be important for post-copulatory paternity biasing in this species.
Highlights
Parentage studies and family reconstructions have become increasingly popular for investigating a range of evolutionary, ecological and behavioral process in natural populations [1]
Our results indicate that a high level of multiple paternity occurs in the wild population of R. venosa
Similar patterns of multiple paternity in the 2–6 assayed capsules from each brood imply that fertilization events within the body of a female occur mostly as random draws from a ‘‘well-but-not-perfectly blended sperm pool’’ of her several mates
Summary
Parentage studies and family reconstructions have become increasingly popular for investigating a range of evolutionary, ecological and behavioral process in natural populations [1]. One or a few matings are sufficient for females to fertilize all eggs and maximize their potential reproductive abilities for one reproductive period, and mating often carries relatively high cost and potential danger, so females are likely to be sexually monogamous [6]. Contrary to this prediction, female multiple mating (polyandry), where females mate with two or more males within a single reproductive season, is a taxonomically widespread phenomenon [5]. The veined Rapa whelk, Rapana venosa, a commercially important muricid species with internal fertilization, is an ideal species to study the occurrence and frequency of multiple paternity and to facilitate understanding of their reproductive strategies
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