Abstract
Both close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding may negatively affect direct fitness. Optimal outbreeding theory suggests that females should preferentially mate with distantly related males. (K)in breeding theory suggests that, at similar direct fitness costs of close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding, females should prefer close kin to non-kin. Empirical evidence of plastic female choice for an optimal balance between close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding remains elusive. We tested the combined predictions of optimal outbreeding and (k)in breeding theories in predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis from two origins, Sicily and Greece, which suffer from both close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding depression. In three separate experiments, virgin females were presented binary choices between familiar and unfamiliar brothers, and between familiar/unfamiliar brothers and distant kin or non-kin. Females of Greece but not Sicily preferred unfamiliar to familiar brothers. Females of both origins preferred distant kin to unfamiliar and familiar brothers but preferred unfamiliar brothers to non-kin. Females of Sicily but not Greece preferred familiar brothers to non-kin. The suggested kin recognition mechanisms are phenotype matching and direct familiarity, with finer-tuned recognition abilities of Greece females. Overall, our experiments suggest that flexible mate choice by P. persimilis females allows optimally balancing inclusive fitness trade-offs.
Highlights
Both close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding may negatively affect direct fitness
We addressed the combined predictions of optimal outbreeding[9] and (k)in breeding[7,8] theories in the plant-inhabiting predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis
The results of our study suggest that females of the predatory mite P. persimilis optimally balance mate choice in dependence of the choice options and associated inclusive fitness trade-offs[4,5,27]
Summary
Both close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding may negatively affect direct fitness. Optimal outbreeding theory suggests that females should preferentially mate with distantly related males. (K)in breeding theory suggests that, at similar direct fitness costs of close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding, females should prefer close kin to non-kin. Our experiments suggest that flexible mate choice by P. persimilis females allows optimally balancing inclusive fitness trade-offs Both close inbreeding and extreme outbreeding may negatively affect fitness. Synthesis of optimal outbreeding theory[4] and (k) in breeding theory[8,9] suggests that animals should optimally balance mate choice between kin and non-kin, in dependence of the choice options and the associated benefit-cost trade-offs in direct and indirect fitness[13]. We hypothesized that P. persimilis females should flexibly adjust mate choice depending on the choice options and the associated trade-offs in direct and indirect fitness[27] They should optimally balance mate choice by avoiding sib-mating when the alternative is distant kin but should prefer sib-mating when the alternative is non-kin
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