Preexisting Male Traits Are Important in the Evolution of Elaborated Male Sexual Display

Abstract

Publisher Summary The evolutionary cause of elaborate male sexual display traits remains controversial despite extensive recent research. The two most discussed sexual selection models, runaway and co evolutionary good genes models, both require a genetic correlation between male traits and female preferences. Sexual selection studies suggest a complicated mate choice dynamic that could limit the occurrence of genetic correlations in natural populations. There are at least three different good genes models that differ in their dependence on genetic correlations between the male trait and the female preference and on the co-evolution of male traits and female preferences. Pre-existing preference models, sometimes called sensory exploitation, are attractive because, like pre-existing traits models, they are relatively simple and do not require genetic correlations to explain the evolution of female preferences for male display traits. Pre-existing preferences are suggested to be simple by products of the sensory system. The argument for pre-existing preferences becomes less convincing when set in the context of a new mate preference evolving in competition with other already existing adaptive mating preferences. The occurrence of co option of already elaborated traits for use in sexual display offers to radically change our view of sexual display trait evolution. The evolution of highly elaborated male sexual display traits remains an important and controversial issue in evolutionary and behavioral biology. This review of elaborated male display traits suggests that co-option of pre-existing male traits for mate assessment is very common and has been important in mate choice and the evolution of elaborated male sexual display. The pre-existing traits models must be included in any comprehensive discussion of the evolution of elaborated male display traits.