Female Mate Choice Research Articles

Assortative mating and mate-choice contributes to the maintenance of a developmental dimorphism in Streblospio benedicti.

Assortative mating, where individuals non-randomly mate with respect to phenotype or genotype, can occur when preferences between potential mates have evolved. When such mate preferences occur in a population it can drive evolutionary and phenotypic divergence. But the extent to which assortative mating, mate preference, and development are evolutionarily linked remains unclear. Here we use Streblospio benedicti, a marine annelid with a rare developmental dimorphism, to investigate if mate-choice could contribute to developmental evolution. For S. benedicti two types of ecologically and phenotypically similar adults persist in natural populations, but they give rise to distinctly different offspring with alternative life-histories. This dimorphism persists despite the absence of post-zygotic reproductive barriers, where crosses between the developmental types can produce phenotypically intermediate offspring. How this life-history strategy evolved remains unknown, but assortative mating is a typical first step in evolutionary divergence. Here we investigate if female mate-choice is occurring in this species. We find that mate preferences could be contributing to the maintenance of alternative developmental and life-history strategies.

Female choice of mates in the aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): the effect of male age, sexual status and familiarity

Mating involves the transfer of sperm to females. Female reproductive investment is based on gamete numbers as well as gamete size. Females are more selective than males and this selection is based on numerous factors, like a male’s age, sexual status and familiarity. Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an important natural enemy of many insect pests such as aphids, psyllids, whiteflies and mealybugs in many countries. We investigated female mate choice in Hippodamia variegate caging females with: (i) a young and a middle-aged male, (ii) a virgin and mated male and (iii) a novel and a familiar male. Time to and duration of copulation were recorded. Females preferred to mate with middle-aged and familiar males and did not differentiate between previously mated and virgin males. Females copulated quicker and for longer with young or familiar males.

Infanticide by Adult Females Causes Sexual Conflict in a Female-Dominated Social Mammal

Infanticide by adult females includes any substantial contribution to the demise of young and inevitably imposes fitness costs on the victim’s genetic fathers, thereby generating sexual conflict with them. Few if any studies have quantified the impact of infanticide by females on male reproductive success, the magnitude of sexual conflict this causes and possible counterstrategies males use against infanticidal females. We examine these topics in spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) clans, where females socially dominate breeding males and strong female mate-choice is independent of male social status. We consider two causes of infanticide by females, violent attacks on cubs and fatal maternal neglect. Violent attacks are predicted during periods of social instability at the top of the female linear dominance hierarchy and victims are expected to predominantly have mothers above median rank. Fatal maternal neglect, when starving litters are abandoned, is associated with monopolization of food in clan territories by high-ranking females, and victims are predicted to have mothers below median rank. Female perpetrators of violent attacks are expected to reduce the reproductive success of the fathers of their victims more than perpetrators of fatal maternal neglect. We tested these predictions using 30 + years of data (54 recorded violent attacks, 43 cases of fatal maternal neglect, DNA profiling of 1,671 individuals). Using long-term observations at communal dens we investigated whether males use counterstrategies against infanticide reported in other mammals. Due to female social dominance over breeding males, strong female mate-choice and prolonged offspring dependence on lactation in spotted hyenas, we predicted that these counterstrategies were unlikely to be used by males against females, thus no incidences of them were likely to be observed. Our results revealed that breeding males lost cubs to violent attacks at all stages of their reproductive tenure and to perpetrators with whom they did not sire offspring. Amongst known sources of paternity loss, violent attacks comprised 12.2% and maternal neglect 9.8% of cases. Violent attacks significantly reduced offspring production rates of breeding males, suggesting that infanticide by females generates sexual conflict. As predicted, no evidence of males using counterstrategies against infanticide by females were observed.

Mating behavior of the Iranian fiddler crab Austruca iranica Pretzmann, 1971 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Ocypodidae), with an emphasis on the mate choice of burrow-mating females

Abstract Fiddler crabs exhibit two modes of mating: burrow and surface mating. In burrow mating, males wave and attract mate-searching females for mating inside their burrows, whereas in surface mating males search for and mate with females on the surface. We studied the reproductive behavior of Austruca iranica (Pretzmann, 1971), an Indo-West Pacific species, specifically female-mate choice with regard to the size of both male individuals and their burrows. We also compared the size of male and female burrows in the population. Austruca iranica performed both surface and burrow mating despite the different size of the burrow of the two sexes, within the semi-lunar tide cycles at the study site. There was strong size-assortative mating in burrow mating. Burrow-mating females generally chose larger males and wider burrows and even though chosen and rejected males were not different in burrow length, females sampled males with longer than average burrows. Surface-mating females also possessed burrows that were longer than those of the females in the population and this may have enabled them to mate on the surface and breed alone. Regardless of its similarities to some species that only perform burrow mating; the ecology of A. iranica has made it possible for this species to mate on the surface as well as in male-defended burrows. The choice of large males by burrow mating females may provide benefits to females from both the large male itself (e.g., protection) and his wider burrow (e.g., better incubation temperature).

Mechanisms of Social Influence: A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Social Information on Female Mate Choice Decisions

Social learning about mate choices is taxonomically widespread, and is a potentially important mechanism of social evolution that may affect the strength of sexual selection in a population. We used a meta-analytic approach to estimate the effect of mate-choice copying on reproductive decisions. We evaluated effect sizes across 103 experiments from 40 studies that experimentally measured female mate-choice copying in non-human animals representing Arachnida, Insecta, Malacostraca, Aves, and Actinoperygii. Our goals were to quantify the magnitude of the effect of this form of social influence, and the extent to which it is modified by observer experience, model age relative to the observer, attractiveness of prospective mates, and testing conditions (laboratory vs. free-living). Across all studies, females that observed others choosing a male were on average 2.71 times more likely to mate with that male, or with a phenotypically similar individual, compared to females with no social information (odds ratio 95% credible interval: 1.60-4.80). After corrected for publication bias, this effect remained significant (corrected odds ratio: 1.92, 95% credible interval 1.13-3.40). We found little evidence for phylogenetic effects in the occurrence of mate-choice copying. Indeed, some studies herein found evidence for mate-choice copying in a broad cross-section of species, while others rejected it in their sister taxa. Social information from observed mate choices of others had a considerably stronger effect on mate-choice in free-living subjects than in captive individuals. Inexperienced (virgin) females were more likely to copy mate choices than were experienced females, but the relative age of the model was unrelated to whether copying occurred. Finally, females were more likely to copy the mate choices of others when social information counteracted the observing female’s personal or genetic mating preference. We note the need for increased taxonomic representation in tests of mate-choice copying, given the robust demonstration of effects in taxa studied to date. Such broader information will provide additional insight to the drivers of the differences identified here in tendency to copy mate choices of others.

Female Mate Choice Influences on Monogamous Pair Bond Formation in Prairie Voles

The prairie vole is an established model for social behavior, most notably, the monogamous pair bond formed between a mated pair. The formation of this bond hinges upon estrogen surges in the female shortly after being introduced to a potential mate. Our lab has correlated earlier estrogen surges with earlier achievement of pregnancy, which we have also found to be a determining factor in the formation of a monogamous pair bond for male prairie voles. Currently, our lab is examining how female mate choice influences the formation of a monogamous pair bond via both behavioral and endocrine measures.This study has three objectives: 1) To establish whether endocrine measures provide supporting data for behavioral measures of pair bond formation; 2) To examine whether female prairie voles allowed to pair with a mate of their choice will show an earlier estrogen surge and a shorter latency pregnancy; and 3) To determine if pairing and pregnancy is a greater stressor for animals not paired with their mate of choice.Sexually naïve female prairie voles were allowed to choose between two males and subsequently paired either with the male of their choice or the male they did not choose. An additional group of females was paired randomly with a male outside of the choice paradigm. Fecal samples were collected prior to and immediately after mate choice, and at select time points throughout the next 30 days or until the birth of a litter. Fecal samples were analyzed via ELISA for 17b‐estradiol and corticosterone content to examine sex hormone changes associated with pairing and pregnancy, as well as stress levels throughout pairing and pregnancy. These measures will be combined with partner preference testing on either the female or male subject to establish whether female mate choice can affect endocrine changes that may impact monogamous pair bond formation.Regardless of sex, animals in pairs that include the non‐chosen male tend to display social affiliation patterns that differ from those pairs that include the chosen male or a randomly assigned male. Despite differences in affiliative behavior, latency to birth in all groups was similar. These data suggest that female mate choice may influence pair bond formation, despite the lack of differences in latency to pregnancy.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Dorsal Forewing White Spots of Male Papilio polytes(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) not Maintained by Female Mate Choice

Palatable animals sometimes mimic the color patterns of noxious animals to gain protection from predators. This phenomenon, known as Batesian mimicry, is seen in many butterflies of the genus Papilio, and in some species the mimicry is limited to females. Although female-limited Batesian mimicry has been hypothesized to be caused by females preferring to mate with non-mimetic males, this hypothesis is rarely tested. In this study, we tested whether female mate choice is driving female-limited Batesian mimicry in Papilio polytes. Males have white spots on the dorsal forewings, which are absent in mimetic female sand in the toxic model, Pachliopta aristolochiae. Hence, we conducted mate choice experiments to examine whether these white spots are important to females. We offered females a choice of males with intact dorsal forewing white spots and males with artificially blackened dorsal forewings, resembling the model. Females did not show a preference for males with the white spots, suggesting that they are not being maintained by female mate choice. Future studies should investigate the presence of female mate choice on other parts of males’ wings to further understand the role of female mate choice, as well as explore other factors driving female-limited mimicry in these butterflies.

Female Mate Choice Based on Male Nuptial Coloration in Pale Chub,Zacco platypus

Males of many animals exhibit conspicuous secondary sexual traits, which are often the result of sexual selection. During the breeding period of the pale chub (Pisces: Cyprinidae), males show various sexual traits, such as long anal fins, breeding tubercles on the head, and/or conspicuous red and greenish-blue nuptial colorations. Although these conspicuous sexual dimorphisms and dichromatisms indicate that this can serve as a model species for understanding sexual selection, it is unclear whether these male sexual traits are related to female mate choice. This study examined the relationships between female mate choice and male sexual traits under laboratory conditions. In a dichotomous choice experiment, no relationship was found between female preference and male body size, anal fin length or number of breeding tubercles. In addition, female preference was not detected for traits related to the greenish-blue nuptial color of males. Instead, females chose males based on the degree of expression of red nuptial coloration. Such female preference may be useful for selecting high-quality males with good foraging abilities or good immune function related to carotenoids and sexual hormones. The present study suggests that red nuptial coloration of the male pale chub evolved in part through female mate choice.

Genetic Coupling of Female Mate Choice with Polygenic Ecological Divergence Facilitates Stickleback Speciation

Ecological speciation with gene flow is widespread in nature [1], but it presents a conundrum: how are associations between traits under divergent natural selection and traits that contribute to assortative mating maintained? Theoretical models suggest that genetic mechanisms inhibiting free recombination between loci underlying these two types of traits (hereafter, "genetic coupling") can facilitate speciation [2-4]. Here, we perform a direct test for genetic coupling by mapping both divergent traits and female mate choice in a classic model of ecological speciation: sympatric benthic and limnetic threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). By measuring mate choice in F2 hybrid females, we allowed for recombination between loci underlying assortative mating and those under divergent ecological selection. In semi-natural mating arenas in which females had access to both benthic and limnetic males, we found that F2 females mated with males similar to themselves in body size and shape. In addition, we found two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with female mate choice that also predicted female morphology along the benthic-limnetic trait axis. Furthermore, a polygenic genetic model that explains adaptation to contrasting benthic and limnetic feeding niches [5] also predicted F2 female mate choice. Together, these results provide empirical evidence that genetic coupling of assortative mating with traits under divergent ecological selection helps maintain species in the face of gene flow, despite a polygenic basis for adaptation to divergent environments.

Neurobiology of Female Mate Choice in Frogs: Auditory Filtering and Valuation.

Mate choice is a decision making process with profound implication for the reproductive success of both the sender and the chooser. Preferences for conspecific over heterospecific males and for some conspecifics over others are typically mediated by a female's response to signals produced by males. And although one can experimentally describe a female's preference function, there is relatively little understood about the neural mechanisms mediating these preferences. In anurans, mating preferences have often been explained in terms of sensory biases. Indeed, in the túngara frog (Physalaemus pustulosus), the auditory system appears to act as a filter for conspecific calls. However, auditory responses are not good predictors of intraspecific mating preferences in túngara frogs. Rather, neural activity in the preoptic area, which can be gated by estradiol, is a better predictor of mating preferences. A similar pattern holds in spadefoot toads (Spea bombifrons): the preoptic area, but not the auditory midbrain, integrates physiological cues in its response to mating calls in a pattern that predicts preferences. Neuroanatomically, the anuran preoptic area is poised to mediate forebrain influences on auditory response of the midbrain and it has descending projections to the medulla and spinal cord that could directly influence motor responses. Indeed, lesions of the preoptic area abolish phonotaxis. A role for the preoptic area in mating preferences is supported by studies in mammals that show the preoptic area is required for the expression of preferences. Further, activity of the preoptic area correlates with mating preference in fish. This leads to a model for the neurobiological mechanisms of mate choice, in which sensory systems filter relevant signals from irrelevant ones, but the preoptic area assigns value to the range of relevant signals.

How Song Experience Affects Female Mate-Choice, Male Song, and Monoaminergic Activity in the Auditory Telencephalon in Lincoln's Sparrows.

A sexual signal can indicate not only the signaler's attractiveness as a potential mate but also the signaler's competitiveness relative to rivals. As the attractiveness or competitiveness of the prevailing signaling environment increases, individuals prospecting for mates should change their choice threshold, whereas competing individuals should shift resources toward elevating their own competitiveness. Previous studies show that experimental elevations of song competition increase male competitive behavior in Lincoln's sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Through a series of experimental manipulations using laboratory-housed Lincoln's sparrows, we have also discovered that females change the strength of their song preferences depending on the attractiveness of the song environment to which they have recently been exposed; compared to a less-attractive environment, a highly-attractive environment elevates the threshold for releasing phonotaxis behavior toward male song. These behavioral adjustments are associated with changes in forebrain monoaminergic activity that are triggered by experimental manipulations of the quality of the song environment. Findings from these studies suggest possible neural mechanisms for the regulation of adaptive behavioral plasticity associated with dynamic sexual signaling environments.

Does Female Mate Choice Confer Direct Fitness Benefits? Results From a Tephritid Fruit Fly

The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett), exhibits a lek mating system in which males aggregate on plants, weakly defend leaf territories that lack any resources vital to females, and produce pheromone to attract potential mates. Males are attracted to and feed on the plant-borne compound raspberry ketone (RK) as well as its synthetic analogue, cue lure (CL), and studies have demonstrated that females mate preferentially with males fed these chemicals over males denied them. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether females gained direct fitness benefits by mating with CL-fed males, potentially via CL-mediated modifications in male ejaculate composition and quantity that act to enhance female longevity and reproduction. Mating trials were first performed to re-confirm that CL-feeding conferred a mating advantage to males. Then, having detected an advantage, female survival, fecundity, and fertility were compared between females mated to CL-fed males versus nonfed males. In addition, the incidence and duration of successful egg-to-pupa development were compared between the two groups of females. None of the comparisons suggested that fitness was enhanced by mating with a CL-fed male, and one parameter—fertility or egg hatch rate—showed a potential cost to mating with CL-fed males. Thus, mating with CL-fed males does not appear to confer direct fitness benefits to females. Factors potentially confounding interpretation of this finding are noted, and the possible role of a runaway selection process, mediated via RK or CL consumption, in shaping female mate choice in this species is proposed.

Inbreeding avoidance and female mate choice shape reproductive skew in capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator).

Reproductive skew in multimale groups may be determined by the need for alpha males to offer reproductive opportunities as staying incentives to subordinate males (concessions), by the relative fighting ability of the alpha male (tug-of-war) or by how easily females can be monopolized (priority-of-access). These models have rarely been investigated in species with exceptionally long male tenures, such as white-faced capuchins, where female mate choice for novel unrelated males may be important in shaping reproductive skew. We investigated reproductive skew in white-faced capuchins at Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica, using 20years of demographic, behavioural and genetic data. Infant survival and alpha male reproductive success were highest in small multimale groups, which suggests that the presence of subordinate males can be beneficial to the alpha male, in line with the concession model's assumptions. None of the skew models predicted the observed degree of reproductive sharing, and the probability of an alpha male producing offspring was not affected by his relatedness to subordinate males, whether he resided with older subordinate males, whether he was prime aged, the number of males or females in the group or the number of infants conceived within the same month. Instead, the alpha male's probability of producing offspring decreased when he was the sire of the mother, was weak and lacked a well-established position and had a longer tenure. Because our data best supported the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis and female choice for strong novel mates, these hypotheses should be taken into account in future skew models.

Body mass in wild bearded capuchins, (Sapajus libidinosus): Ontogeny and sexual dimorphism.

Body mass is fundamental for understanding growth, health, and aspects of life history but records of body mass are rarely available for wild primates. We documented the body mass of all individuals in a group of wild bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) at annual intervals for seven consecutive years. Sexual dimorphism in body mass was more pronounced than reported in the literature for adults in this genus: females in our sample were relatively light (average 2.1 kg), while males had average body mass (3.5 kg). Three other notable differences between males and females were evident. First, males grew more rapidly and for a longer period than females. We estimate that males attained full body mass at 9.8 years of age and females at 7.5 years. Second, males showed greater inter-individual variability than females in growth rates and adult mass. Third, males gained about 20% above their baseline body mass upon becoming alpha, and lost that amount when they lost that status, but body mass in females was unrelated to social status. We also report preliminary data on mass and age of natal males at dispersal and mass and age at first reproduction for one female. The pattern of sexual dimorphism in ontogeny and inter-individual variability in body mass in bearded capuchins suggests different competitive risks in the two sexes commensurate with a mating system characterized by female choice of mates in multi-male, multi-female groups. Am. J. Primatol. 78:473-484, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Different ornaments signal male health and MHC variation in two populations of a warbler.

Male traits that signal health and vigour are used by females to choose better quality mates, but in some cases the male trait selected by females differs among populations. Multiple male traits can be maintained through female mate choice if both traits are equally honest indicators of male quality, but tests of this prediction are rare. By choosing males based on such traits, females could gain direct benefits from males (assistance with parental care), but when females choose extra-pair mates based on these traits, females gain only male sperm, and potentially indirect genetic benefits for their offspring. In common yellowthroats (Geothylpis trichas), female choice of extra-pair mates targets two different plumage ornaments: the black mask in a Wisconsin population and the yellow bib in a New York population. Previously, we found that the black mask in Wisconsin is related to greater major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II variation, which in turn signals better survival and disease resistance. In this study, we examined the signalling function of the yellow bib in New York to test whether it signals the same aspects of male quality as the black mask in Wisconsin. As predicted, we found that the yellow bib in New York is most closely associated with MHC variation, which also signals survival and resistance to blood parasites. Thus, the ornament preferred by females differs between the two populations, but the different ornaments signal similar aspects of male health and genetic quality, specifically information regarding MHC variation and potential indirect genetic benefits to females.

Quantitative Genetic Analyses of Male Color Pattern and Female Mate Choice in a Pair of Cichlid Fishes of Lake Malawi, East Africa.

The traits involved in sexual selection, such as male secondary sexual characteristics and female mate choice, often co-evolve which can promote population differentiation. However, the genetic architecture of these phenotypes can influence their evolvability and thereby affect the divergence of species. The extraordinary diversity of East African cichlid fishes is often attributed to strong sexual selection and thus this system provides an excellent model to test predictions regarding the genetic architecture of sexually selected traits that contribute to reproductive isolation. In particular, theory predicts that rapid speciation is facilitated when male sexual traits and female mating preferences are controlled by a limited number of linked genes. However, few studies have examined the genetic basis of male secondary sexual traits and female mating preferences in cichlids and none have investigated the genetic architecture of both jointly. In this study, we artificially hybridized a pair of behaviorally isolated cichlid fishes from Lake Malawi and quantified both melanistic color pattern and female mate choice. We investigated the genetic architecture of both phenotypes using quantitative genetic analyses. Our results suggest that 1) many non-additively acting genetic factors influence melanistic color patterns, 2) female mate choice may be controlled by a minimum of 1–2 non-additive genetic factors, and 3) F2 female mate choice is not influenced by male courting effort. Furthermore, a joint analysis of color pattern and female mate choice indicates that the genes underlying these two traits are unlikely to be physically linked. These results suggest that reproductive isolation may evolve rapidly owing to the few genetic factors underlying female mate choice. Hence, female mate choice likely played an important role in the unparalleled speciation of East African cichlid fish.

Male Mate Choice for Unparasitized Females in Drosophila melanogaster

Parasite-mediated sexual selection theory suggests that females may choose male partners who possess a relatively low pathogen load in order to maximize their reproductive investment (e.g. by avoiding pathogens or producing pathogen-resistant offspring). However, males might also maximize their reproductive investment by preferring unparasitized females; even in non-sex-role-reversed systems where female choice predominates. We address this hypothesis in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster where female choice plays a major selective role. Females in this system exhibit reduced fecundity when parasitized, creating the opportunity for simultaneous parasite-mediated male choice. To address our hypothesis, virgin females were either prick-injected with a sub-lethal dose of the gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeuginosa (pricked-parasitized group, PP), prick-injected with sterile media (pricked-unparasitized group, PU) or unpricked and unparasitized (UU group). Twenty-four hours post-infection, females were decapitated to minimize the confounding effects of female behavior on male preference (decapitated females will stand upright, but lack reproductive behavior). Males were then assigned to one of two different two-choice trials (experiment A: PU versus UU females or experiment B: PP versus UU females) and their courtship behavior monitored. In experiment A, males exhibited no courtship preference for either female. However, experiment B males preferentially courted UU females more often than PP females. These results suggest that males prefer unparasitized mates, which could play a significant role in shaping disease resistance in this system. These data also provide some of the first evidence that males prefer unparasitized females in systems that do not exhibit sex-role reversal.

Seasonal variation in female mate choice and operational sex ratio in wild populations of an annual fish, Austrolebias reicherti.

The intensity of mating competition and the potential benefits for female of mating with certain males can be influenced by several extrinsic factors, such that behavioral decisions can be highly context-dependent. Short-lived species with a single reproductive season are a unique model to study context-sensitive mating decisions. Through exhaustive sampling in the field and simultaneous choice tests in the laboratory, we evaluated operational sex ratio (OSR) and female mate choice at the beginning and end of the reproductive season in the annual killifish Austrolebias reicherti. We found seasonal change in both OSR and female mate choice. At the start of the reproductive season the OSR did not deviate from parity, and females preferred larger males. Later in the reproductive season, while the proportion of males in the ponds decreased, females became unselective with respect to male size. The particular biological cycle of annual killifish, where both life expectancy and mating opportunities decline sharply over a short timescale, could account for the seasonal change in female choice. Reduction in choosiness could arise from diminished reproductive prospects due to a decline in male availability. Moreover, as the end of the season approaches, any benefits of choosiness are presumably reduced: a female’s fitness will be higher if she mates with any male than if she forgoes reproduction and dies. Future work will disentangle the mechanisms underlying seasonal changes in mating preferences, notably direct responses to demographic factors, environmental cues, or intrinsic changes during development.

Influence of Inbreeding on Female Mate Choice in Two Species of Drosophila.

Many organisms have been reported to choose their mates in order to increase the heterozygosity of their offspring by avoiding mating with relatives or homozygous individuals. Most previous studies using Drosophila melanogaster have used artificial chromosomes or extreme inbreeding treatments, situations unlikely to be matched in nature. Additionally, few studies have examined the interaction between female inbreeding status and her choice of mate. Using females and males from populations that had experienced either random mating or one generation of sib-sib inbreeding, we measured the preferences of females for males. Our results indicate that outbred males were chosen more often than inbred males and that this preference may be more pronounced in outbred females than in inbred ones.

Inbreeding Avoidance in Male Primates: A Response to Female Mate Choice?

AbstractInbreeding often has negative fitness consequences for primates, which have led to the evolution of inbreeding avoidance strategies in a number of species. In polygynous primates, females may suffer a higher fitness cost from inbreeding than males and are thus expected to exhibit a lower tolerance for inbreeding. Nevertheless, it is apparent that inbreeding avoidance behaviours are common in both female and male polygynous primates. In this perspectives article, I review the evidence that female mate choice can lead to male inbreeding avoidance behaviours in polygynous primates. I conclude that male inbreeding avoidance may be strongly driven by female mate choice at both proximate and ultimate levels. To better understand the extent to which this pattern applies across the primate order, studies are needed on the separate effects of participating in inbred matings and producing inbred offspring on male and female lifetime reproductive success. It would also be useful to examine how inbreeding avoidance strategies vary across primate mating systems. Finally, measuring the covariance between female choice and male inbreeding avoidance behaviour, and between male inbreeding avoidance behaviour and male fitness, would help to clarify the role of female mate choice in the evolution of male inbreeding avoidance.